MIE.21 – Mechanism for Drone-Based Angled Deposition for Additive Manufacturing with Non-Traditional Materials

This project introduces a transformative initiative aimed at overcoming the inherent limitations of standard 3D printers by proposing the integration of a multi-axial extruder with a tradition drone. Current 3D printers, constrained by fixed frames, struggle with vertical and angled surface printing. Building upon the advancement and early development of 3D printing drones, the introduction of a multi-axial extruder would significantly increase the applicability of aerial additive manufacturing in real-world scenarios. Due to this advantage, it allows us to access and repair structures that cannot be reached without compromising workers’ safety. To address this, the study compares analyses of alternative extruder types and tilting systems with the optimal mechanism utilizing a pulley system to extrude non-traditional material – foam. The consumer-grade foam is controlled via Arduino code that can allow for both automatic and manual control. In practice, foam will be extruded through a tube with a nozzle connected at the end of the arm, which will rotate with the belt and gear system to allow for the desired angled deposition. The arm is mounted to a base that can readily exchange foam canisters manually as needed. The entire assembly is paired with a drone mount that can be tweaked to fit several drone models (in this case, the X500 V2 Development Kit).