Apparatus and method for printing long composite thermoplastic parts on a dual gantry machine during additive manufacturing

A programmable computer numeric control (CNC) machine, the CNC machine comprising:

• a first worktable oriented along a first axis of the CNC machine;
• a second worktable oriented along a second axis of the CNC machine, wherein the second axis is oriented orthogonal to the first axis of the first worktable;
• a printing gantry displaceable along the first axis of the CNC machine;
• an applicator mounted on the printing gantry, the applicator including a nozzle for depositing material on the second worktable;
• a trimming gantry displaceable along the first axis of the CNC machine;
• and
• at least one conveyor belt associated with the first worktable.

An additive manufacturing method of fabricating an article with a programmable computer numeric control (CNC) machine having a first worktable, a second worktable oriented at an angle to the first worktable, wherein the second worktable is removable, and a printing gantry having a nozzle configured to deposit material on the first and second worktables, the printing gantry being configured to move in a plane parallel to the first worktable, the method comprising:

• depositing a first layer of material on a surface of the second worktable;
• displacing the second worktable relative to the first worktable;
• exposing the first layer of material to a chill plate;
• depositing a second layer of material on the first layer of material, wherein the first and second layers of material form a portion of the article;
• and
• trimming a portion of the article with a trimming tool mounted on a trimming gantry of the CNC machine.