Method of manufacturing a deformable article

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a deformable article includes extruding a plurality of thermoplastic elastomer melt beads layer by layer from a plurality of co-moving extrusion nozzles in parallel and according to machine-readable instructions. Thereby forming a polymer having > = 60 g / l and lt; an article having a density of 120 g / l and a compressive strength at 40% compression according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1: 20 15-10 of > = 1 kPa to < = 9 kPa.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a deformable article, the method comprising extruding a plurality of thermoplastic elastomer melt beads layer by layer in parallel and in accordance with machine-readable instructions from a plurality of co-moving extrusion nozzles. Thereby forming an article having a density of ≥60 g / l and <120 g / l and a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 of ≥1 kPa to ≤9 kPa under 40% compression.

[0002] The prior art for thermoplastic cushioning materials is mainly based on polyester fabric technology, which is designed in such a way as to produce internally highly rigid polyester-based springs ("3D fabric", https: / / www.pressless.de / en / what-is-a-3d-fabric / , see also: https: / / www.ikea.com / nl / en / p / himlavalv-3d-mattress-for-cot-90321006 / ). The polyester products cannot be customized locally.

[0003] Other known methods for producing thermoplastic cushioning materials are based, for example, on additive manufacturing by printing with thermoplastic powders or thermoplastic filaments.

[0004] DE 10 2015 100 816 B3 discloses a method for producing a body support element formed from a mattress, cushion, seat or part of a seat, comprising the process steps of defining print data forming a person-specific three-dimensional support structure and using the print data to produce the body support element with a 3D printer. Using the print data, regions with different elasticities can be produced by a 3D printer by forming cavities of different sizes and / or different numbers.

[0005] US2020 / 325951 A1 relates to a deformable body, wherein the body is constructed from a multi-layer polymeric material, and wherein the build direction is defined as perpendicular to the layers. The body preferably comprises a layer having a plurality of pairs of curves, the plurality of pairs of curves being formed by the construction material and extending in the same direction as each other, each pair of curves in each case comprising two periodic curves extending oppositely relative to each other, and each pair of curves comprising a portion having a maximum spacing from each other and a portion having a minimum spacing from each other. In a portion of the layer, in adjacent pairs of curves, at least a portion of the maximum spacing of one curve is connected to a portion of the maximum spacing of an adjacent curve, in another portion of the layer, in adjacent pairs of curves, at least a portion of the maximum spacing of one curve is not connected to a portion of the maximum spacing of an adjacent curve, in another portion of the layer, in adjacent pairs of curves, at least a portion of the portions having the minimum spacing are connected to each other, and in another portion of the layer, in adjacent pairs of curves, at least a portion of the portions having the minimum spacing are not connected to each other. The disclosure also relates to a method of producing the body and a device for supporting and / or carrying a person having a body according to the invention. The body can in particular be used as a mat or a vehicle seat.

[0006] Regarding the generation of instructions for an extruder, Andrew Gleadall's publication "Full Control GCode Designer: Open-source software for unconstrained design in additive manufacturing", Additive Manufacturing, Volume 46, 2021, 102109, ISSN 2214-8604, https: / / doi.org / 10.1016 / j.addma.2021.102109 (https: / / www.sciencedirect.com / science / article / pii / S2214860421002748) discusses a design method in which the user defines each section of the print path and all print parameters at all points along the print path, and these print parameters may relate to geometric and non-geometric factors. Machine control code (G-code) is generated directly by the software.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to overcome the limitations of the prior art products and to provide a way to effectively produce a soft cushioning body with controlled dimensions and local material composition. This object has been achieved by the method according to claim 1 and the deformable article according to claim 13. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims. They can be freely combined unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0008] Accordingly, a method of manufacturing a deformable article is provided, the method comprising extruding a plurality of thermoplastic elastomer melt beads layer by layer in parallel and in accordance with machine-readable instructions from a plurality of co-moving extrusion nozzles.

[0009] The number of layers can be, for example, ≥100 to ≤600, preferably ≥150 to ≤500, and more preferably ≥200 to ≤400.

[0010] The thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) can be a TPE that is a block copolymer comprising hard segments and soft segments. Examples of suitable materials include thermoset polyurethane elastomers (PUR), thermoplastic copolyamides (TPA), thermoplastic copolyesters (TPC), olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPO), styrene block copolymers (TPS), urethane-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPU), crosslinked olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPV), polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based thermoplastic elastomers, silicone-based thermoplastic elastomers, and combinations of at least two of these elastomers. Combinations of ≥3, ≥4, or ≥5 of these thermoplastic elastomers are also possible. It is also possible that the TPE material comprises thermoplastic vulcanizates, or that the TPE material comprises a vulcanizable rubber that can be extruded through the nozzle prior to subsequent vulcanization.

[0011] For the purposes of the present invention, a polymer is elastic if the elongation at break in a tensile test according to DIN 53504 is ≥50%, and thus provides a compression set of the required body after 15% compression (DIN ISO 815-1, 72 hours, 23 °C) of ≤50%, preferably ≤30%, and particularly preferably ≤25%.

[0012] The TPE can also comprise additional additives, such as fillers, stabilizers, etc., and additional polymers. The total content of additives in the elastic polymer can be, for example, ≥0.1 wt% to ≤70 wt%, preferably ≥1 wt% to ≤40 wt%.

[0013] The melt volume rate (MVR) of a suitable TPE according to ISO 1133 (at 20 °C above the melting point, 5 kg, 10 minutes) can be ≥20 to ≤90 (preferably ≥30 to ≤80, more preferably ≥35 to ≤65) cm 3 / 10 minutes.

[0014] The TPE, especially if it is TPU, can exhibit a sharp decrease in melt viscosity with temperature. The melting characteristics are determined via the change in MVR (melt volume rate) according to ISO 1133 at a preheating time of 5 minutes and a load of 10 kg as a function of temperature. When the MVR at the starting temperature T x has a starting value of 5 to 15 cm 3 / 10 min, and increases by no less than 20 cm x+20 / 10 min, preferably no less than 30 cm 3 / 10 min due to a temperature increase of 20 °C to T 3 , the melting characteristics are considered to be "sharp".

[0015] The TPE can have a melting point, as measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) in torsion at 1 Hz, 1% strain, and a heating rate of 2 °C / min (defined as the crossover point between the storage modulus G' and the loss modulus G"), of 80 °C to 260 °C, preferably 100 °C to 240 °C, more preferably 140 °C to 200 °C, and most preferably ≤ 180 °C.

[0016] The TPE can have a glass transition temperature (according to DMA, DIN EN ISO 6721) above 80 °C or from -80 °C to 10 °C, preferably -70 °C to 0 °C, and more preferably -60 °C to -10 °C.

[0017] The machine-readable instructions are the output of machine-readable instruction generation software, and the input for the machine-readable instruction generation software for generating the instructions contains neither a representation of a three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D-CAD) model of the article to be manufactured nor software-generated slice layers of the 3D-CAD model of the article to be manufactured. Specifically excluded are polygon representations such as those found in STL files. Thus, workflows in which CAD software such as Autodesk or AutoCAD is used to design an article and then exported to slicer software that subsequently generates the machine-readable instructions are excluded.

[0018] The extrusion nozzle moves at a nozzle speed, and the extruded melt beads have a diameter, and the product of the nozzle speed and the extruded bead diameter is ≥ 25 mm 2 / s to ≤ 80 mm 2 / s. Preferably it is ≥ 28 mm 2 / s to ≤ 75 mm 2 / s.

[0019] It is recognized that the extruded bead diameter can be larger than the inner diameter of the nozzle through which the beads are extruded. The extruded bead diameter can be calculated using the formula for an ideal cylinder (V = (d / 2) 2It is calculated by (*π*d² / 4)*h), where d is the diameter of the bead, V is the volume of the cylinder, and h is the extrusion path length in the G-code. The volume V can be calculated from the weight of the extruded beads and the density of the extruded material. The preferred value of the extruded bead diameter is ≥0.35 mm to ≤0.65 mm and more preferably ≥0.40 mm to ≤0.62 mm.

[0020] The thermoplastic elastomer has a Shore A hardness according to DIN ISO 7619 of ≥45 and ≤94. Preferably, the Shore A hardness is ≥60 to ≤92 Shore A or ≥70 to ≤86 Shore A.

[0021] The extruded melt beads form a layer in the article having a height of ≥0.30 mm to ≤0.55 mm, preferably ≥0.35 mm to ≤0.55 mm.

[0022] The extruded bead diameter is ≥100% to ≤145% of the height of the layer formed by the beads. Preferably ≥110% to ≤145% and more preferably ≥120% to ≤140%.

[0023] Each extrusion nozzle has an inner diameter of ≥0.3 to ≤0.7 mm. Individual nozzles can have different inner diameters falling within this range. The diameter difference can be ≥0.05 mm, preferably ≥0.1 mm but ≤0.4 mm.

[0024] The average distance between adjacent extruded beads in a layer is ≥6 mm to ≤20 mm, preferably ≥6 mm to ≤13 mm. It is also preferred that the distance between adjacent extruded beads in a layer is constant.

[0025] On average, each layer of the article contacts its underlying prior layer with ≤60% of its associated extruded bead diameter. This layer overlay can be determined graphically by extracting the extrusion path vector file.

[0026] The article contains walls and voids formed by extruding the thermoplastic elastomer, thereby establishing a density and a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression for the article.

[0027] Thereby, an article is formed having a density of ≥60 g / l and <120 g / l (preferably ≥60 g / l to ≤110 g / l) and a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression of ≥1 kPa to ≤9 kPa (preferably ≥1.5 kPa to ≤8 kPa, more preferably ≥2 kPa to ≤6 kPa). For determining the compressive strength, the fourth compression cycle is preferably used.

[0028] Surprisingly, the method of the present invention has successfully formed articles with the above density and compressive strength. The reason for the unexpected success lies in the fact that in standard FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) 3D printing, layer heights approaching 2 / 3 of the nozzle diameter are marked in the slicer program as providing unsuitable products due to poor interlayer adhesion and poor product resolution.

[0029] Surprisingly, it has also been found that if the product of the nozzle speed and the extruded bead diameter is within the above range, the quality of the cushioning product (deformable article) and the production efficiency of the cushioning product are particularly good.

[0030] In the manufacture of a deformable article having the overall claimed density and compressive strength, steps that do not belong to the method according to the present invention may be carried out, provided that steps belonging to the method are also carried out. This may be the case when generating a denser or heavier side of the article. Preferably, ≥80% or ≥90% of the volume of the deformable article has been produced by the method according to the present invention.

[0031] It is possible that the extruded bead diameter is ≥70% to ≤150% of the inner diameter of the nozzle from which the bead is extruded.

[0032] It is possible that the volume build rate of the resulting deformable article for each nozzle is ≥0.4 l / h, preferably ≥0.6 l / h, more preferably ≥0.8 l / h and most preferably ≥1 l / h but ≤2 l / h.

[0033] It is possible that at least two nozzles are placed in parallel and at an angle of 80° - 100° (preferably 85° to 95°) with respect to the travel direction of the nozzle. It is also possible that at least four nozzles are stacked in at least two rows, where at least two nozzles are placed in parallel and at an angle of 80° - 100° (preferably 85° to 95°) with respect to the travel direction of the nozzle.

[0034] It is possible that molten beads of TPE are simultaneously extruded from at least two nozzles having different volume outputs, where the volume output difference between the nozzle with the lower volume output and the nozzle with the higher volume output is ≥10 volume % and ≤300 volume %, preferably ≥20 volume % and ≤250 volume %, more preferably ≥30 volume % and ≤200 volume %. Preferably, the volume output difference is achieved with nozzles having the same nozzle diameter.

[0035] It is possible that the volume outputs of at least two nozzles vary by ≥20 volume % and ≤250 volume %, more preferably ≥30 volume % and ≤200 volume % during the build time of the deformable article. Preferably, the volume output variation can occur within ≤20 build layers, preferably ≤10 build layers and more preferably ≤3 build layers.

[0036] It is possible that by switching from an extrusion mode to a traveling mode, the volumetric output of at least two nozzles changes at least once on at least one build layer of the construction.

[0037] It is possible that, with respect to the output measured in g / h, the weight output of at least one nozzle used in the extrusion process differs from that of at least one other nozzle by preferably at least 15 wt%, more preferably at least 20 wt% and most preferably at least 50 wt% for ≥ 10% of the build time or for at least a cumulative build time of 10 minutes.

[0038] It is possible that at least two nozzles are placed on a beam movable along the build direction, wherein the longer dimension of the beam is orthogonal to the build direction. The beam is preferably fastened in such a way that it can change its alignment by 60 to 150°, enabling a change in the build direction during the build process, preferably when moving to the next build layer.

[0039] It is possible that at least two nozzles are placed such that they can move parallel in the XY and optionally Z directions. It is also possible that the spatial movement of the nozzles in at least one direction is ≤ 2 times smaller, preferably ≤ 4 times smaller and most preferably ≤ 8 times smaller than the movement in at least one other direction.

[0040] It is possible that at least two nozzles are placed such that they can move both parallel and orthogonal in the build direction simultaneously. It is also possible that they can be mounted according to any known given XYZ, δ (Delta) or CoreXY or CoreXZ design.

[0041] It is possible that at least two nozzles are placed such that the build platform can move under the nozzle device in the XY and optionally Z directions. It is also possible that the build platform can move freely in the XY direction and the nozzles can move freely in the Z direction. It is also possible that the spatial movement of the build platform in at least one direction is ≤ 2 times smaller, preferably ≤ 4 times smaller than the movement in at least one other direction.

[0042] It is possible that the build platform can be heated or cooled. It is also possible that, for safety and / or thermal control reasons, the method is carried out in an enclosure.

[0043] It is also possible that the nozzles are placed parallel at a fixed position, which can move in the build direction, wherein the longer dimension of the beam is orthogonal to the build direction. The build platform is arranged in such a way that it can rotate freely, preferably in such a way that it can change its alignment by 60 to 150°, enabling a change in the build direction during the build process, preferably when moving to the next layer.

[0044] It is also possible to vary the material, build density, and / or build geometry during the production of an article by the method according to the invention. This can occur along the x-y plane as well as along the z-axis. The article obtained by the method according to the invention can be white or transparent.

[0045] It is also possible that the number of beads applied relative to the build area width in one build layer of the body averages from 2 (line distance 5 mm) to 0.75 (line distance 15 mm) beads / cm build width, preferably 1.7 - 0.8 and more preferably 1.5 to 0.9.

[0046] It is also possible that the spacing distance from at least one nozzle to another nozzle is ≤ 0.9 times lower, preferably ≤ 0.8 times lower, and more preferably ≤ 0.7 times lower than the medium spacing of the nozzles across the width of the build volume.

[0047] It is also possible that the output of at least one nozzle differs across the width or length of the build volume from the average output of the nozzles. Preferably, at least the first and the last of the nozzles arranged in parallel have an output that is ≥ 10% and ≤ 100% higher than the average output of all the nozzles.

[0048] It is also possible that the temperature of the nozzle is ≥ 30 °C and ≤ 110 °C higher than the melting point of the TPE (defined as the crossover point between the storage modulus G’ and the loss modulus G” according to DMA measurements performed in torsion at 1 Hz, 1% strain, and a heating rate of 2 °C / minute), preferably ≥ 40 °C and ≤ 100 °C higher than the melting point of the TPE and most preferably ≥ 40 °C and ≤ 90 °C.

[0049] It is also possible that the temperature of the build platform in the method is preferably ≥ 5 °C and ≤ 100 °C, preferably ≥ 10 °C and ≤ 60 °C, and most preferably ≥ 15 °C and ≤ 30 °C. In the most preferred embodiment, the temperature of the build platform and potentially the temperature in the build enclosure are ± 10 °C of the ambient temperature.

[0050] It is also possible that the average material temperature of the build during the build time is ± 10 °C of the ambient temperature. Preferably, the temperature of the build is ± 5 °C of the ambient temperature.

[0051] It is also possible that the extruded TPE beads can also be applied in parallel by a parallel array of a plurality of nozzles fed by TPE pellets melted in front of the nozzles.

[0052] The melting can conveniently be carried out in a commercially available extruder, a heated piston, or by compression molding with a heated nozzle plate or by extrusion via a parallel melt rotary pump.

[0053] Applied parallel molten beads can be provided in at least ≤ every 50 layers, preferably in at least ≤ every 30 layers, more preferably in at least ≤ every 20 layers and most preferably in at least every 3 layers, and the layers can be stacked on top of another earlier layer.

[0054] It is possible that a multi-bead extruder applies the beads to an earlier layer at a fixed angle of ≤ 160° and ≥ 20° in at least ≤ every 50 layers, preferably at least ≤ every 30 layers, more preferably at least ≤ every 20 layers and most preferably at least ≤ every 3 layers.

[0055] It is possible that the shaft on which the multi-bead extruder is mounted has a limited orientation ability with a distance of ≤ 30%, preferably ≤ 15% and more preferably ≤ 10% of the movement in at least one other direction (e.g., x), preferably 2 other directions (e.g., x and z), in at least 1, preferably 2 directions (e.g., y and z).

[0056] It is possible that each extrusion nozzle can be individually controlled to extrude an expected amount within a range of intermediate extrusion rates of 0% to 300% (0 - 250, 0 - 200, 0 - 150, 0 - 100) at each nozzle of the entire multi-extrusion device.

[0057] It is possible that ≥ 50%, preferably ≥ 85% and most preferably ≥ 90% of the extrusion nozzles have the same diameter. It is also possible that ≤ 50%, preferably ≤ 15%, most preferably ≤ 10% of the nozzles have a larger or smaller diameter with a maximum diameter difference of - 50% and + 100%.

[0058] The nozzles of the multi-bead extruder are fixed orthogonally to the shorter dimension Y of the build area. It is also possible that one extruder can feed multiple nozzles, preferably 2 to 8, more preferably 4 - 6.

[0059] It is possible that the TPE material can be changed during one layer, or at least different TPE materials or colored TPE materials are used for at least one layer of the construct.

[0060] It is possible that multiple materials can be used in one construct.

[0061] It is possible that multiple materials are extruded through one nozzle during construction.

[0062] It is possible that multiple materials are extruded through different nozzles during construction.

[0063] It is possible that multiple materials can have different colors so that the materials can be easily separated for material recycling.

[0064] It is possible that the same material can have different colors so that different buffers can be optically marked.

[0065] It is possible that on average at least 50% of the nozzles extrude the molten TPE beads in parallel.

[0066] It is possible that the volumetric output through at least one nozzle changes with the build time.

[0067] It is possible that different thermoplastic materials are used in different layers, which can be easily horizontally separated on the XY axis for recycling, thus providing clean and single-quality materials.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, non-TPE materials and materials reinforced with endless fibers, long fibers or short fibers can also be used as part of the construct.

[0069] It is possible to control the method in such a way that a layer repetition period of < 300 seconds, preferably < 200 seconds and most preferably < 100 seconds is provided.

[0070] The melt beads can be extruded onto a movable "continuous" printing platform, for example in the form of a conveyor belt, enabling continuous printing. The melt beads can also be extruded onto a turntable platform that can rotate at least 90° or can rotate freely.

[0071] It is possible that the build platform area has a size of ≥ 0.5 m 2 、preferably ≥ 1 m 2 and more preferably ≥ 1.5 m 2 in size. It is also possible that the build area is rectangular in shape, with the dimensions of two of its sides ≥ 1:1 and ≤ 3:1.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the input for the software for generating machine-readable instructions includes user-defined segments for the movement path of the extrusion nozzle, the definition including spatial coordinates and extrusion instructions. Suitable software for this is "FullControlGCode Designer", which has been mentioned in the introductory part of this disclosure.

[0073] According to another embodiment, the output of the software for generating machine-readable instructions includes G-code.

[0074] According to another embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Preferably, the elastomer is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer obtainable by the reaction of at least the following components: a) at least one organic diisocyanate; b) at least one compound having isocyanate-reactive groups and having a number average molar mass (Mn) of ≥ 800 g / mol to ≤ 4000 g / mol and a number average functionality of all components b) of ≥ 1.8 to ≤ 2.5, and c) at least one chain extender having a molecular weight of 60 - 450 g / mol and a number average functionality of all chain extenders c) of 1.8 to 2.5.

[0075] Preferably, a) is hexamethylene 1,6-diisocyanate, cyclohexane 1,4-diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, a mixture of diphenylmethane diisocyanate isomers, wherein the content of diphenylmethane 4,4'-diisocyanate is greater than 96% by weight, and especially diphenylmethane 4,4'-diisocyanate and 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate. These diisocyanates can be used alone or in the form of mixtures with one another.

[0076] Preferably, b) is given as a polyether diol, which can be made, for example, from ethylene oxide and / or propylene oxide and / or tetrahydrofuran, and can have a molecular weight distribution Mw / Mn measured by conventional GPC of ≤ 3, preferably ≤ 2 and most preferably ≤ 1.5. The number average molar mass Mn of the polyether diol is preferably 800 to 6000 g / mol, more preferably 900 to 4000 g / mol and most preferably 1000 to 3000 g / mol. These compounds can be used alone or in the form of mixtures with one another.

[0077] Preferably, c) is given as ethylene glycol, butane-1,4-diol, hexane-1,6-diol, 1,4-bis(β-hydroxyethyl)hydroquinone and 1,4-bis(β-hydroxyethyl)bisphenol A. Mixtures of the above chain extenders can also be used.

[0078] In a preferred TPU, the mass fraction of the polyether having a molecular weight of ≥ 900 g / mol and ≤ 4000 g / mol is ≥ 60%, more preferably ≥ 70% and most preferably ≥ 80% relative to the total polyether content.

[0079] Preferably, the thermoplastic polyurethane contains C 3 ether units such as polypropylene glycol units. For example, the mass fraction of the polyether based on polypropylene oxide having a molecular weight of ≥ 900 g / mol and ≤ 4000 g / mol can be ≥ 60%, preferably ≥ 70% and most preferably ≥ 80% relative to the total polyether content.

[0080] An example of such a material is a TPU having a composition comprising more than 80 wt% of polypropylene glycol, MDI, butanediol, and hexanediol. The polypropylene glycol used in the TPU may have a number average molecular weight Mn of 800 to 4000 g / mol and a polydispersity Mw / Mn of 1.5 or less.

[0081] According to another embodiment, the cross-section of the article comprises the following repeating units: straight sections angled with respect to each other, curved sections, curved sections angled with respect to each other, or a combination of two or more of the above repeating units.

[0082] According to another embodiment, the first cross-section of the article is different from a second cross-section parallel to the first cross-section.

[0083] According to another embodiment, the first cross-section of the article corresponds to a rotated second cross-section of the article.

[0084] It is possible that the TPE material is extruded in such a way that between one layer and the next layer, the applied molten beads of the second layer contact the material of the previously applied layer on average only at ≤60%, preferably ≤50%, more preferably ≤40%, and most preferably ≤20% of the calculated applied bead width.

[0085] It is possible that the TPE material is preferably extruded in such a way that in one layer and at least one successive layer over the entire construct, the applied molten beads are horizontally layered with respect to each other at an angle of ≥20°, preferably ≥40° and most preferably ≥60° but ≤160°, preferably ≤140° and most preferably ≤120° and contact each other only at one point, while bridging at least 8 times, preferably more than 10 times and most preferably more than 12 times the point-to-point distance of the contact length of the contact points of more than two beads. Preferably, these successive layers are repeated more than 5 times, more preferably more than 10 times and most preferably more than 30 times in the construct.

[0086] Surprisingly, even in the case of such a low surface connection area and volume density of the construct, the method and material combination of the present invention allow the production of a cushioning material having sufficient construct strength in the XY and Z directions such that the cushioning material withstands 1000 cycles of repeated compression of 40% of its height according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2010-09, with a compression strength of ≤9 kPa and a compression set of ≤30%, preferably ≤20% and most preferably ≤10%.

[0087] It is possible that the molten TPE beads extruded in a layer trace direction-parallel curves in ≥20%, preferably ≥30% and ≥50% and most preferably ≥80% of the length of the construct to avoid time-consuming and difficult direction changes.

[0088] It is possible that the construction concept includes a straight movement of the nozzle from end to end in the x or y direction in a layer and a zigzag movement of the nozzle in the x and y directions in at least one of 3 layers, preferably in one of 2 layers. Wherein the nozzle makes a repeated lateral movement equal to or greater than the distance between two parallel-spaced nozzles, preferably equal to or greater than 1.5 times the distance between two parallel-spaced nozzles, and the angle between the movement directions is >20° and <120°.

[0089] It is possible that the nozzle operates in a Cartesian system, where most nozzles are mounted parallel on a beam arranged orthogonally to the longer side of the size of the construction platform. The longest dimension of the construction volume is called X, the horizontal orthogonality of X is Y, which is ≤X, and preferably, the smallest dimension of the construction volume is orthogonal to X, and X is called Z.

[0090] It is possible that the molten TPE beads extruded from a multi-bead extruder are applied in parallel and linear lines orthogonal to the smaller dimension (x or y direction) of the buffer body during the construction time to >10%, preferably >20% and most preferably >30% of the absolute extrusion length of the beads through one nozzle, and in the direction of the larger construction dimension of the buffer body (x or y direction) in parallel lines to ≥10%, preferably ≥20%, most preferably ≥30%.

[0091] It is possible that the applied parallel line pattern changes at least 1 time, preferably 2 times in the z direction.

[0092] According to another embodiment, the extruded melt beads solidify without contacting more than one previously formed layer. Thus, these solidified beads are at least partially free-floating. This is also called "bridging". In particular, containing C 3 Thermoplastic polyurethanes containing ether units such as polypropylene glycol units show good adhesion properties and are suitable for this embodiment because of their low Shore A hardness, rapid increase in viscosity upon cooling but not too rapid crystallization.

[0093] According to another embodiment, ≥2 to ≤1000 (preferably ≥5 to ≤400, more preferably ≥10 to ≤200) co-moving extrusion nozzles are used simultaneously to produce the article.

[0094] According to another embodiment, the article has a width of ≥30 cm to ≤300 cm, a length of ≥30 cm to ≤300 cm, a height of ≥2 cm to ≤30 cm or a combination of at least two of the above dimensions.

[0095] According to another embodiment, the article has a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression in a first spatial direction and a second spatial direction, and the compressive strength in the first spatial direction is ≥150% (preferably ≥200% and more preferably ≥250%) of the compressive strength in the second spatial direction. Such articles are easier to store under compression, for example as cushions in a box.

[0096] According to another embodiment, the melt beads are extruded onto the fabric at least once. The fabric can be breathable and can also remain attached to the finished product. The fabric can also be a distance fabric or a 3D fabric as mentioned in the preamble of the present disclosure.

[0097] The present invention also provides a deformable article comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, the article having a density of ≥60 g / l and ≤120 g / l (preferably ≥60 g / l to ≤110 g / l) and a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression of ≥1 kPa to ≤9 kPa (preferably ≥1.5 kPa to ≤8 kPa, more preferably ≥2 kPa to ≤6 kPa), and obtainable by the method according to the present invention. Without wishing to be limited to this observation, the article can be described as a thermoplastic open-cell cushioning article. The article can be used in beds in hospitals and care institutions. Seats in vehicles are another preferred field of application, especially in long-distance vehicles. The advantages of the deformable article of the present invention are particularly successfully used in such applications because its ventilation capacity cannot be achieved in conventional foams.

[0098] The article can be, for example, a cushion, a padding or a pillow. The article can have excellent washability, for example in a washing machine at 30 °C, 40 °C or 50 °C, and low odor. The washing process can include common disinfection washing additives and solvents such as isopropyl alcohol and ethanol because the TPE material provides good chemical resistance to common disinfectants. Since the article provides a uniform and / or separable material quality, the article can be easily recycled by thermal recycling, by shredding and regranulating or by chemical / hydrolytic recycling.

[0099] As already outlined in connection with the method according to the present invention, the thermoplastic elastomer of the article is preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane. It is also preferred that the thermoplastic polyurethane contains C 3 ether units, such as polypropylene glycol units. An example of such a material is a TPU having a composition comprising more than 80% by weight of polypropylene glycol, MDI, butanediol and hexanediol. The polypropylene glycol used in the TPU can have a number average molecular weight Mn of 800 to 4000 g / mol and a polydispersity Mw / Mn of 1.5 or less.

[0100] Also as outlined above in connection with the method according to the invention, the article can have a width of ≥ 30 cm to ≤ 300 cm, a length of ≥ 30 cm to ≤ 300 cm, a height of ≥ 2 cm to ≤ 20 cm, or a combination of at least two of the above dimensions. The article can also have a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 under 40% compression in a first spatial direction and a second spatial direction, with the compressive strength in the first spatial direction being ≥ 150% (preferably ≥ 200% and more preferably ≥ 250%) of the compressive strength in the second spatial direction. Such an article is easier to store under compression, for example as a mat in a box.

[0101] The article can have a high tensile strength in the XY direction and a lower expected strength in the z direction. The tear strength in the z direction is ≤ 30%, preferably ≤ 20% and most preferably ≤ 15%, but the tensile strength in the XY direction is ≥ 1%, preferably ≥ 2% and most preferably ≥ 3%. This is very advantageous because for recycling reasons, the mat can be separated along the layers in a controlled manner and different TPE materials used in a construct can also be separated.

[0102] The article can have a compression set of < 30%, preferably < 20%, most preferably < 10% after 1000 cycles of compression to 40% over a time span of 24 hours. The compression set measurement is based on DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 and is carried out on a 10 cm * 10 cm * 5 cm sample on a Zwick Retro, 2 kN power load cell with a pre-tension of 0.05 kPa at 23 °C and 50% humidity.

[0103] The article can have low odor emission, VOC emission, and FOG properties.

[0104] The article can have good flame retardancy even in the unformulated state and, as a thermoplastic material, is superior to standard non-flame-retardant polyurethane foams and can be non-combustible in combustion tests according to EN 597-1:2015 and DIN EN 597-2:2016-03.

[0105] The article can provide a gap for accommodating a fan and / or a sensor. The fan and / or the sensor can then be installed in the gap intended for this purpose.

[0106] The article may include a ventilation device for allowing air to pass through at least a portion of the deformable body. In the simplest case, air is conducted from the environment through at least a portion of the deformable article, thereby allowing for easy removal of moisture discharged due to sweating of a person using the device and sitting or lying on the article. This is sufficient to improve comfort during sitting or lying.

[0107] Perceived comfort can be further enhanced by heating the air to a temperature higher than room temperature (temperature > 20°C) using one or more heating elements, or by cooling the air (temperature ≤ 25°C) using one or more cooling elements.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the article further comprises an actuator and / or a sensor.

[0109] Furthermore, the present invention provides an open-cell cushioning material comprising a deformable body. The device of the present invention can be, for example, a seat cushioning, a pillow, a mat, upholstered furniture or a vehicle seat. The device can include not only the deformable body of the present invention acting as a cushion or a cushioning area, but also active and passive elements. Passive elements are components such as frames, joints, rollers, etc. Active elements can be servo motors (e.g., motors for adjusting seat geometry), sensors or other elements providing desired functions.

[0110] According to another embodiment, the article further comprises an element within the deformable article adapted to be filled with a pressurized fluid. This can take the form of parallel or perpendicular linear spaces throughout the cushioning body, and the linear spaces can be filled with inflatable tubes so as to inflate or deflate the tubes by means of a pressurized gas or liquid to change the cushioning behavior of the body of the present invention as needed.

[0111] The present invention will be further described with reference to the following drawings and examples, but is not intended to be limited thereby.

[0112] Materials used:

[0113] TPU A: A thermoplastic polyurethane containing polypropylene glycol units and having a Shore hardness of 80A according to DIN ISO 7619. Available as Desmopan 6080A from Covestro Deutschland AG.

[0114] TPU B: A thermoplastic polyurethane containing polypropylene glycol units and having a Shore hardness of 45A according to DIN ISO 7619. Available as a test product of Desmopan 6045A from Covestro Deutschland AG.

[0115] TPU C: A thermoplastic polyurethane containing polypropylene glycol units and having a Shore hardness of 65A according to DIN ISO 7619. Available as Desmopan 6064A from Covestro Deutschland AG.

[0116] TPU D: A thermoplastic polyurethane containing ether units and having a Shore hardness of 85D according to DIN ISO 7619. Available as Desmopan 9385DU from Covestro Deutschland AG.

[0117] TPU E: A thermoplastic polyurethane containing ether units and having a Shore hardness of 65D according to DIN ISO 7619. Available as Desmopan 9868DU from Covestro Deutschland AG.

[0118] TPU F: An ester-based thermoplastic polyurethane having a Shore hardness of 60D according to DIN ISO 7619. Available as Desmopan 460 from Covestro Deutschland AG.

[0119] PLA E: A polylactic acid having a Shore hardness of 80D according to DIN ISO 7619. Available as PLA 3D850 from filament2print.com.

[0120] Constructed patterns:

[0121] "Rect." is Figure 1 the rectangular pattern depicted in Figure 2 "Gyr." is Figure 3 the spiral pattern depicted in Figure 4 "Triang." is Figure 3 the triangular pattern depicted in Figure 4 "Honeyc." is Figure 5 the honeycomb pattern depicted in Figure 6 The "Wiggle" pattern is depicted in Figure 5 and the "Grid" pattern is depicted in Figure 6

[0122] Production of the deformable body:

[0123] All materials were used as pellets and extruded on a Tumaker Pro Dual 3D printer with one or two independent pellet heads in order to simulate parallel extrusion according to the invention on a laboratory scale. The extruder nozzle was kept at 250 °C if not otherwise stated. The build plate and build chamber temperature, which were neither heated nor cooled, were measured at <30 °C. Other experimental conditions are given in the table below.

[0124] The production files are based on G-codes generated via Fullcontroll GCODE Designer or, in cases not being embodiments of the present invention, via prefabricated filling structures. The G-codes are manually applied to run on a Tumaker Pro Dual 3D printer. The printing time is calculated from the G-code file.

[0125] In all tables, embodiments of the present invention are marked with an asterisk ("*"). In the tables, "line distance" is the average distance between adjacent extruded beads. "Temperature" refers to the temperature of the extruder nozzle. "Average bead application speed" is calculated from the code instructions. "Extruded bead diameter" has been calculated as described above. "Stable structure" means that the structure shows sufficient dimensional stability under a compression strength test, providing a height retention rate of > 95% after measurement. "As-designed structure" means the structure generated according to the G-code instructions, which means that the generated structure largely reflects the dimensions of the structure that can be visualized by common G-code viewers, which are readily available in programs such as Cura or Simplify 3d or nc viewers. "Compression strength at the 4th cycle under 40% compression" is determined according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10. "Tensile permanent deformation after the 4th cycle" is determined as the δ value between the heights before and after the measurement relative to the compression value 5 minutes after the cyclic compression measurement.

[0126] "Layer coverage" means that, on average, each layer of the article contacts its underlying layer below with the percentage value of its associated average extruded melt bead diameter. The number can be determined by extracting the extrusion path of each layer from the G-code file and converting it into a vector file (e.g., by importing the code file into spreadsheet software and exporting the corresponding xy graph as a scalable vector graphics (.SVG) file). The next step is to import the resulting vector file into a CAD program (such as Autodesk Fusion 360). The thickness of the input line is defined as the average extruded bead diameter. Subsequently, the overlap of two subsequent layers in the CAD program can be determined. The resulting coverage area is divided by the area of the upper layer, and this result is multiplied by 100, and thus the value of the layer coverage in % is given.

[0127] Table 1. Variation of materials

[0128]

[0129]

[0130] Table 2. Variation of layer height

[0131] Test Number 8 9 10* 11* 12 13 14 Material TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A Shore A / D Hardness 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A Pattern Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Line Distance / mm 8.3 8.3 8.3 8.3 8.3 8.3 8.3 Layer Height / mm 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 Length X / mm 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 Length Y / mm 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 Length Z / mm 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 Temperature / °C 250 250 250 250 250 250 220 Average Bead Application Speed / mm / s 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Nozzle Diameter / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Printing Time / min 40 26 20 16 13 12 11 Measured Weight / g 31 30 26 26 25 24 24 Density / g / l 139 133 117 118 111 107 107 Extruded Bead Diameter / mm 0.37 0.45 0.48 0.54 0.6 0.65 0.7 As Designed Structure Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Compressive Strength 40%, 4th Cycle / kPa 32 14 7,6 8,3 - - - <![CDATA[Average bead velocity * bead diameter / mm 2 / s]]> 37 45 48 54 60 65 70 Layer Coverage <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ Extruded Bead Diameter / Layer Height / % 185 150 120 108 100 92.8 87.5 Extruded Bead Diameter / Nozzle Diameter / % 92.5 112.5 120 135 150 162.5 175

[0132] Table 3. Changes in nozzle size

[0133] Test Number 15* 16 17* 18 19 Material TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A Shore A / D Hardness 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A Pattern Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Line Distance / mm 10 10 8.3 8.3 8.3 Layer Height / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Length X / mm 100 100 100 100 100 Length Y / mm 100 100 100 100 100 Length Z / mm 50 50 50 50 50 Temperature / °C 250 250 250 250 250.0 Average Bead Application Speed / mm / s 100 70 100 70 40 Nozzle Diameter / mm 0.4 0.8 0.6 2 2 Printing Time / min 23 39 27 39 69 Measured Weight / g 37 31 36 39 74 Density / g / l 75 62 73 79 149 Extruded Bead Diameter / mm 0.54 0.45 0.49 0.51 0.7 As Designed Structure Yes No Yes No Yes Compressive Strength 40%, 4th Cycle / kPa <10 <10 >10 <![CDATA[Average bead velocity * bead diameter / mm 2 / s]]> 54 31.5 49 35.7 28 Layer Coverage <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ Extruded Bead Diameter / Layer Height / % 135 113 123 128 175 Extruded Bead Diameter / Nozzle Diameter / % 135 56 82 26 35

[0134] Table 4a. Changes in line distance

[0135] Test Number 20 21 22 23* 24* 25* 26 Material TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A Shore A / D Hardness 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A Pattern Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Line Distance / mm 3.3 4.2 5 6.3 8.3 10 25 Layer Height / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Length X / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Y / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Z / mm 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 Temperature / °C 250 250 250 250 250 250 220 Average Bead Application Speed / mm / s 100 100 100 100 100 60 100 Nozzle Diameter / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Printing Time / min 65 52 44 35 27 38 22 Measured Weight / g 95 77 65 54 53 41 23 Density / g / l 191 145 131 108 86 81 45 Extruded Bead Diameter / mm 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.52 0.53 0.56 0.62 As Designed Structure Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Compressive Strength 40%, 4th Cycle / kPa 26 14.2 10.2 5 2.6 2.3 0.5 <![CDATA[Average bead velocity * bead diameter / mm 2 / s]]> 51 51 51 52 53 34 62 Layer Coverage <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ Extruded Bead Diameter / Layer Height / % 128 128 128 130 133 140 155 Extruded Bead Diameter / Nozzle Diameter / % 128 128 128 130 133 140 155

[0136] Table 4b. Changes in line distance

[0137] Test Number 27 28* 29* 30* 31* 32 Material TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A Shore A / D Hardness 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A Pattern Gyr. Gyr. Gyr. Gyr. Gyr. Gyr. Line Distance / mm 16.7 12.5 11.1 10.0 8.3 6.3 Layer Height / mm 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 Length X / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Y / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Z / mm 50 50 50 50 50 50 Temperature / °C 250 250 250 250 250 250 Average Bead Application Speed / mm / s 60 60 60 60 60 60 Nozzle Diameter / mm 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 Printing Time / min 31 40 44 49 58 76 Measured Weight / g 26 31 36 38 47 60 Density / g / l 52 62 72 76 94 120 Extruded Bead Diameter / mm 0.47 0.48 0.49 0.48 0.49 0.48 As Designed Structure No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Compressive Strength 40%, 4th Cycle / kPa 2.8 4.4 4.8 8.1 16.2 <![CDATA[Average bead velocity * bead diameter / mm 2 / s]]> 28 29 29 29 29 29 Layer Coverage <60％ <60％ <60％ <60％ <60％ <60％ Extruded Bead Diameter / Layer Height / % 118 120 123 120 123 120 Extruded Bead Diameter / Nozzle Diameter / % 118 120 123 120 123 120

[0138] Table 5. Changes in bead application speed

[0139] Test Number 33 34 35* 36* 37* 38 Material TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A Shore A / D Hardness 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A Pattern Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Line Distance / mm 10 10 10 10 10 10 Layer Height / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Length X / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Y / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Z / mm 50 50 50 50 50 50 Temperature / °C 250 250 250 250 250 250 Average bead application speed / mm / s 20 40 60 120 150 180 Nozzle diameter / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Printing time / min 135 68 45 23 18 15.0 Measured weight / g 48 44 42 38 38 38 Density / g / l 96 88 83 76 76 75 Extruded bead diameter / mm 0.56 0.54 0.52 0.50 0.50 0.50 As designed structure No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Compressive strength 40%, 4th cycle / kPa 5.4 3.0 2.2 1.7 2.1 <![CDATA[Average bead velocity * bead diameter / mm 2 / s]]> 11 22 31 60 75 90 Layer coverage <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ Extruded bead diameter / layer height / % 140 135 130 125 125 125 Extruded bead diameter / nozzle diameter / % 140 135 130 125 125 125

[0140] Table 6. Changes in application pattern

[0141] Test number 39* 40* 41 42 43 44 Material TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A Shore A / D hardness 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A Pattern Rect. Gyroid Triang. Honeyc. Wiggle Grid Line distance / mm 10 10 10 10 10 10 Layer height / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Length X / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Y / mm 100 100 100 100 100 100 Length Z / mm 50 50 50 50 50 50 Temperature / °C 250 250 250 250 250 250 Average bead application speed / mm / s 60 60 60 50 60 60 Nozzle diameter / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Printing time / min 38 49 38 78 49 64 Measured weight / g 41 38 47 46 39 38 Density / g / l 81 76 94 91 78 76 Extruded bead diameter / mm 0.56 0.48 0.60 0.48 0.49 0.51 As designed structure Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Stable structure Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Compressive strength 40%, 4th cycle / kPa 2.6 4.8 7.6 >10 <1 >10 <![CDATA[Average bead velocity * bead diameter / mm 2 / s]]> 34 29 36 24 29 31 Possible parallel printing Yes Yes No No Yes No Layer coverage <20％ <60％ >60％ >60％ >60％ >60％ Extruded bead diameter / layer height / % 140 120 150 120 122.5 127.5 Extruded bead diameter / nozzle diameter / % 140 120 150 120 122.5 127.5

[0142] Table 7. Changes in extrusion volume

[0143] Test number 45 46* 47* 48* 49 Material TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A TPU A Shore A / D hardness 80A 80A 80A 80A 80A Pattern Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Rect. Line distance / mm 10 10 10 10 10 Layer height / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Length X / mm 100 100 100 100 100 Length Y / mm 100 100 100 100 100 Length Z / mm 50 50 50 50 50 Temperature / °C 250 250 250 250 250 Average bead application speed / mm / s 100 100 100 100 100 Nozzle diameter / mm 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Printing time / min 23 23 23 23 23 Measured weight / g 27 33 40 44 61 Density / g / l 53 66 79 89 123 Extruded bead diameter / mm 0.45 0.50 0.55 0.58 0.69 As designed structure Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Compressive strength 40%, 4th cycle / kPa 0.9 1.1 2.1 4.1 19.0 <![CDATA[Average bead velocity * bead diameter / mm 2 / s]]> 45 50 55 58 69 Layer coverage <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ <20％ Extruded bead diameter / layer height / % 112.5 125 137.5 145 172.5 Extruded bead diameter / nozzle diameter / % 112.5 125 137.5 145 172.5

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a deformable article, the method comprising extruding a plurality of thermoplastic elastomer melt beads layer by layer in parallel and in accordance with machine-readable instructions from a plurality of co-moving extrusion nozzles, wherein the machine-readable instructions are an output of machine-readable instruction generation software, and the input for the machine-readable instruction generation software for generating the instructions contains neither a representation of a three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D-CAD) model of the article to be manufactured nor software-generated sliced layers of the 3D-CAD model of the article to be manufactured, wherein the extrusion nozzle moves at a nozzle speed, the extruded melt beads have a diameter, and the product of the nozzle speed and the diameter of the extruded beads is ≥ 25 mm 2 / s to ≤ 80 mm 2 / s, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a Shore A hardness according to DIN ISO 7619 of ≥ 45 and ≤ 94, wherein the extruded melt beads form a layer in the article having a height of ≥ 0.3 mm to ≤ 0.55 mm, wherein the extruded bead diameter is > 100% to ≤ 145% of the height of the layer formed by the beads, wherein each extrusion nozzle has an inner diameter of ≥ 0.3 to ≤ 0.7 mm, wherein the average distance between adjacent extruded beads in one layer is ≥ 6 mm to ≤ 20 mm, wherein, on average, each layer of the article contacts its underlying previous layer with ≤ 60% of its associated average extruded melt bead diameter, wherein the article comprises walls and voids formed by extruding the thermoplastic elastomer, thereby establishing a density and a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression for the article, thereby forming the article having a density of ≥ 60 g / l and < 120 g / l and a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression of ≥ 1 kPa to ≤ 9 kPa.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input for the machine-readable instruction generation software comprises user-defined segments for the movement paths of the extrusion nozzles, the definition comprising spatial coordinates and extrusion instructions.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the output of the machine-readable instruction generation software comprises G-code.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is thermoplastic polyurethane.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-section of the article comprises the following repeating units: straight sections angled to each other, curved sections, curved sections angled to each other, or a combination of two or more of the above repeating units.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a first cross-section of the article is different from a second cross-section parallel to the first cross-section.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a first cross-section of the article corresponds to a rotated second cross-section of the article.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extruded melt beads cure without contacting more than one previously formed layer.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein ≥ 2 to ≤ 1000 co-moving extrusion nozzles are used simultaneously to produce the article.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article has a width of ≥ 30 cm to ≤ 300 cm, a length of ≥ 30 cm to ≤ 300 cm, a height of ≥ 2 cm to ≤ 30 cm, or a combination of at least two of the above dimensions.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article has a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression in a first spatial direction and a second spatial direction, and the compressive strength in the first spatial direction is ≥ 150% of the compressive strength in the second spatial direction.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the melt beads are extruded onto the fabric at least once.

13. A deformable article comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, the article having a density of ≥ 60 g / l and ≤ 120 g / l and a compressive strength according to DIN EN ISO 3386-1:2015-10 at 40% compression of ≥ 1 kPa to ≤ 9 kPa, obtainable by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The article according to claim 13, further comprising an actuator and / or a sensor.

15. The article according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising an element within the deformable article adapted to be filled with a pressurized fluid.

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