SPECIAL NOTICE
99 -- TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Improved Liquid Droplet Ejection from Gas-Pressurized Printhead
- Notice Date
- 12/14/2023 2:47:16 PM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 332999
— All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- LLNS � DOE CONTRACTOR Livermore CA 94551 USA
- ZIP Code
- 94551
- Solicitation Number
- IL-13866
- Response Due
- 1/14/2024 3:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 01/29/2024
- Point of Contact
- Genaro Mempin, Phone: 9254231121, Charlotte Eng, Phone: 9254221905
- E-Mail Address
-
mempin1@llnl.gov, eng23@llnl.gov
(mempin1@llnl.gov, eng23@llnl.gov)
- Description
- 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 its drop-on-demand additive manufacturing method of droplet ejection using sequenced pressure pulses. Background: For metal additive manufacturing, Drop-on-Demand Liquid Metal Jetting (DOD-LMJ) is a less expensive alternative to Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). In DOD-LMJ, a momentum pulse pushes out discrete droplets of molten metal through the nozzle in a controlled stream that then rapidly cools and solidifies upon impact; metal structures of arbitrary shape can then be fabricated. ��The challenge of DOD-LMJ is the method should produce a constant jet of uniform, single droplets of the molten material at a much faster flow rate than conventional LMJ. Description: LLNL�s approach to meet this challenge is to use a pneumatic DOD-LMJ method wherein the nozzle is filled with a molten pure metal or metal alloy.� There are two reservoirs in LLNL�s invention that are in direct contact with each other: the liquid metal reservoir that is constantly heated so the metal remains molten and an inert gas reservoir, which is connected to an inert gas pressure source.� An electronically controlled valve controls the rate of gas flow in and out of the gas reservoir.� By rapidly opening and closing this valve, a sequence of rapid inflows of inert gas into a gas reservoir displaces liquid volume and causes the dense liquid within the nozzle to pressurize and molten material to protrude from the nozzle.� The pressure valve is then quickly shut off, while a second valve opens to release the pressurized gas to the atmosphere.� This allows any ejected liquid material to naturally retract back into the nozzle, while a disconnected droplet is allowed to escape from the nozzle, traveling by its own momentum towards the substrate.� Advantages/Benefits: Value Proposition:� Improved control over droplet ejection in pneumatic Drop-on-Demand (DOD) 3D printers Faster pressure response provides better timing control of droplet formation Droplets are formed closer to the nozzle, which reduces meniscus oscillations and allows for a higher max ejection frequency Potential Applications: Drop-on-Demand Additive Manufacturing Liquid metal printing Microcasting Development Status:� Current stage of technology development:� TRL 3 LLNL 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 liquid droplet ejection 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 liquid droplet ejection 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 Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-779 Livermore, CA� 94551-0808 Attention:�� IL-13866
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/c8a67ed180d2439b9c9fa24c614a4a9d/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Livermore, CA, USA
- Country: USA
- Country: USA
- Record
- SN06912272-F 20231216/231214230052 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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