Controlled material combination and delivery in ultra-variable advanced manufacturing systems

Abstract

A system and method for delivering materials for deposition is described. The system includes reservoirs for holding materials, heating elements for liquefying the materials (unless they are to be delivered as solids). Once in a desired state, pressure and material delivery systems to move the materials to a deposition nozzle. In the deposition nozzle, or thereabouts, the materials combine and are prepared to be deposited. An agitation element is used to break up the material and push it out of the nozzle tip in an atomized or droplet form. Changes in the material composition/concentration result in adjustment in heat, pressure or deposition agitation.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system comprising:
 a deposition nozzle;   a first controller configured to control a flow of a first material to the deposition nozzle; and   a second controller, communicatively coupled to the first controller, configured to control a flow of a second material to the deposition nozzle,   wherein the first and second controllers are configured to vary a concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle by adjusting, on the fly during a print of a three-dimensional structure, a temperature, pressure, or flow rate of one or both of the first and second materials to compensate for the combination of the first and second material at the deposition nozzle for deposition for the print through an orifice of the deposition nozzle.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to vary the concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle on the fly during the print between different specific layers of a multi-layer print.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to vary the concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle on the fly during the print of a specific layer of a multi-layer print, wherein the specific layer starts with a first concentration and is adjusted to a second concentration part way through the specific layer.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to provide the first material for a first layer of a multi-layer print, and not the second material,   wherein the first and second controllers are configured to provide a mixture of the first and second materials for a second layer of the multi-layer print, and   wherein the first and second controllers are configured to provide the second material for a third layer of the multi-layer print, and not the first material.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to provide the first material for the first layer, to provide a 50/50 mixture of the first and second materials for the second layer, and to provide the second material for the third layer.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to provide a mixture of the first and second materials for a first layer of a multi-layer mixture until the mixture is fully deposited from the deposition nozzle, and   wherein the first and second controllers are configured to provide one of the first or second materials, and not the mixture of the first and second materials, for a second layer of the multi-layer mixture.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , comprising:
 a first control valve coupled to the first controller, wherein the first controller is configured to control an open and closed state of the first control valve to control a flow rate of the first material to the deposition nozzle; and   a second control valve coupled to the second controller, wherein the second controller is configured to control an open and closed state of the second control valve to control a flow rate of the second material to the deposition nozzle.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to vary the concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle by adjusting the temperature of one or both of the first and second materials.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to vary the concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle by adjusting the pressure of one or both of the first and second materials through a respective first or second channel coupled to the deposition nozzle.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first and second controllers are configured to vary the concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle by adjusting the flow rate of one or both of the first and second materials to the deposition nozzle.   
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 controlling, using a first controller, a flow of a first material to a deposition nozzle; and   controlling, using a second controller communicatively coupled to the first controller, a flow of a second material to the deposition nozzle,   varying, using the first and second controllers, a concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle by adjusting, on the fly during a print of a three-dimensional structure, a temperature, pressure, or flow rate of one or both of the first and second materials to compensate for the combination of the first and second material at the deposition nozzle for deposition for the print through an orifice of the deposition nozzle.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein varying the concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle includes varying the concentration of the first and second materials on the fly during the print between different specific layers of a multi-layer print.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein varying the concentration of the first and second materials provided to the deposition nozzle includes varying the concentration of the first and second materials on the fly during the print of a specific layer of a multi-layer print, wherein the specific layer starts with a first concentration and is adjusted to a second concentration part way through the specific layer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  comprising:
 providing, using the first and second controllers, the first material for a first layer of a multi-layer print, and not the second material, 
 providing, using the first and second controllers, a mixture of the first and second materials for a second layer of the multi-layer print, and 
 providing, using the first and second controllers, the second material for a third layer of the multi-layer print, and not the first material. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 ,
 wherein providing the mixture of the first and second materials for the second layer includes providing a 50/50 mixture of the first and second materials for the second layer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising:
 providing, using the first and second controllers, a mixture of the first and second materials for a first layer of a multi-layer mixture until the mixture is fully deposited from the deposition nozzle, and   providing, using the first and second controllers, one of the first or second materials, and not the mixture of the first and second materials, for a second layer of the multi-layer mixture.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising:
 controlling, using the first controller, an open and closed state of a first control valve to control a flow rate of the first material to the deposition nozzle; and   controlling, using the second controller, an open and closed state of a second control valve to control a flow rate of the second material to the deposition nozzle.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein varying the concentration of the first and second materials includes adjusting the temperature of one or both of the first and second materials.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein varying the concentration of the first and second materials includes adjusting the pressure of one or both of the first and second materials through a respective first or second channel coupled to the deposition nozzle.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein varying the concentration of the first and second materials includes adjusting the flow rate of one or both of the first and second materials to the deposition nozzle.