TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Multi-resolution nozzle for metal droplet additive manufacturing

Opportunity: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its multi-resolution nozzle for drop-on-demand additive manufacturing.Background: For 3D printing of metal components, Drop-on-Demand (DOD) Liquid Metal Jetting (LMJ) offers a less expensive alternative to Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM). In DOD-LMJ, a sharp momentum pulse is applied to a volume of molten metal, which induces it to jet through a nozzle; a series of these pulses result in a controlled stream of individual droplets that then rapidly cools and solidifies upon impact with the substrate. For more information about the method, please go to Improved Liquid Droplet Ejection from Gas-Pressurized Printhead.What would further expand the

applications for this technique is a method that allows for controlled jetting of different sized droplets from a single nozzle connected to a liquid metal reservoir. With the flexibility to print at varying resolutions using the same nozzle, components can be fabricated at high deposition rates while still maintaining detailed and complex features.Description: LLNL’s invention combines four approaches to enable on-the-fly multi-resolution metal droplet printing: (1) a nozzle with two or more orifices of varying diameter and length, (2) a set of corresponding pressure pulses that can eject droplets out of some, but not all, orifices in either magnetohydrodynamic (MHD-LMJ) or Pneumatic-LMJ, (3) the ability to change the pressure pulse on demand, thereby allowing the user to swap between two or more droplet sizes at any time during the printing process, and (4) a computer-controlled motion system and software that digitally represents the 3D printed shape and that maps the appropriate droplet sizes to create lower or higher resolutions and printing modes in the LMJ system.Advantages/Benefits: Using multi-orifice nozzles provide improved control over droplet ejection in pneumatic Drop-on-Demand 3D printers.In-situ resolution selection by matching the pressure pulse selection duration and amplitude to the orifice dimensions.The same nozzle is used to print at different resolutions, thereby allowing for both high deposition rates and fine resolution features.Potential Applications: Drop-on-Demand Additive ManufacturingLiquid metal printingDevelopment Status: Current stage of technology development: TRL 3LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's multi-resolution nozzle technology should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:Company Name and address.The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's multi-resolution nozzle technology.The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.Written responses should be directed to:Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryInnovation and Partnerships OfficeP.O. Box 808, L-779Livermore, CA 94551-0808Attention: IL-13885