Structurally integrating metal objects into additive manufactured structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10913202-B2
Application number	US-201615559423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for the manufacture of 3D printed components with structurally integrated metal objects using an additive manufacturing system enhanced with a range of possible secondary embedding processes. One or more layers of a three-dimensional substrate can be created by depositing a substrate, and then one or more 3D printed components can be configured on the substrate with one or more metal objects using additive manufacturing enhanced by one or more secondary embedding processes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making an electronic or electromechanical device, the method comprising:
creating at least one layer of a substrate by depositing the substrate via additive manufacturing;
attaching a pre-adhesive-coated metal foil onto the substrate;
milling the metal foil to expose a fraction of the substrate underlying the metal foil; and
depositing additional layers of the substrate over the metal foil to completely embed the metal foil in the substrate, wherein the additional layers of the substrate adhere to the substrate exposed from milling the metal foil.

2. A method of making an electronic or electromechanical device, the method comprising:
creating at least one layer of a thermoplastic substrate by depositing the substrate via additive manufacturing;
dispensing a metal wire onto the substrate from a moving wire-dispensing tip; and
extruding adjacent thermoplastic filaments simultaneously from two parallel extrusion tips that trail behind the wire-dispensing tip, wherein the metal wire is dispensed on the substrate before overlaying said thermoplastic filaments, wherein the wire-dispensing tip is aligned to dispense the metal wire centered below an interface between the adjacent thermoplastic filaments, wherein the metal wire is embedded under said thermoplastic filaments.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the metal wire comprises a copper wire.

Assignees

• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Espalin David
• Macdonald Eric
• Wicker Ryan B

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title

• B29C64/106

  using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material · CPC title

• B29C70/70

  Completely encapsulating inserts {(B29C70/86 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C64/209

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title