PNIPU and F2 Innovations: Method of intelligent 3D printing of large-sized products

Main Article: 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing)

2025: Introduction of the Intelligent 3D Printing Method

Scientists of the Perm Polytechnic have developed a method for intelligent 3D printing of large-sized products. The university announced this on September 19, 2025.

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Фото: PNIPU

Creating products from polymer materials using 3D printing is one of the fastest growing technologies. It allows you to quickly form structures of different geometries using molten plastic, which is applied in layers and solidifies, gradually forming a three-dimensional object. Despite its advantages, 3D printing faces certain difficulties, especially when the parts have overhanging elements or are located at a significant angle. In such cases, a new layer of plastic can hang over the empty space without resting on the previous one, resulting in sagging and deformation of the entire part. The problem is especially acute when creating large-sized products, since traditional technologies do not allow the use of temporary polymer support structures. Scientists of the Perm Polytechnic and experts from F2 Innovations LLC have developed a method for spatial support of objects, which includes "smart" movable mechanical elements built into the design of a 3D printer. A patent has been obtained for the invention.

3D printing is an effective manufacturing tool that allows you to quickly and economically create prototypes, tooling and finished parts of any complexity. This is especially important because traditional methods such as milling, casting and forging do not always cope with tasks that require high accuracy and flexibility. A variety of polymer materials provide strength, flexibility, biocompatibility and durability of structures, which expands the scope of additive technologies in various industries, including aviation, medicine and electronics.

Building an object in a 3D printer is based on a digital model. After the person skilled in the art has started the printing process, the plastic melts and exits through a special moving element (extruder). In liquid form, it layer by layer forms a shape of the desired shape and size, which cools and hardens over time.

However, quite often industrial products have protruding elements or are located at an angle. In this case, each subsequent layer of plastic is superimposed not exactly on each other, but goes beyond, not relying on anything.

Under the influence of gravity, it can sag and deform. To prevent this from happening, temporary plastic elements are necessarily printed with the model, which work as support for overhanging layers. But this takes extra time and a lot of material (sometimes even more than the part itself). After printing, such supports are manually loosened or cut off, which often damages the surface of the part itself and requires additional processing. When printing large-sized products, such temporary elements cannot be realized at all.

Scientists of the Perm Polytechnic and experts from F2 Innovations LLC have developed a solution - instead of printing disposable plastic supports, you can use mechanically movable elements made as separate design units of the printer in the form of metal plates.

This method is based on the use of mechanically movable supporting elements that are not part of the object to be printed and are not made of the material used for printing. These designs provide support for overhanging parts of the object during 3D printing without interfering with the movement of the 3D printer workpiece. The shape of the supporting elements can be changed by overlapping, folding or mechanical connection with the equipment, which minimizes stresses and prevents deformation of the uncured polymer. This innovative solution allows you to successfully print large parts with overhanging elements, as well as larger products in horizontal mode, where the layers are located vertically.

Mechanical elements are integrated into the design of the 3D printer and function synchronously with the extruder. The control system based on the digital model determines in advance the location of the overhanging elements and the need to support them. Thus, smart supports are always in the right place and move away in a timely manner without interfering with the movement of the extruder. At the end of printing, they are simply removed without leaving any marks on the surface. Such a process ensures continuous and defect-free printing, - explained Igor Bezukladnikov, Associate Professor of the Department of Automation and Telemechanics at PNIPU, Candidate of Technical Sciences and Science Advisor to F2 Innovations LLC.

The effectiveness of the technology has already been tested on serial equipment, and the support mechanism is integrated into the design of serial 3D printers of F2 Innovations. The technology is particularly effective for non-standard print modes where the model is built at 45 ° or 90 °, requiring mandatory support.