Methods and apparatus for thermal compensation during additive manufacturing

1. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:

a nozzle having an inlet for receiving a flowable material and an outlet for depositing the flowable material;

an applicator head surrounding at least a portion of a proximal region of the nozzle;

a roller mounted on the applicator head to one side of the outlet of the nozzle; and

a controller for moving the nozzle along a pre-programmed tool path, wherein the controller is configured to receive information relating to the flowable material to pre-program the controller, wherein the received information includes at least a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) in each of three perpendicular axes for the flowable material, and wherein the controller is configured to modify a distance of travel for the nozzle along the pre-programmed tool path based on at least the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) in each of the three perpendicular axes.

2. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing system is configured to perform a 3D printing process.

3. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to increase the distance of travel along the pre-programmed tool path.

4. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to decrease the distance of travel along the pre-programmed tool path.

5. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing system includes at least one servomotor for linearly translating the nozzle along the pre-programmed tool path.

6. The additive manufacturing system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust a scaling factor of the additive manufacturing system.

7. The additive manufacturing system of claim 5 , wherein rotational motion of the at least one servomotor is configured to linearly translate the nozzle via a gearing mechanism.

8. The additive manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to modify the distance of travel for the pre-programmed tool path by adjusting the gearing mechanism.

9. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , further including a trimming gantry, wherein the controller is configured to move the trimming gantry along a second pre-programmed tool path and is pre-programmed with a working temperature at which a part formed with the flowable material will be used, and wherein the controller is configured to modify a distance of travel of the trimming gantry along the second pre-programmed tool path based on the working temperature.

10. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:

a nozzle having an inlet for receiving a flowable material and an outlet for depositing the flowable material;

an applicator head surrounding at least a portion of a proximal region of the nozzle;

a roller mounted on the applicator head;

a trimming gantry; and

a controller for moving the nozzle or the trimming gantry along a pre-programmed tool path, wherein the controller is configured to receive information relating to the flowable material, wherein the information includes at least a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) for the flowable material and a working temperature at which the flowable material will be used, and wherein the controller is configured to modify a distance of travel for the nozzle or the trimming gantry along the pre-programmed tool path based on at least the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) and the working temperature.

11. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to modify a trim pattern of the trimming gantry based on at least the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE).

12. The additive manufacturing system of claim 11 , further including a printing gantry, the printing gantry and the trimming gantry supported by a pair of opposing side walls.

13. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:

a nozzle having an inlet for receiving a flowable material and an outlet for depositing the flowable material;

an applicator head surrounding at least a portion of a proximal region of the nozzle;

a roller positionable about an axis that is orthogonal to a rotational axis of the roller; and

a controller for moving the nozzle along a pre-programmed tool path, the controller being pre-programmed with a list of flowable materials, wherein the controller is configured to receive information relating to the list of flowable materials, wherein the received information includes at least a selection of the flowable material from the list of flowable materials and a pre-programmed Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) for the selected flowable material, and wherein the controller is configured to modify a distance of travel for the nozzle along the pre-programmed tool path based on at least the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) for the selected flowable material.

14. The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust a scaling factor of the additive manufacturing system in response to an instruction received by the controller to compensate for a shrinkage or an expansion of a final part.

15. The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to increase the distance of travel along the pre-programmed tool path.

16. The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to decrease the distance of travel along the pre-programmed tool path.

17. The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , further including a trimming gantry.

18. The additive manufacturing system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to modify a distance of travel of the trimming gantry based on at least the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) for the selected flowable material.

19. The additive manufacturing system of claim 18 , further including a printing gantry, the printing gantry and the trimming gantry supported by a pair of opposing side walls.