Innovative 3D printing methods streamline multi-material manufacturing

Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a way to make complex devices out of multiple materials, including plastics, metals and semiconductors, all in a single machine.

The study, recently published in Nature Communications, outlines new 3D printing and laser processes for producing multi-material, multi-layer sensors, circuit boards and even textiles with electronic components.

This is called the freeform multi-material assembly process, and it is expected to revolutionize the manufacturing of new products.

By printing embedded sensors within structures, the machine can create objects that can sense environmental conditions like temperature and pressure. For other researchers, that might mean making natural-looking objects like rocks or shells that can measure ocean water movement. For the general public, potential uses could include wearable devices that monitor blood pressure and other vital signs.

Specifically, other techniques fall short when it comes to material versatility and the ability to precisely position smaller parts within larger 3D structures.

The Missouri team's method uses special technology to solve these problems. Team members built a machine with three different nozzles: one that adds ink-like materials, another that uses a laser to engrave shapes and materials, and a third that adds additional functional materials to enhance the product's features. First, they create the basic structure using regular 3D printing filaments such as polycarbonate, a type of transparent thermoplastic. Then they switch to a laser to transform some parts into a special material called laser-induced graphene, which they then place exactly where they need it. Finally, more materials are added to enhance the features of the final product.

This research is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Manufacturing Program, with the NSF I-CorpsTM program funding commercialization studies.

“The I-Corps program is helping us identify market interest and needs,” Lin said. “Right now, we see it as something that will interest other researchers, but ultimately we think it will benefit companies. It will reduce the production time for device prototypes because companies will be able to prototype in-house. This technology, which is only available at the University of Missouri, has the potential to really change the way products are manufactured.”

“This is the first time this process has been used, and it opens up new possibilities,” said Bujinda Jeng, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at the University of Missouri and lead author of the study. “I'm excited about this design. I've always wanted to do something that no one has done before, and now I can do it at Missouri.”

One of the main benefits is that innovators can focus on designing new products without worrying about how to create a prototype.

“This opens up the possibility of creating entirely new markets,” said Jiang “Javen” Lin, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Missouri, “with broad implications for wearable sensors, customizable robots, medical devices and more.”

Revolutionary Technology

Today, manufacturing multi-layer structures such as printed circuit boards can be a tedious process requiring multiple steps and materials that are costly, time-consuming, and can generate waste that is harmful to the environment.

This new technology is not only better for the planet, but it is also inspired by systems found in nature.

“Everything in nature is made of structural and functional materials,” Zheng says, “For example, electric eels have bones and muscles that allow them to move, and they also have specialized cells that can discharge up to 500 volts to repel predators. These biological observations have led researchers to develop new ways to fabricate 3D structures with multifunctional applications, but other new methods have limitations.”

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