ORNL partners with JuggerBot 3D on second project
The goal is to expand the possibilities for large-format 3D printing into a new set of materials — thermoset polymers, such as epoxies, vinyl esters, and polyurethanes.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and JuggerBot 3D, an industrial 3D printer equipment manufacturer, have launched their second research and development collaboration through the Technical Collaboration Program at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF).
The two organizations aim to expand the possibilities for large-format 3D printing into a new set of materials — thermoset polymers, such as epoxies, vinyl esters, and polyurethanes — and develop systems that can print both thermosets and thermoplastics. The new project will build on the production-ready technologies developed during an earlier collaboration, which ended in February.
“Creating innovative solutions with industry partners is what the MDF does best,” said MDF Director Ryan Dehoff. “Our strengths in digital, materials, and additive manufacturing, combined with the expertise and interesting challenges industry brings, allow us to advance U.S. competitiveness.”
Thermoplastics and thermosets are categories of plastic polymers that react differently under heat. The categories provide different material properties and benefits best suited for different applications. Thermosets, for example, can withstand higher temperatures without softening or warping. Most 3D printing technologies, however, have focused on thermoplastics, such as polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polylactic acid.
JuggerBot 3D’s first collaboration with ORNL tackled a major barrier regarding the quality of pellet-fed, large-format printing for thermoplastics. Inconsistent width of the polymer bead laid down during printing limits design possibilities at the outset and creates pronounced surface variations to trim away afterward.
Together, ORNL and JuggerBot 3D successfully increased print quality and consistency, which makes pellet-fed 3D printing a solution for more applications. These include flow conveyance components for hydroelectric dams, customized pipe and tube adapters, and pipeline alignment check fixtures for the oil and gas industries.
That project started with refining ORNL slicing software and JuggerBot 3D equipment to work in tandem. Slicing software converts a computer-aided design, or CAD, model into a series of two-dimensional layers called slices. The software calculates printhead path, speed, temperature and other parameters to create a precise 3D version of the object.
Click here to learn more about the collaboration.
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