Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Printing machine for fabricating 3D integrated composite structures and having a rotatable extruder module
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Application No.: US16380328Application Date: 2019-04-10
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Publication No.: US11167484B2Publication Date: 2021-11-09
- Inventor: Eric G. Barnes , Pedro A. Gonzalez , Todd L. Szallay , Steven J. Floyd , Sung S. Park , Brett G. Morham , Cody J. Brown , Reese R. Allen , Ryan L. Bischoff
- Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
- Applicant Address: US VA Falls Church
- Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
- Current Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
- Current Assignee Address: US VA Falls Church
- Agency: Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
- Agent John A. Miller
- Main IPC: B29C64/20
- IPC: B29C64/20 ; B29C64/118 ; B29C64/209 ; B29C64/241 ; B33Y30/00 ; B33Y10/00

Abstract:
A printing machine for fabricating high performance 3D integrated composite structures. The machine includes a robot having a base portion, a robot arm and an end joint secured to the arm opposite to the base portion, at least one source of an extrudable material, and an end-effector mounted to the end joint. The end-effector includes at least one extruder module for extruding the extrudable material and a rotary assembly, where the extruder module includes a nozzle assembly for extruding heated material out of the end-effector. The extruder module is mounted to the rotary assembly and the rotary assembly is rotatable so as to rotate the nozzle assembly relative to the part without rotating the end-effector.
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