Additive manufacturing is in a huge growth spurt and new methods of 3D printing keep popping up, creating new, efficient ways of creating components. We've discussed the fashion designer who used 3D printing to create a dress with embedded, 3D-printed LEDs. We've also talked about 3D-printed bikes and wheelchairs that are rivaling the standard manufactured counterparts. There are even 3D printers now where the material can change color without you doing a single thing. 4D printing is also on the rise. It's wild out here.
So, is it any surprise there's yet another new method that just came on the scene?
Alexis Gajewski, senior editor for Plant Services recently reported that Researchers at the University of Missouri have introduced FMAP, or the Freeform Multi-material Assembly Process (FMAP), that uses a single machine to construct complex devices.
Below is an excerpt from her blog post:
The process combines two structural technologies, 3D printing and lasers, to create multimaterial, multilayered sensors and circuit boards. Unlike other processes, FMAP offers users the potential to print sensors embedded within a structure. This includes textiles with electronic components, everyday objects with temperature and pressure sensors, and wearable devices that can monitor vital signs.
In a recent quote, Jian “Javen” Lin, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Mizzou, said, “This opens the possibility for entirely new markets. It will have broad impacts on wearable sensors, customizable robots, medical devices, and more.”
