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The Universal Fabricator

The Universal Fabricator. Hod Lipson Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Computing & Information Science Cornell University. Computational Synthesis Lab. The Universal Fabricator.

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The Universal Fabricator

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  1. The Universal Fabricator Hod Lipson Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Computing & Information Science Cornell University Computational Synthesis Lab

  2. The Universal Fabricator • Imagine a machine that can fabricate a large variety of reasonably complex and useful things, without special tooling or skills. • It would change the way we design, make, deliver, and use products

  3. Key Features • Fabricate preassembled products • Fabricate all element types • Structural, kinematic, electronic, photonic, … • Fabricate various active functionalities • Sensors, actuators, computation, power • Integrated in complex ways • In complex intertwined geometries

  4. 3D Solid Freeform Fabrication • CNC: Removing materials • SFF: Deposit material layer by layer to create arbitrary geometries • Various materials: Polymers, Ceramics, Metals • Various processes: UV curing of photopolymers, Selective laser sintering, Fused deposition, Inkjet • Mostly focused on passive parts

  5. Laminated object manufacture Source: MIT

  6. Source: Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA

  7. Selective laser sintering Slide: MIT

  8. LENS Source: Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA

  9. Fused deposition modelling Slide: MIT

  10. Fused Deposition Source: Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA

  11. Source: Stratasys, Inc.

  12. Stereolithgraphy 3D Systems, Inc.

  13. Streolithography Source: Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA

  14. Thermojet Source: MIT

  15. Source: Z-Corp, Inc.

  16. Source: Z-Corp, Inc.

  17. Source: Z-Corp, Inc.

  18. Our goal: Functional SFF • Most technologies can handle one material at a time • Limited set of materials • Material compatibility issues • Fabricate 3D active electromechanical systems, not just passive parts • “Print” conductive wires, batteries, actuators, transistors, and other functionalities embedded in 3D structure • Challenges: • SFF-compatible functional materials (new & modified) • low temp processing, rapid curing, shape holding • Mutually-compatible materials • Process planning

  19. Our goal: Functional SFF • Long term: • Print functional product prototypes (devices/systems) • Structure, wires, actuators, sensors, power, logic • Explore new integrated material system design space • Near term: • Printable Actuators: Bridge SFF with Direct Write (ME/EE) • CPs, Ionomeric Polymer-metal Composite (IPMC) Actuators

  20. Printed Active Materials Some of our printed electromechanical / biological components: (a) elastic joint (b) zinc-air battery (c) metal-alloy wires, (d) IPMC actuator, (e) polymer field-effect transistor, (f) thermoplastic and elastomer parts, (g) cartilage cell-seeded implant in shape of sheep meniscus from CT scan. With Evan Malone

  21. Multi-material RP Illustration: Bryan Christie

  22. Our RP Platform Fabrication platform: (a) Gantry robot for deposition, and articulated robot for tool changing, (b) continues wire-feed tool (ABS, alloys), (c) Cartridge/syringe tool

  23. Zinc-Air Batteries

  24. Zinc-Air Batteries

  25. IPMC Actuators

  26. IPMC: Ionomer Ionomeric Polymer-Metal Composite • “Ionic polymer” • Branched PTFE polymer • Anion-terminated branches. • Small cation

  27. First printed dry actuator • Quantitative characterization • Improve service life • Reduce solvent loss • Reduce internal shorting • Improve force output, actuation speed

  28. IPMC Actuators

  29. Results Power [W] Force [mN]

  30. With Daniel Cohen, Larry Bonassar Multi-material 3D Printer CAT Scan Direct 3D Print after 20 min. Sterile Cartridge Printed Agarose Meniscus Cell Impregnated Alginate Hydrogel Multicell print

  31. Longer term: Explore design space Freeform fabrication opens a new design space. We use evolutionary computation to search this space. E.g. design machines that can move, then automatically fabricate them. Lipson & Pollack, Nature 406, 2000

  32. How will the universal fabricator affect us? • Buy product on the web and print them • No stock, shipping, and delays • New class of independent designers • Remove barriers due to resources and skills • More customizable • Unencumbered by mass production paradigm • More possible complexities • Larger design space • “New freedom to create” (Marshal Burns)

  33. Example: The online museum

  34. Example: The online museum

  35. Parallel to Computer Industry? • In the 50’s, a computer • Cost > $100,000 • Size: Refrigerator • Speed: Couple of hours per job • Operation: Trained staff, • Quality: hardware/usability problems • Today: Faster, cheaper, better, easier

  36. Exponential Growth Source: Wohlers Associates,

  37. Bootstrapping the revolution • The ubiquitous 3D printer • Kit, Under $200 • USB Operated • Open source • Software • Electronics • Mechanics • Interchangeable syringe deposition • You develop the ink and modify the design

  38. Conclusions • 3D Free-form fabrication • Create almost arbitrary 3D geometry • Greater and more flexible design space • Current challenges • SFF-compatible functional Inks • Mechanics, electronics, photonics, bio • Multi-material fabrication Collaborators: Evan Malone, Daniel Cohen, Larry Bonassar, Kian Rasa, Jonathan Wee, Yen Chen Yao, Megan Berry

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