Augmented manufacturing by embedding autonomous interactions between manufactured components and manufacturing machines

Abstract

Augmenting the functionality of an off-the-shelf additive manufacturing machine, such as a 3D printer, by generating a component design having an autonomy characteristic, and that may impart a functionality to one or more components manufactured by the additive manufacturing machine that is based on an interaction between the component and the additive manufacturing machine. The design includes code for instructing the additive machine to build an ancillary component, such as a cantilever spring, and build the primary manufactured object, and use the cantilever spring to propel the object off the build platform. In this manner the functionality of an off-the-shelf additive manufacturing machine is expanded without physical modification of the machine, and can be implemented remotely to embed additional functionality into designed components that are to be fabricated, for example on spacecraft where physical retrofits are impractical. Other applications include parts and material testing and rapid prototyping.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.