US 12,420,474 B2
Additive manufacturing system with tunable material properties
John P. Coulter, Schnecksville, PA (US)
Assigned to Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA (US)
Filed by Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA (US)
Filed on Dec. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/080,297.
Application 18/080,297 is a division of application No. 16/610,666, granted, now 11,554,533, previously published as PCT/US2018/031184, filed on May 4, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/501,421, filed on May 4, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0182377 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 64/118 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/241 (2017.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B29C 64/295 (2017.01); B29C 64/321 (2017.01); B29C 64/364 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 70/00 (2020.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01)
CPC B29C 64/118 (2017.08) [B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/241 (2017.08); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B29C 64/321 (2017.08); B29C 64/364 (2017.08); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An additive manufacturing system for printing a 3D object, comprising:
a feeder configured to accept and feed an object material through the additive manufacturing system, the object material being a material of the 3D object to be printed;
a heater or heaters in communication with the feeder, the heaters being configured to receive the object material from the feeder for controlled heating of the object material as the object material passes through the additive manufacturing system;
a nozzle configured to receive the object material from the heaters and through which the object material is extruded for depositing the object material onto a build stage;
a shear rate tuning mechanism being configured for controlling a shear rate imposed on the object material in one or more direction as the object material passes through the additive manufacturing system;
a control for operating the shear rate tuning mechanism configured to control the shear rate imposed on the object material in order to impact a localized evolution and final state of one or both of molecular orientation or crystallization throughout the printed 3D object,
wherein the shear rate tuning mechanism includes a channel configured to be adjusted by movable segments, wherein the adjustable channel is in communication with the nozzle, the adjustable channel defines a gap through which the object material flows, and the control selects the size of the gap in order to tune the shear rate imposed on the object material as it passes through the channel.