LeviPrint uses sound to levitate objects and a robotic arm and liquid dispenser to manufacture complex objects. (Image credit: UpnaLab via YouTube)
Researchers from UpnaLab, Smart Cities Institute divisions of the Public University of Navarre, UltraLeap, and the University of São Paulo have developed a contactless method of fabricating objects using acoustic levitation. LeviPrint is a contactless fabrication process using total acoustic trapping of elongated parts. It uses the principle of acoustic trapping and levitation, which is based on the acoustic radiation force of sound waves. In this process, a sound wave is generated and directed toward the elongated part, creating an acoustic trap.
The acoustic trap, together with a robotic arm that moves in the horizontal plane, allows for precise fabrication of parts and objects without contact. This process can be used for a variety of materials and can be used to create complex geometries with high accuracy and repeatability. The process is also highly efficient, as it does not require manual intervention and can be automated. Moreover, it does not generate any additional waste, is environmentally friendly and is an ideal solution for the fabrication of high-precision and complex parts in a cost-effective manner.
While the LeviPrint system is a novel solution to fabricate parts in a fixed emplacement, it can also be used for additional applications shown during testing. These included building a model ship in a bottle by levitating the parts through the bottle's narrow opening. It also has the potential to be modified to work in liquids instead of air to build objects directly inside living tissue, opening up a host of medical applications.
This must me a noise nightmare for dog and other animals.
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