Fiber encapsulation additive manufacturing: An enabling technology for 3D printing of electromechanical devices and robotic components

Abstract

The frontier in additive manufacturing has recently shifted beyond the ability to produce parts with complex geometries, to the ability to fabricate multimaterial structures. Recent work has demonstrated the capacity to 3D print structures that integrate dissimilar types of materials - such as electrical conductors and reinforcing elements along with dielectrics - enabling the rapid, custom production of highly functional electromechanical and electronic devices. This article introduces a new process, fiber encapsulation additive manufacturing (FEAM), which enables fiber and extrudable matrix material to be printed simultaneously in a single, potentially low-cost machine. One application of FEAM is the manufacturing of soft robotic components that move and sense, though a variety of other applications are contemplated. Using a prototype FEAM system, helical 3D coils/inductors of various heights and diameters were created. Leveraging this capability, a functional loudspeaker, rheostat, inductive sensor, and linear variable differential transformer were demonstrated, as well as a membrane switch array.