Design and Customization of 3D Printers for Advanced Materials Printing
Abstract
This research is divided into two sections. The first section discusses modifications performed to two commercial printers. The first printer was modified from a thermoplastic polymer printer to a pneumatic printer by taking away its heating elements and print head. Circuits were directed to pneumatic dispensing system as well in order to automate the process. The second printer had mechanical modifications performed to be a multi-material gradient printer by controlling two stepper motors through an electronics board. Through code, a mixing ratio changed the motors’ rotations to provide the desired gradient of two different materials. The second section of the present research focuses on synthesizing non-toxic piezolectrics, in the form of barium titanate (BTO) with BTO platelets, and enhancing its properties via the templated grain growth (TGG) effect. Paste Extrusion printing causes shear force to align the BTO platelets in the ink. After sintering the platelets grow in the aligned orientation, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analyses.
Subject Area
Mechanical engineering|Materials science
Recommended Citation
Loera Martinez, Alan Omar, "Design and Customization of 3D Printers for Advanced Materials Printing" (2023). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI30819694.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI30819694