3D-utskriftens mångsidighet: Growth Printing, robotik och mer

Additiv tillverkning har kommit långt sedan Dr. Hideo Kodama först introducerade idén om utskrift via lager jämfört med formsprutning år 1981. Sedan dess har en stadig ström av banbrytande framsteg lett till utvecklingen av denna moderna tillverkningsprocess. Nu är 3D-utskriftens mångsidighet på väg att expandera ytterligare tack vare några innovativa koncept som nu når marknaden. Här är vad du behöver veta.

Beyond Customization: The Expanding Capabilities of 3D Printing

3D‑skrivare kan mycket mer än att bara skapa anpassade former. Dagens 3D‑skrivare kan skriva ut metall, nya sammansatta material, fungerande elektronik och till och med mänskliga organ. Alla dessa utvecklingar leder fortsatt till nya innovationer i sektorn som driver tekniken framåt. Här är några nyliga framsteg inom 3D‑utskrift som kan ta branschen till nästa nivå.

3D Printing in Robotics: A New Era of Actuators

När du tänker på 3D‑utskriven robotik föreställer du dig förmodligen en metall‑3D‑skrivare som producerar robotdelar som sedan monteras innan de blir funktionella. Även om detta tillvägagångssätt är fullt möjligt, skulle det bara vara meningsfullt om den utskrivna robotiken behövde tillverkas i liten skala eller som en unik anpassning.

En bättre användning för 3D‑utskrift i robotik är att skapa aktuatorer. Aktuatorer är de system som driver rörelser i en robot. De är vanligtvis gjorda av någon form av elektrisk servo som aktiveras när ström appliceras. Nackdelen med detta tillvägagångssätt är att servomotorer är tunga, stela och tillför komplexitet till enheterna.

Recognizing these limitations, a team from Empa’s Laboratory for Functional Polymers just released the Rapid Manufacturing of High-Permittivity Dielectric Elastomer Actuator Fibers¹ study. This report highlights a novel approach to creating artificial muscles that operate as actuators for robots. The study explains how the new method eliminates the need for layer-by-layer batch production.

Dielectric Elastomer Actuators: Soft Robotics Advancements

The use of continuous co-extrusion-based manufacturing enables the 3D printer to create actuators that function while retaining the core principles, such as softness and elasticity, found in their human counterparts. Specifically, these units contract when voltage is applied and relax to an expanded state when not charged. This action is similar to how your muscles operate.

Källa – Empa

Innovative Materials: The Dual-Ink Approach

The key to their development was the creation of a special type of printer and inks. The ink needed to easily liquify under certain conditions, but retain its shape, elasticity, and contractility when completed. The engineers integrated two different silicone-based materials.

One of the materials was a conductive electrode material. The other layer consisted of a non-conductive dielectric. The two were printed together at the same time. Notably, the materials didn’t mix and instead were printed in a cross-link pattern similar to if you had your fingers interlocked. Additionally, a special nozzle was developed to deliver the materials.

The result was an ultra-responsive actuator that weighs less than its predecessors and has no moving parts. The engineers noted that their actuators can be made in nearly any design to fit a huge range of applications. Additionally, they cost less to print and have a longer life expectancy than their servo counterparts.

Potential Applications: From Robotics to Medicine

There are several applications for this technology that span across many different sectors. Already, the engineers have discussed utilizing the tech to create thin, fully functional, high-permittivity fibers that could act as replacements for your human muscle fibers if injured.
In the future, you may see these inexpensive and reliable actuators used in automobiles, machinery, and other sectors that currently rely on outdated and inefficient alternatives. Now, the team seeks to lower production costs and discover new applications for this advanced 3D printing tech.

Growth Printing: A Nature-Inspired 3D Printing Method

Engineers from the  Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology recently introduced a nature-inspired 3D printing method that eliminates the need for specialty equipment or molds. The research paper Morphogenic Growth 3D Printing² promises to lower 3D printing costs and enables faster manufacturing of customized parts using advanced polymers.

Growth printing is an exciting development that takes inspiration from the way trees grow over time. When you look at a tree, you may not be aware that its growth is a combination of its genetics and environment. Trees are constantly making minuscule adjustments in their growth to optimize their location.

Källa – Beckman Institute