3D Printing & Embedded Electronics –

How AM Enables Smarter Objects

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November 22, 2019 Leave a Comment

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All throughout the world of modern manufacturing, 3D printing is adding unique

functionalities to various products in ways traditional manufacturing cannot manage.
The ability to produce complex geometries better enables engineers to embed sensors,
chips, tags and other electronics into objects as it’s possible to model internal cavities
and housing into 3D printed parts. Here are just some of the ways that additive
manufacturing is leading towards smarter objects.

Pre-Assembled 3D Printed Drones

NTU’s Singapore Centre for 3D Printing (SC3DP) and Stratasys jointly developed a 3D
printed drone with embedded electronics back in 2016. One of the hurdles of embedding
electronics in a 3D printed part is getting the electronics to survive the printing process,
which is typically very hot. Because this drone was printed in ULTEM, a high-
temperature material, the heat problem was exacerbated. The creator of the drone, Mr
Phillip Keane, an NTU PhD candidate, explains:

“One of the toughest challenges was to find electronic components that could
theoretically survive the high temperature printing process – we had to add some heat-
proofing modifications to the components to ensure they could last. This involved
adding new components to the printed circuit boards and also designing custom
housings. The housings, which were pre-printed in ULTEM 9085, also provide a flat
surface for the 3D printer to continue printing over them.”

The entire printing process took only 14 hours and required only three pauses to place
the electronics into the print. Only the motors and propellers were added after it was
printed. Being made out of ULTEM makes it incredibly light and durable, capable of
suspending 60kg on its chassis.
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Embedded Sensors For Remote Monitoring

Embedding sensors within 3D printed parts allows for one-way and two-way
communication with devices and appliances. This method of creating smart devices has
lots of potential for a variety of industries that require remote monitoring.

The ability to keep track of performance metrics and machine capabilities is particularly
useful in industries with heavy engineering and maintenance responsibilities. This is
why the concept of ‘smarter engineering through 3D printing’ has caught on at US
Naval Labs, where engineers have been working on sensors that can detect changes in
performance or even alert engineers to necessary repairs.

Related Story

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Similarly, Fabrisonic has been working with Luna Innovations, a fiber optics
manufacturer, to develop smart sensors within pipes for NASA. These sensors could
provide a great basis for monitoring pressure, temperature, and heat flux in the fuel
systems of rockets. Generally, sensors are attached to the outside of pipes but that limits
their accuracy; embedding the sensors in the walls of the pipes greatly improves their
accuracy. The Fabrisonic Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) system was used
to embed the sensors within metal pipes.

Making 3D Printed Medical Devices Smarter

The medical industry has also been a major proponent of 3D printed smart devices,
creating responsive technologies for real-time monitoring of physiological events,
advanced diagnostics, and connected feedback. One example comes from researchers
at Curtin University in Western Australia, who developed 3D printed casts and braces
that improve patient care with sensor feedback. The low-cost rehabilitation braces have
inertial measurement sensors embedded inside that read and interpret acceleration and
angular velocity.

One of our main focuses at the moment is on the

treatment, and here we can watch how people are doing
their physiotherapy exercises, see how long they are doing
them for. And because we have modeled the movement,
we can see if they are doing the exercise correctly.Professor
Murray, Curtin University

Smart Vehicles & Automotive Manufacturing

When BigRep’s LOCI pod car debuted at Formnext this week, it showed off the
benefits of large-scale printing of automotive components. But they also highlighted
their Part DNA technology, which allows them to infuse mechanical components with
all sorts of chips and sensors. By embedding sensors and NFC chips into the 3D printed
parts, engineers can track and scan them using a mobile device. As a result, parts are
easily identifiable and can provide useful information. BigRep is already planning
future designs with sensors that indicate machine status, trigger maintenance checks, or
list replacement part information.
To build LOCI, BigRep used a range of materials including the BigRep PRO HT (for
the body), TPU (for the airless tires), PLX (for the bumpers), and PA6/66 (for beams
and joints). The individual parts are embedded with NFC chips that provide information
such as the part name, material type and batch ID, production date and location, and the
next date of scheduled maintenance. Here’s what that info looks like.

They refer to it as a “last mile transportation solution” for urban environments. The
vehicle is also a demonstration of BigRep’s large-scale printing technology and their
new engineering materials. The embedded sensors could include much more
functionality in the future, providing security features and maintenance advice. On top
of this, LOCI is heavily customizable. Users can request changes in the handling,
materials, structural properties, tires, branding, and even integrate solar power.
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LOCI is more than a vehicle, it’s the evolution of

personalized mobility. LOCI is an affordable solution for
urban transportation, harnessing the agility of AM while
also demonstrating the cost-efficient advantages of 3D
printing for sustainable AM such as manufacturing
personalized products on-site and on-demand.Daniel Buening,
NOWLAB co-founder and BigRep CIO

3D Printed Sensors
Beyond just embedding traditionally-manufactured sensors into 3D printed parts,
researchers are also using conductive inks to directly 3D print sensors into objects. A
team out of Wyss Institute and Harvard SEAS printed circuits into the fingers of a soft-
robotics actuated hand to enable it to “feel” pressure, temperature, and motion. While
this would be a great upgrade to many robotic systems, it would also dramatically
improve prosthetic devices.

The Internet of Things grows larger everyday and 3D printing is a big part of that
connected ecosystem. The combination of complex geometries and multi-material
fabrication make 3D printing the ideal manufacturing method for embedded electronics
and sensors so expect to see more use cases like these