MRI: Development of a Next-Generation 3-D Printer for Smart Product Design - Purdue PolymerMakers

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

This project, developing an entirely new generation of 3D printers, aims to enable new areas of research into co-design, robotic meta-materials, soft robotics, nano-structures, neuromorphic architectures, and planning. This new generation of 3D printers (Purdue PolymerMaker 3-D Smart Printers) will realize the structure of a prototype (form) in addition to its sensors, computation, and actuation (function) that make it work, ushering a new era of smart product design that will be achieved through a combination of 3-D printing of polymer structure, 2-1/2 D printing of polymer electronics for sensing, computation and actuation, 3-D printing liquid metal interconnect, and automated planning for over-molding of non-polymer components, such as silicon microprocessors and electromagnetic motors. This work relies on the solid work of a large number of researchers in a variety of disciplines. The invention of polymers had a sudden impact on the form of objects designers could design. The invention of polymer 3-D printing has a more dramatic impact on how innovators could realize prototypes of those exciting new forms. The expected next giant leap in polymers and design will be the simultaneous realization of both form and function. Imagine creating an entire smart product prototype at the press of a button! The deposition of polymers, either as a structure, as active semiconductor, or as activated sensing site, depends on the surface it adheres to, the environment, and the process steps that follow deposition. This project proposes to select and develop automated processes and materials that, when integrated, are carefully selected and tuned to "minimize impedance mismatches" at the interfacial boundaries. The mechatronic integration of precise, closed-loop, motion control for deposition and curing will assure materials are placed when and where needed. Micro-active doctor blading will be employed to locally level the thick extruded liquids. The blade is robotically controlled. Broader Impacts: This new generation of 3-D printers will cut across most fields, allowing social and behavioral scientists to explore new forms of technology, medical and biological experts to print new types of smart assays, educators from "K to Gray" to develop new hands-on activities, and engineers and computer scientists to do their jobs faster and with greater impact. Graduate and undergraduate students will be engaged in new class materials to reach out to K-12 schools with Science, Technology, Engineering, Math-related recruitment drives and activity camps, and to create new start-ups in many fields. A new Purdue-sponsored inner city high school will offer new avenues of long-term outreach with robotics focus, as well as a university-wide examination of robotics curriculum across 13 departments and 5 colleges where aspects of this work will be embraced.