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1. Data-Driven Predictive Modeling of Tensile Behavior of Parts Fabricated by Cooperative 3D Printing

   https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4045290  

   Zhang, Ziyang; Poudel, Laxmi; Sha, Zhenghui; Zhou, Wenchao; Wu, Dazhong (April 2020, Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract 3D printing has been extensively used for rapid prototyping as well as low-volume production in aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. However, conventional manufacturing processes (i.e., injection molding and CNC machining) are more economical than 3D printing for high-volume mass production. In addition, current 3D printing techniques are not capable of fabricating large components due to the limited build size of commercially available 3D printers. To increase 3D printing throughput and build volume, a novel cooperative 3D printing technique has been recently introduced. Cooperative 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process where individual mobile 3D printers collaborate on printing a part simultaneously, thereby increasing printing speed and build volume. While cooperative 3D printing has the potential to fabricate larger components more efficiently, the mechanical properties of the components fabricated by cooperative 3D printing have not been systematically characterized. This paper aims to develop a data-driven predictive model that predicts the tensile strength of the components fabricated by cooperative 3D printing. Experimental results have shown that the predictive model is capable of predicting tensile strength as well as identifying the significant factors that affect the tensile strength. 

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2. A chunk-based slicer for cooperative 3D printing

   https://doi.org/10.1108/rpj-07-2017-0150  

   McPherson, Jace; Zhou, Wenchao (November 2018, Rapid Prototyping Journal)

   null (Ed.)

   Purpose The purpose of this research is to develop a new slicing scheme for the emerging cooperative three-dimensional (3D) printing platform that has multiple mobile 3D printers working together on one print job. Design/methodology/approach Because the traditional lay-based slicing scheme does not work for cooperative 3D printing, a chunk-based slicing scheme is proposed to split the print job into chunks so that different mobile printers can print different chunks simultaneously without interfering with each other. Findings A chunk-based slicer is developed for two mobile 3D printers to work together cooperatively. A simulator environment is developed to validate the developed slicer, which shows the chunk-based slicer working effectively, and demonstrates the promise of cooperative 3D printing. Research limitations/implications For simplicity, this research only considered the case of two mobile 3D printers working together. Future research is needed for a slicing and scheduling scheme that can work with thousands of mobile 3D printers. Practical implications The research findings in this work demonstrate a new approach to 3D printing. By enabling multiple mobile 3D printers working together, the printing speed can be significantly increased and the printing capability (for multiple materials and multiple components) can be greatly enhanced. Social implications The chunk-based slicing algorithm is critical to the success of cooperative 3D printing, which may enable an autonomous factory equipped with a swarm of autonomous mobile 3D printers and mobile robots for autonomous manufacturing and assembly. Originality/value This work presents a new approach to 3D printing. Instead of printing layer by layer, each mobile 3D printer will print one chunk at a time, which provides the much-needed scalability for 3D printing to print large-sized object and increase the printing speed. The chunk-based approach keeps the 3D printing local and avoids the large temperature gradient and associated internal stress as the size of the print increases. 

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3. Tensile performance data of 3D printed photopolymer gyroid lattices

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109396  

   Peloquin, Jacob; Kirillova, Alina; Mathey, Elizabeth; Rudin, Cynthia; Brinson, L Catherine; Gall, Ken (August 2023, Data in Brief)

   Additive manufacturing has provided the ability to manufacture complex structures using a wide variety of materials and geometries. Structures such as triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) lattices have been incorporated into products across many fields due to their unique combinations of mechanical, geometric, and physical properties. Yet, the near limitless possibility of combining geometry and material into these lattices leaves much to be discovered. This article provides a dataset of experimentally gathered tensile stress-strain curves and measured porosity values for 389 unique gyroid lattice structures manufactured using vat photopolymerization 3D printing. The lattice samples were printed from one of twenty different photopolymer materials available from either Formlabs, LOCTITE AM, or ETEC that range from strong and brittle to elastic and ductile and were printed on commercially available 3D printers, specifically the Formlabs Form2, Prusa SL1, and ETEC Envision One cDLM Mechanical. The stress-strain curves were recorded with an MTS Criterion C43.504 mechanical testing apparatus and following ASTM standards, and the void fraction or “porosity” of each lattice was measured using a calibrated scale. This data serves as a valuable resource for use in the development of novel printing materials and lattice geometries and provides insight into the influence of photopolymer material properties on the printability, geometric accuracy, and mechanical performance of 3D printed lattice structures. The data described in this article was used to train a machine learning model capable of predicting mechanical properties of 3D printed gyroid lattices based on the base mechanical properties of the printing material and porosity of the lattice in the research article [1]. 

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4. Video-rate high-precision time-frequency multiplexed 3D coherent ranging

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29177-9  

   Qian, Ruobing; Zhou, Kevin_C; Zhang, Jingkai; Viehland, Christian; Dhalla, Al-Hafeez; Izatt, Joseph_A (March 2022, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is an emerging 3D ranging technology that offers high sensitivity and ranging precision. Due to the limited bandwidth of digitizers and the speed limitations of beam steering using mechanical scanners, meter-scale FMCW LiDAR systems typically suffer from a low 3D frame rate, which greatly restricts their applications in real-time imaging of dynamic scenes. In this work, we report a high-speed FMCW based 3D imaging system, combining a grating for beam steering with a compressed time-frequency analysis approach for depth retrieval. We thoroughly investigate the localization accuracy and precision of our system both theoretically and experimentally. Finally, we demonstrate 3D imaging results of multiple static and moving objects, including a flexing human hand. The demonstrated technique achieves submillimeter localization accuracy over a tens-of-centimeter imaging range with an overall depth voxel acquisition rate of 7.6 MHz, enabling densely sampled 3D imaging at video rate. 

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5. Developing 3D-Printed Natural Fiber-Based Mixtures

   Akemah, T.; Ben-Alon, L. (June 2023, Bio-Based Building Materials (ICBBM 2023))

   Amziane, S.; Merta, I.; Page, J. (Ed.)

   Natural earth-fiber building assemblies such as light straw clay, hempcrete, and clay-plastered straw bales incorporate vegetable by-products that are mixed with geological binders, traditionally used as an insulative infill in building construction. As a geo- and bio-based insulative infill method composed mostly of fiber, heat transfer coefficients are lower than mass materials, making it a compatible assembly that meets energy code requirements. Furthermore, due to their permeability, these materials exhibit high hygric capacity, providing regulated indoor temperatures and relative humidity levels, thus showing a promising future for socially just and healthier built environments. Despite these advantages, the use of earth-fiber building materials in digital construction is still underdeveloped. In the past few years, 3D-printed earth has gained an increasing interest, however, high contents of fibers in earth mixtures have yet to be fully tested and characterized. This paper presents an experimental workflow to characterize fiber-earth composites for 3D printed assemblies, using natural soils infused with natural fibers. The paper begins with a literature review of a range of fibers: straw, hemp, kenaf, sisal, and banana leaves, as well as naturally occurring biopolymer additives. The experimental setup includes manual extrudability and buildability tests, to identify optimal mix designs that are then tested for their printability and buckling using clay 3D printers. As a final deliverable, first pass geometric studies showcase the lightweight and structural possibilities of each material. The significance of this research lies in the development of a methodology for identifying novel mix design for digital fabrication, by increasing carbon storing vegetable fiber content within digital earth, and by creating a range of natural 3D printed assembly types: from mass-insulation walls to paper-thin lightweight partition assemblage. 

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