Mainstream has developed a multi-material robotic additive manufacturing (MRAM) system for robotic, thermal, electrical, and materials R&D. This custom robotic-arm-based 3D printer uses a six-Degree-of-Freedom (DoF) robotic arm to print on a 30″x30″ heated print bed. The inclusion of a 6-DoF robotic arm instead of a conventional 3-DoF gantry enables multi-axis movements and material deposition on curved surfaces. Moreover, a tool changer attached to the robotic arm easily integrates various tools into each print. Example tools include an extruder for printing, a pick-and-place tool for adding components mid-print, and a milling spindle for post-process machining. Currently, the MRAM features a high-throughput Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) extruder capable of extruding high-temperature thermoplastics and a dual-chamber Direct Ink Write (DIW) resin extruder with an integrated UV curing system.


These integrated extruders allow us to print nearly any material of interest, including high-performance thermoplastics, highly-filled thermosets, conductive inks, and ceramic slurries with various fillers, additives, and modifiers. Further, they enable secondary operations such as pick-and-place components mid-print and post-process machining.