Solid freeforming and combinatorial research

A view of manufacturing processes is presented in which five distinct categories are defined ascasting, deformation, machining, joining, and solid freeforming. Solid freeforming is essentially biomimeticand shares problems of morphogenesis with natural processes. Our team in University of London has beenexploring three mechanisms of solid freeforming. In dry powder deposition and direct ink-jet printing, theemphasis has turned to the problem of delivering a complex shape in which the three dimensional spatialarrangement of composition is delivered from the design file. In extrusion freeforming, the aim is to controlmicrostructure at hierarchical levels also from the design file. The quest for 3-D functional gradients is satisfiedby acoustic and ultrasonic dispensing and mixing of powders so that each layer can be patterned.These methods could be extended to deliver the complex patterns demanded by left-handed microwavemetamaterials. Dry powder deposition and direct ink-jet printing are turning towards combinatorial methodsin which multiple sample libraries are used to accelerate discovery. In turn, this paves the way for ‘autonomousresearch machines’ which steer their own search refinements in response to our requests for newmaterials. In this way, solid freeforming used for sample preparation can give an ‘arm’ to an intelligent machineso that it can conduct its own experimentation and learning; an idea that originated with Alan Turing inthe late 1940s.

Jaar van publicatie:2009