OPPORTUNITY

Manufacturing is an expensive and time-consuming part of the engineering process, especially for low-volume production and rapid prototyping. Metal materials require substantial Computer Numerical Control (CNC) programming and machining time, which can produce significant amounts of material waste. Plastic materials often require metal molds to be designed and fabricated before parts can even be produced. Composite materials also require molds or mandrels to be designed and built, and even more must be considered with plastics due to the anisotropic nature of the materials involved. Thus, additive manufacturing technologies are in great need in order to improve the engineering processes.

BREAKTHROUGH IN 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Inventors at the University of South Alabama have developed a true free-form 3D printing process without the need for a layer-by-layer build based on a fixed platform. The proposed 3D method prints materials in 3D shapes by layer-deposition without any molds to define the shape. It can print continuous fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, fiber-reinforced composites with other matrices such as metal and ceramic, as well as materials without fiber reinforcement.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

•  3D printing by layer-deposition without use of a mold

•  Prints continuous fiber reinforcement polymer composites

•  Can print with polymers, metals, and ceramics

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY STATUS

Patent filed