Software and multiple nozzles bring down cost of 3D printed parts

The new approach - Multiplexed Fused Filament Fabrication (MF3) - uses a single gantry to print individual or multiple parts simultaneously. By programming their prototype to move in efficient patterns, and by using a series of small nozzles to deposit molten material, the researchers were able to increase printing resolution and size as well as significantly decrease printing time.

“MF3 will change how thermo-plastic printing is done,” said Jeremy Cleeman, a graduate student researcher at the Rutgers School of Engineering and the lead author of the study. The team has applied for a US patent for their technology, which is detailed in Additive Manufacturing.

According to Rutgers, the 3D-printing industry has struggled with throughput-resolution trade-off, which is the speed at which 3D printers deposit material versus the resolution of the finished product. Larger-diameter nozzles are faster than smaller ones but generate more ridges and contours that must be smoothed out later, adding post-production costs.