| 3D printers are often used for tasks such as printing prototype products, but they tend to print objects that are not as solid as conventionally constructed objects because printed objects consist of layer-printed material rather than a solid object, Research conducted by the Texas A & M University now shows that the newest 3D printed objects are 275% stronger than regular 3D printed objects.  Dr. Brandon Sweeney and his mentor, Dr. Micah Green, have developed a new technique that involves depositing a layer of carbon nanotubes on the outside of a plastic filament used for 3D printing.The filament is then used in a conventional 3D printer , The object is printed in a conventional manner.Once the printing process is completed, the object is placed in a source of solid-state microwaves (essentially a dedicated microwave oven) The heat generated is concentrated in the carbon nanotubes, causing the plastic in the specific area Melts with the surrounding plastic.In this way, the plastic is selectively 'welded' together at the boundary between the layers. Sweeney said: 'The basic idea is that 3D printed parts can not simply stick to the oven because it is a plastic that will melt together, and we realize that we need to draw on the concepts traditionally used to weld parts where you will use ignition Source (such as TIG welding parts) to weld parts, you do not melt the entire part, just put the heat where you need. The technology has been licensed to local startup Essentium Materials, which plans to commercialize it, and researchers hope the microwave system can be installed directly in the printer so that printing and electromagnetic welding can be done on the same machine. |
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