Hybrid Deposition Manufacturing: Design Strategies for Multimaterial Mechanisms Via Three-Dimensional Printing and Material Deposition

Abstract

This paper describes a novel fabrication technique called hybrid deposition manufacturing (HDM), which combines additive manufacturing (AM) processes such as fused deposition manufacturing (FDM) with material deposition and embedded components to produce multimaterial parts and systems for robotics, mechatronics, and articulated mechanism applications. AM techniques are used to print both permanent components and sacrificial molds for deposited resins and inserted parts. Design strategies and practical techniques for developing these structures and molds are described, taking into account considerations such as printer resolution, build direction, and printed material strength. The strengths of interfaces between printed and deposited materials commonly used in the authors' implementation of the process are measured to characterize the robustness of the resulting parts. The process is compared to previously documented layered manufacturing methodologies, and the authors present examples of systems produced with the process, including robot fingers, a multimaterial airless tire, and an articulated camera probe. This effort works toward simplifying fabrication and assembly complexity over comparable techniques, leveraging the benefits of AM, and expanding the range of design options for robotic mechanisms.

M2 Gripper: Extending the Dexterity of a Simple, Underactuated Gripper

“…100 lb test Spectra line was used for the actuation tendons, and these were routed across nylon pulleys at the base of the fingers and across steel dowel pins within their body linkages. The rubber urethane fingerpads were deposited into sacrificial mold features, with a thorough description of the fabrication process for the fingerpad elements described in [16]. Either elastic bands or extension springs can be used to reset the finger configuration when the actuation tendons are slack.…”

The GR2 Gripper: An Underactuated Hand for Open-Loop In-Hand Planar Manipulation

“…The structural components were 3D-printed in ABS on the Stratasys Fortus 250mc, a commercial, desktop FDM printer. The distal fingertips were made detachable and modular to allow for testing different contact geometries, and the compliant pads were integrated into the finger structure via a multi-material deposition process [20]. The revolute joints used press-fit, steel dowel pins.…”

Lightweight custom composite prosthetic components using an additive manufacturing-based molding technique

“…This method is appropriate for prosthetic hand fabrication since the personal nature of prosthetic hands requires frequent design changes and customization for each patient. The method we have developed is roughly based on the hybrid deposition manufacturing (HDM) techniques described in [4]. We have modified the technique to include the use of composite carbon-fiber shells for added strength and rigidity.…”

“…In Section III, we propose a new method that bridges the gap between highly customizable open-source 3D printed prosthetic hands and the professional prosthetic hand market. This process originated with the Hybrid Deposition Manufacturing method proposed in [4], but has been modified to allow for the use of composite materials such as carbon-fiber. This method results in finger/hand components that are lightweight, durable, and include gripping surfaces like those used in the professional prosthetics market, see Fig.…”