Real-time process monitoring and automated control for direct ink write 3D printing of frontally polymerizing thermosets

Mejia, Edgar Brian; McDougall, Luke Erickson; Gonsalves, Nicolas; Darby, Daniel Richard; Greenlee, Andrew Joseph; Commisso, Alex Joseph; Johnson, Jeremiah A.; Sottos, Nancy R.; Appelhans, Leah N.; Cook, Adam W.; Leguizamon, Samuel Carlos; Roach, Devin J.

doi:10.1038/s44334-025-00032-1

Real-time process monitoring and automated control for direct ink write 3D printing of frontally polymerizing thermosets

Journal Article · Mon May 12 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · npj Advanced Manufacturing

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44334-025-00032-1· OSTI ID:2997342

Mejia, Edgar Brian ^[1]; McDougall, Luke Erickson ^[2]; Gonsalves, Nicolas ^[3]; Darby, Daniel Richard ^[2]; Greenlee, Andrew Joseph ^[2]; Commisso, Alex Joseph ^[2]; Johnson, Jeremiah A. ^[4]; Sottos, Nancy R. ^[5]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[2]; Roach, Devin J. ^[6]

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the fabrication of complex geometries, yet its application to thermosets remains limited by post-processing requirements. Frontal ring-opening metathesis polymerization (FROMP) offers a promising alternative, enabling energy-efficient, in situ curing of freestanding thermoset structures. This study presents a real-time process monitoring and automated control system for direct ink writing (DIW) of FROMP thermosets. By integrating thermochromic leuco dyes and computer vision, we enable real-time polymerization front tracking, allowing autonomous printing parameter adjustments for consistent geometries across resin formulations. The system’s accuracy was validated against manual tracking, demonstrating precise front velocity detection. Its adaptability was confirmed by printing freestanding mechanical springs with different resins, achieving consistent geometries and mechanical properties despite front velocity variations. These findings highlight the potential of automated DIW control for scalable, repeatable, and material-agnostic 3D printing of thermosets.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0023457; NA0003525

OSTI ID:: 2997342

Report Number(s):: SAND--2025-12376J; 1761939

Journal Information:: npj Advanced Manufacturing, Journal Name: npj Advanced Manufacturing Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 2; ISSN 3004-8621

Publisher:: Springer Science and Business Media LLCCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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