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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 8 4 3D PRINTSHOP Using a new 3D-printing method, this model airplane wing could have light emitters and detectors embedded in the material to detect micro-cracks. Courtesy of Felice Frankel. MULTIMATERIAL INK SUITS 3D-PRINTED DEVICES A novel technique developed by researchers at MIT, Cambridge, Mass., uses standard 3D printers to produce functioning devices with the electron- ics embedded inside. The devices are made of fibers containing multiple in- terconnected materials, which can light up, sense their surroundings, store en- ergy, and perform other functions. The system uses conventional 3D printers outfitted with a special nozzle and a new kind of filament to replace the usual single-material polymer fila- ment, which is typically fully melted be- fore extrusion from the printer’s nozzle. The new filament has a complex internal structure made of materials arranged in a precise manner and surrounded by an exterior polymer cladding. In the new printer, the nozzle op- erates at a lower temperature and pulls the filament through faster than con- ventional printers do, so that only the outer layer becomes partially molten. The interior stays cool and solid, with its embedded electronic functions unaf- fected. In this way, the surface is melted just enough to make it adhere solidly to adjacent filaments during the printing process, to pro- duce a sturdy 3D structure. The internal compo- nents in the filament in- clude metal wires that serve as conductors, semi- conductors that control active functions, and poly- mer insulators that prevent wires from contacting each other. As a demonstration, the team printed a wing for a model airplane using fil- aments that contain both light-emitting and detect- ing electronics. These com- ponents could potentially be used to reveal the for- mation of any microscopic cracks that might develop. mit.edu . UNIQUE BRIDGE ENTERS TESTING PHASE The Netherlands will soon test the first metal 3D-printed bridge ever con- structed. Plans are to insert this bridge into its permanent location in Amster- dam in early 2020. The Dutch company MX3D built the bridge from a design by Joris Laarman Lab using groundbreak- ing robotic technology to complete the printing. University of Twente (UT) and Imperial College London will carry out the final construction tests, with initial testing to focus on total load-carrying capacity to safeguard safety and func- tionality. The bridge will remain at the UT campus for two months after the initial month planned for construction testing. The university will work close- ly with MX3D, Autodesk, and lead en- gineering firm Arup during this period on design, development, and testing of the permanent sensor network to be in- stalled on the bridge. www.utwente.nl . 3D-PRINTED ROCKET TO PLACE SATELLITES Relativity Space, Los Angeles, sign- ed a launch services agreement with Momentus, Santa Clara, Calif., to launch Momentus’ small- and medium-sized customer satellites on Relativity’s Ter- ran 1 rocket, the world’s first completely 3D-printed rocket. Momentus will then deliver the satellites to geosynchro- nous orbit using the Momentus Vigor- ide Extended in-space shuttle service. The agreement includes Momentus’ purchase of a first launch scheduled for 2021, with options for five addi- tional launches with Relativity Space. The agreement opens access to a more diverse range of orbits for Terran 1 including geostationary transfer or- bit, lunar and deep space orbits, lower inclinations, and phasing of multiple spacecraft in low Earth orbit and me- dium Earth orbit. Relativity Space is developing the first and only aerospace factory to integrate machine learning, software, and robotics with metal 3D-printing technol- ogy to build and launch rockets in days instead of years, according to com- pany sources. relativityspace.com . Additively manufactured bridge to arrive in Amsterdam, early 2020. Courtesy of UT.