A revolutionary dual material 3D printing method is in the market now. This new material can combine two distinct polymers in one pass. It has been created by startup JuggerBot 3D and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in a joint venture to make 3D printing more durable.
ORNL and JuggerBot 3D enhanced ORNL’s open-source slicer with real-time laser calibration. The printer checks every extruded bead width and fine-tunes speed on the spot. That means cleaner layers, tighter tolerances, and parts that meet the rigorous demands of industrial use.
Operators also get a “Material Card” database that includes preset calibration settings for specific polymers, saving hours of manual setup. Want to switch from carbon fiber filament to glass-filled resin? Click and go.
This is one of the first large-format additive systems to print thermoplastics, which are widely available and inexpensive. Also the thermosets, which are robust and stable under high temperatures.
That’s huge for businesses that require materials to withstand pressure, vibration, or high temperatures, such as airplane manufacturing or oil pipelines. Traditionally, individual pieces would need to be made separately and then bonded together.
JuggerBot is also working on a $4 million U.S. Air Force project to develop similar hybrid systems for tooling in defense environments. That adds even more weight to this collaboration, pointing to national interest in scaling this kind of advanced manufacturing.
With this technology, you can 3D print:
Aircraft brackets with heat-resistant joints
Heavy-duty pipe grips with flexible rubber edges
Electric vehicle parts that fuse strong frames with soft-contact points
And it’s all done faster and cheaper than traditional fabrication or separate-material builds.