Researchers at the University of Missouri have created a novel 3D printing machine that combines multiple materials to produce complex devices. This innovation, dubbed the Freeform Multi-material Assembly Process (FMAP), allows for the creation of multi-layered sensors, circuit boards, and textiles with embedded electronic components using a single machine. The technology, detailed in a recent Nature Communications paper, utilizes plastics, metals, and semiconductors to fabricate intricate structures. FMAP employs a three-nozzle system: one for adding ink-like material, another for laser carving, and a third for enhancing functional capabilities. Bujingda Zheng, the study’s lead author and a doctoral student in mechanical … Continue reading Mizzou’s New 3D Printing Tech Combines Multiple Materials to Cut Prototype Time and Waste —See How it Can Build Complex Multi-Layered Devices