MICRO SCALE
3D PRINTING:
NEW METHOD ALLOWS
3D PRINTING WITH
PROGRAMMABLE
STIFFNESS
A new method of microscale 3D
printing features in-situ resin mixing,
delivery and exchange, and a robotic
material cleansing system to allow
switching between materials of
different modulus, or flexibility,
without cross contamination between
properties.
The method, called multimaterial
programmable additive manufacturing
with integrated resin delivery, is
featured in the journal Scientific
Reports. The technology could be
useful in various applications, including
aircraft wing structures, protective
coatings, energy absorption, actuation,
flexible armor, artificial muscles, and
microrobotics.
Xiaoyu “Rayne” Zheng, an assistant
professor of mechanical engineering,
and a member of the Macromolecules
Innovation Institute, said the
microscale manufacturing system can
be up-scaled to the centimeter levels
and above.
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