3D Fabric-Backed Composite Fasteners for Wearable Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for more efficient ways to fasten additively manufactured components into wearable and other products.
Innovation Solution
A method involving additive manufacturing with dual cure resins and flexible fabrics, where a fabric sheet is secured to a build platform, an intermediate object is formed, and further cured to create a composite object with a fabric sheet adhered to a three-dimensional structure, facilitating efficient fastening into further products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If additively manufactured components are produced without integrated fastening features, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but assembly efficiency and fastening capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the additive manufacturing component with fastening features (such as attachment tabs, holes, or integrated connectors) into a single monolithic structure. This merging of functions allows the component to be both the functional element and the fastening element, eliminating separate fastening parts and improving assembly efficiency while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through single-step additive production.
Solution Approach 2:
The additively manufactured component is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: its primary functional purpose plus fastening/attachment purposes. By incorporating features like integrated tabs, holes, or connection points directly into the component geometry, the same manufacturing process produces both the functional component and the fastening mechanism, achieving multi-functionality without increasing device complexity.
2Productivity
If traditional fastening methods are used for additively manufactured components, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but assembly time and productivity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening features are pre-integrated into the component design during the additive manufacturing process itself. Features such as attachment tabs, holes, or connection points are created as part of the component's initial fabrication, eliminating the need for separate fastening operations. This preliminary incorporation of fastening functionality directly into the manufacturing process maintains ease of manufacture while dramatically improving assembly speed.
3Ease of operation
If composite objects include integrated fabric sheets, then ease of operation and assembly improve, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite objects by combining additively manufactured components with fabric sheets through direct integration during the manufacturing process. The fabric sheets are positioned and secured (through adhesives, interlocking features, or mechanical attachment) as part of the additive manufacturing workflow, creating a unified composite structure. This approach improves ease of operation by providing ready-to-use composite components while managing manufacturing complexity through process integration rather than separate assembly steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enables efficient fastening of composite objects into various products, including wearable and packaging items, using fabric sheets or attachment tabs for assembly.
Implementation Method 1
additively manufacturing an intermediate object on the planar fabric surface in the apparatus by light polymerizing the dual cure resin
Implementation Method 2
contacting the fabric sheet to a dual cure resin for a time sufficient for the dual cure resin to fully penetrate the fabric sheet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~5
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a method of making a composite product (20) by additive manufacturing. The method includes providing an additive manufacturing apparatus having a build platform, the build platform having a planar face on which the product is formed; securing a fabric (22) sheet to the planar face (11) to provide a planar fabric surface thereon; additively manufacturing an intermediate object on the planar fabric surface in the apparatus (12) by light polymerizing a dual cure resin to produce an intermediate object on the build platform, the intermediate object including the fabric (22) sheet having the three-dimensional object (21) adhered thereto; and concurrently with or following the additively manufacturing step, further curing the intermediate object to produce a composite object including the fabric sheet having the three-dimensional object adhered thereto. Composite object and products are also described herein.