Printing and Programming of In-Situ Actuators
- Resource Type
- Conference
- Authors
- Mazhari, Arash Alex; Zhang, Alan; Ticknor, Randall; Swei, Sean; Hyde, Elizabeth; Teodorescu, Mircea
- Source
- 2020 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM) Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), 2020 IEEE/ASME International Conference on. :445-450 Jul, 2020
- Subject
- Aerospace
Bioengineering
Communication, Networking and Broadcast Technologies
Components, Circuits, Devices and Systems
Computing and Processing
Engineered Materials, Dielectrics and Plasmas
Engineering Profession
General Topics for Engineers
Power, Energy and Industry Applications
Robotics and Control Systems
Signal Processing and Analysis
Transportation
Actuators
Springs
Three-dimensional printing
Programming
Fabrication
- Language
- ISSN
- 2159-6255
This paper demonstrates a method for developing in-situ actuation retrofitted onto an additive manufacturing platform. By printing and programming a cantilever beam automated to deploy and actuate without human intervention, one may extend the functionality of an additive manufacturing platform without installing additional hardware. The design leverages a common Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) platform to physically validate the concept through experiment. Kinetics are repeatedly measured and referenced to develop over two dozen generations of in-situ actuator designs, each a function of programming the specific manipulation of the FFF platform’s gantry-code. The resulting lever fabricated onto the build plate can be embedded into the machine’s design envelope to deploy other fabricated objects off of the build plate. As a proof of concept to demonstrate the actuator’s utility, a Prusa MK3S3D printer is used to fabricate an in-situ actuator which is automated to deploy a simultaneously printed spherical 3D printed structure.