Additive Manufactured Smart Structures with Discrete Embedded Sensors

Recent advances in 3D structure printing and 3D direct printed electronics have widened the scope of possibilities for the Internet of Things (IoT). New near room temperature 3D direct ink writing (DIW) additive manufacturing (AM) printing processes allow many different type of sensors and they can be embedded anywhere in a structure, which offers several benefits. 1. Protection: sensors face degradation from impact, heat exposure, corrosion, wear, and so on. 2. Design freedom: 3D printing enables electronics and conductive traces to be placed anywhere in a structure. 3. Anti-tampering: physically hiding devices and sensors inside a structure can be the best protection from manipulation, alteration, deactivation, and/or damage from the outside elements. The combination of subtractive (CNC milling) and additive (CNC extrusion) stages allows components to be integrated into existing parts and in some cases, allows complete manufacture of a part with sensors embedded during the manufacturing process. A major difference with a 3DFlexible (3DF) hybrid additive manufacturing (hAM) system, compared to other 3D printing technologies, is its low processing temperature. This is important when it comes to embedding sensors and electronics as these materials are easily damaged from the elevated temperatures for sintering metallic materials.