Multi-axis material extrusion: Conformal deposition of a high-performance cyanate ester

Abstract

Material Extrusion is a remarkably diverse and adaptable additive manufacturing technology that can print a range of geometries from a wide range of materials. To further expand the technology's capabilities, a pneumatic extruder was integrated onto a six degree of freedom robotic arm to enable conformal, multi-axis deposition of material on a range of geometries. In conjunction, a novel, printable cyanate-ester ink with minimal density and excellent thermomechanical properties was developed. The rheology of the ink was modified to allow the ink to be successfully extruded and then retain its shape during both conformal deposition and post-print thermal curing. The combination of the novel multi-axis printing modality and novel material enables a successful demonstration of conformal printing with a high-performance lightweight polymeric material. We demonstrate deposition on near vertical surfaces and produce final parts possessing a glass transition temperature above 400 °C and a strength of over 20 MPa.

Keywords

• Material extrusion
• Direct Ink Write
• Conformal printing
• Multi-axis
• Cyanate ester
• Rheology