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Contract Opportunity

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to commercialize its flow control system for material extrusion.

Background:

Material extrusion systems such as LLNL’s Direct Ink Write (DIW) systems do not have the ability to start and stop ink from flowing without passive flow (leakage) from the printer nozzle. This is a significant disadvantage since it prevents complex geometries from being fabricated; limiting the printing of objects which have geometries that are continuous (i.e., toolpaths that are analogous to a pencil never leaving a paper when drawing). Turning flow “on” and “off” deviates the process from steady state and would require modification to upstream hardware of the nozzle.

Description:

LLNL researchers’ approach to this challenge is to design a modular valve subsystem that redirects the flow away from the main nozzle to an “exhaust”. By re-routing the flow to a different exit port, steady state flow can be better maintained. The re-routing requires actuators that work in tandem; open and close of the nozzle and exhaust valves have to be executed simultaneously. The subsystem includes valve bodies, calibration process, sensors/actuators, and a local network computer controlling the process. There are many variants of this design, which are described in the patent application.

Advantages/Benefits:

• Value Proposition: Material extrusion flow control system ideal for complex geometries.

• Reduced transient flow and leakage


• Adaptable to other applications besides 3D printing

Potential Applications:

• Direct Ink Write (DIW) and other Material Extrusion 3D printers


• Embedded Vat Printing


• Big Are Additive Manufacturing (BAAM)


• Concrete or other construction material extrusion printing


• Bioprinting


• Fused Filament Fabrication

Development Status:

Current stage of technology development: TRL 3

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information.

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's material extrusion flow control system should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.


2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.


3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's material extrusion flow control system.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA 94551-0808

Attention: IL-13874

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