Vision and strategic research priorities
Our Programme Grant focusses on understanding how to control the co-deposition (interfacing) of both functional and structural materials to significantly extend Additive Manufacturing’s (AM)’s reach beyond the well understood geometric freedoms it currently enables.
We do this by leveraging the application foci of 3D electronics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare devices and now, regenerative medicine.
This vision has been achieved through projects developed in line with four main research challenges detailed below. In the final years of the PG, a combination of the findings of each research challenge were combined to deliver the PG’s overall vision.
Strategic research priorities
Research Challenge 1 Determination of the interface/ interphase evolution at microscale
Aim: To understand, through precision experiments, the spatio-temporal interface/interphase evolution between successively deposited droplets or voxels of multimaterials at the microscale. Specifically, the projects in this research challenge focussed on the fundamental understanding of the interfaces of materials produced by AM processes.
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Research Challenge 2 Multifunctional AM computational modelling framework
Aim: To develop a multifunctional AM Computational Framework that will guide the manufacturing strategies to be employed to create functional objects; delivered across all the academic partners. Having a framework that provides an understanding across the processes leads to greater design capability for multifunctional additive manufacturing. To accurately model and simulate multimaterial AM, from constituent materials to multifunctional components.
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Research Challenge 3 Controlling connectivity and anisotropy for enhanced functionality
Aim: To control the connectivity of additively manufactured layers in order to enable the material’s full functionalisation. In the first part of the Programme, there was a focus on processes and material library development for two-photon polymerisation (2PP), as well as advancements in both the 3D inkjetting and MetalJet processes. During the second part, we focussed on the manufacturing processes themselves.
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Research Challenge 4 Controlled co-deposition of multimaterials
Aim: To investigate and demonstrate strategies for the macroscale co-deposition of functional and structural materials via piezo-driven-inkjetting, high temperature metaljetting and functionalised multiphoton techniques, with a focus on multimaterial structures with potential applications in electronic devices and healthcare.
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This individual research-challenge approach was used to facilitate the delivery of Programme outcomes. However, the symbiotic relationship between the research challenges has meant that delivery of each one, but interconnected with each other, greatly enhanced the outcomes achieved.