Tool changing and tool sharing system for interconnected multi-material direct ink write 3D printers

Abstract

Direct ink write (DIW) is a material extrusion additive manufacturing technique where a flowable liquid or semi-solid ink is selectively deposited through a nozzle onto a build surface. DIW can be leveraged to print a wide range of multi-material components with unique geometries, which would otherwise be challenging to produce with traditional manufacturing techniques. However, despite their unique capabilities, DIW extruders are costly to purchase and labor intensive to clean, limiting widespread adoption. To address these challenges, an automatic tool changer with tool sharing system was developed to reduce printer capital costs, minimize operator interactions, and increase extruder utilization. Unlike conventional tool changers popular with fused filament fabrication (FFF) printers, which allows a single printer to swap between multiple tools, this novel tool sharing system enables tool sharing and coordination between two adjacent printers. By effectively halving the total number of extruders and associated cleaning operations, DIW capabilities are greatly improved, increasing production, lowering system cost, and minimizing operator involvement. The hardware consists of a tool changing mechanism, post processor to insert tool exchange G-code, and software to coordinate tool sharing between printers, enabling tool changing and tool sharing between two adjacent printers.