Elastic additive manufactured parts having embedded woven layer for improved wear resistance, durability and electrical conductivity

An additive manufacturing system comprising:

• an extrusion head comprising a nozzle configured to extrude a composite material from an orifice of the nozzle to form a layer of a component manufactured using additive manufacturing;
• wherein the composite material comprises a matrix material and a reinforcing material;
• wherein the nozzle is configured to extrude the matrix material and the reinforcing material from the orifice simultaneously;
• wherein a width and a height of the orifice of the nozzle are both adjustable to control a width and a thickness of the layer formed by the composite material extruded through the orifice of the nozzle;
• wherein the width of the layer is substantially a same as the width of the orifice of the nozzle when the composite material is being extruded through the orifice of the nozzle;
• wherein the thickness of the layer is substantially a same as the height of the orifice of the nozzle when the composite material is being extruded through the orifice of the nozzle;
• wherein the width and the height of the orifice of the nozzle are perpendicular to each other;
• wherein the width and the height of the orifice of the nozzle are transverse to a direction of extrusion of the composite material from the orifice of the nozzle;
• wherein the system is configured to dispense the reinforcing material from the nozzle such that a majority of a surface area of the reinforcing material is encapsulated within the matrix material;
• wherein the nozzle comprises internal blades configured to dispense the woven material from a channel defined between the internal blades;
• wherein the system is configured to extrude matrix material from the channel simultaneously with the woven material for form an internal sublayer of the layer;
• wherein the internal blades define, on opposite sides of the channel, a first bypass channel and a second bypass channel;
• and
• wherein the nozzle is configured, when the first and second bypass channels are not closed, to extrude the matrix material to form first and second outer sublayers that are devoid of the woven material, the first outer sublayer being on an opposite side of the internal sublayer from the second outer sublayer.

An additive manufacturing system comprising:

• an extrusion head comprising a nozzle configured to extrude a composite material from an orifice of the nozzle to form a layer of a component manufactured using additive manufacturing;
• wherein the composite material comprises a matrix material and a reinforcing material;
• wherein the nozzle is configured to extrude the matrix material and the reinforcing material from the orifice simultaneously;
• wherein a width and a height of the orifice of the nozzle are both adjustable to control a width and a thickness of the layer formed by the composite material extruded through the orifice of the nozzle;
• wherein the width of the layer is substantially a same as the width of the orifice of the nozzle when the composite material is being extruded through the orifice of the nozzle;
• wherein the thickness of the layer is substantially a same as the height of the orifice of the nozzle when the composite material is being extruded through the orifice of the nozzle;
• wherein the width and the height of the orifice of the nozzle are perpendicular to each other;
• wherein the nozzle is configured such that the width of the orifice is adjustable independently of the height of the orifice;
• wherein the width and the height of the orifice of the nozzle are transverse to a direction of extrusion of the composite material from the orifice of the nozzle;
• and
• wherein the system is configured to dispense the reinforcing material from the nozzle such that a majority of a surface area of the reinforcing material is encapsulated within the matrix material.