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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsEric D. Wetzel, Larry R. Holmes, Jr., Ricardo X. Rodriguez, Patrick M. Toal, Jr.
Estimating the term…
A thermoplastic filament comprising multiple polymers of differing flow temperatures in a regular geometric arrangement, and a method for producing such a filament, are described. Because of the difference in flow temperatures, there exists a temperature range at which one polymer is mechanically stable while the other is flowable. This property is extremely useful for creating thermoplastic monofilament feedstock for three-dimensionally printed parts, wherein the mechanically stable polymer enables geometric stability while the flowable polymer can fill gaps and provide strong bonding and homogenization between deposited material lines and layers. These multimaterial filaments can be produced via thermal drawing from a thermoplastic preform, which itself can be three-dimensionally printed. Furthermore, the preform can be printed with precisely controlled and complex geometries, enabling the creation of monofilament and fiber with unique decorative or functional properties.
A process for creating a polymer filament suitable for use in three-dimensional printing, said process comprising:
A process for creating a polymer filament suitable for use in three-dimensional printing, said process comprising:
A process for creating a polymer filament suitable for use in three-dimensional printing, said process comprising:
A process for creating a polymer filament suitable for use in three-dimensional printing, said process comprising:
A process for creating an article, said process comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.