Register for free to
view the full innovation profile.
Sensing fibres are embedded in the 3D-printed object to determine material properties during the production and during the life cycle of the object..
About
Quality assessment of 3D printed objects can only be performed after production is finished, e.g. by applying sensing elements on the surface of the object. Hence, no information on the internal integrity of the object (cracks etc.) can be obtained. Moreover, no online information is available, which can be used to optimize the printing process itself and yielding higher quality products. This technology enables the production of self-sensing smart objects. By integrating high resolution sensing fibres directly into the printed objects, strain and temperature distribution can be recorded during the printing process and/or the lifecycle of the object. The sensing fibres can be printed together with strengthening elements or instead of these. The developed technology contains on the one hand an improved design of a 3D filament printer enabling the integration of a sensing fibre and on the other hand, a control loop where the measurement readings are directly used to optimize the printing parameters.
Key Benefits
Embedding sensing fibres enables the assessment of the quality of 3D printed elements during and after production of the objects. Furthermore, online temperature and strain information from the inside of the printed element can be used to adopt the printing parameters, yielding: - Higher quality printed objects - Self-sensitive printed object - Documentation of the printing process - Early detection of structural deficiencies
Applications
additive manufacturing