An Additive Manufacturing Method Using Large-Scale Wood Inspired by Laminated Object Manufacturing and Plywood Technology

Abstract

Wood-based materials in current additive manufacturing (AM) feedstocks are primarily restricted to the micron scale. Utilizing large-scale wood in existing AM techniques remains a challenge. This paper proposes an AM method—laser-cut veneer lamination (LcVL)—for wood-based product fabrication. Inspired by laminated object manufacturing (LOM) and plywood technology, LcVL bonds wood veneers in a layer-upon-layer manner. As demonstrated by printed samples, LcVL was able to retain the advantageous qualities of AM, specifically, the ability to manufacture products with complex geometries which would otherwise be impossible using subtractive manufacturing techniques. Furthermore, LcVL-product structures designed through adjusting internal voids and wood-texture directionality could serve as material templates or matrices for functional wood-based materials. Numerical analyses established relations between the processing resolution of LcVL and proportional veneer thickness (layer height). LcVL could serve as a basis for the further development of large-scale wood usage in AM.

Clinical applications and prospects of 3D printing guide templates in orthopaedics

“…Carl Dechard invented selective laser sintering (SLS) at the University of Texas in 1986 and was awarded the first SLS patent for printing 3D models in 1989 [ 17 ]. In 1992, laminated object manufacturing (LOM) was invented, but it was not widely used due to its inferior performance [ 18 ]. 3D printing technology was first patented in 1989, this is also the first time that the term “3D printer” has been used and is licensed for printing plastic, metal, and ceramic parts.…”

Use of Wood in Additive Manufacturing: Review and Future Prospects

“…Wood could be used with laminating object manufacturing (LOM) technology in various forms as panel plywood or veneers, achieving even higher accuracy [ 48 ]. Specially cut and laminated veneers could be used to maintain the strength of wood and also retain the advantageous qualities of AM, specifically, the ability to produce products with complex geometries that would otherwise be impossible with subtractive manufacturing techniques.…”

Additive Manufacturing of Wood Composite Panels for Individual Layer Fabrication (ILF)

“…Furthermore, research has also been executed on the powder bed fusion of wood plastic composites [ 27 ]. Using wood in sheet lamination, even though the possibility has already been addressed in a patent on laminated object manufacturing filed in 1995 [ 28 ], has not yet found extensive attention [ 29 ].…”