Improved Multi-material Additive Manufactured Components

ABSTRACT: We plan to demonstrate improved adhesion between differing materials using a proprietary method for increasing the adhesion of a wide variety of materials.This method has demonstrated improved adhesion between some metals, polymers, and between polymers and metals.We plan to focus on metal adhesion to FDM materials.Work has shown that all of the standard FDM materials are space compatible.We intend to print metallic lines on FDM fabricated polymers with and without our proprietary process to demonstrate improved adhesion.This holds the promise of a somewhat universal method to improve adhesion between dissimilar materials during AM.; BENEFIT: Triton Systems anticipates that the proposed Phase I effort will demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing our plasma treatment process to rapidly and consistently prepare the surface of multiple materials used in additive manufacturing to improve the adhesion of dissimilar materials.The process that will be developed will address the US Air Forces need for a simple, environmentally safe effective process that could be applied to multi-material additive manufacturing.