Juggerbot 3D announces MSU, ORNL as partners for hybrid LFAM composites project

Recently announced collaboration between large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) systems specialist JuggerBot 3D (Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL, Tenn., U.S.) and Mississippi State University’s Advanced Composites Institute (MSU ACI) is part of a $4 million hybrid AM project currently in development through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to enable the production of faster, less expensive tooling critical to the defense and aerospace industry.

The two institutions have been chosen as technical partners for their expertise in fused granulate fabrication (FGF) and direct ink writing (DIW). Together, ORNL and MSU ACI will collaborate to develop reliable process parameters for consistent material deposition, demonstrating the steps needed to produce production tooling for composites manufacturing.

The project involves the development of a system integrating two-part resin and pellet-fed material extrusion technologies to process performance-grade thermoplastic polymers and advanced thermoset resin inks, including epoxies and vinyl esters. The system, designed to reach build volumes of 360 cubit feet, will demonstrate critical process controls synonymous with JuggerBot 3D’s additive technologies. Set to be completed by December 2025, it will proceed through several development phases, including system development, comprehensive modeling and advanced toolpath development.

ORNL will apply its expertise in FGF and DIW to enhance toolpath generation software, enabling the simultaneous processing of thermoplastics and thermosets. This collaboration builds on previous successful initiatives, including work on the Bead Characterization System (BCS) and JuggerBot 3D’s material card development. MSU ACI will lead system-level validation, conducting rigorous material testing to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the developed process parameters for both thermoplastic and thermoset materials.

“Transitioning from a mold that takes 12-18 months and a six-figure investment to produce, to one that takes only a few weeks at a fraction of the cost, is a significant enabler across the U.S.,” says Hunter Watts, research engineer at MSU ACI. 

The congressional award, announced in February 2024, is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Manufacturing Technology (OSD(R&E).