Functionally Graded Additive Manufacturing: Bridging the Gap between Design and Material Extrusion

Nowadays, the use of 3D printing is becoming a key process for on-demand and customized manufacturing. One most flexible techniques fused deposition modeling (FDM), where combination multiple materials was recently introduced. A quantum leap in part design possible by integrating local variations between that allow expanded functionality to be built into single part. Therefore, co-extrusion material mixing more popular. The management engineered are still complicated, there no commercially available tools follow from production these highly products. This paper proposes methodology fill this gap any designer able produce multi-material parts editing G-code (computer numerical control programming language) with gradients FDM technology. More specifically, proposed approach based on modification according volumetric model describing two or materials. original aspect allows wide extension current software capabilities. To explain test method, simple case investigated, which components an earphone consolidated developed gradually combining polylactic acid thermoplastic polyurethane. results show effectiveness within limits coextrusion additive manufacturing process.