Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fabrication of design-optimized multifunctional safety cage with conformal circuits for drone using hybrid 3D printing technology

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ability to design and fabricate lightweight structure is one of the most important aspects for building a drone system. Often, connecting wires are used on the drone system for powering and signal transmission at the expense of the drone’s weight. In this paper, we explore the design and fabrication of a safety cage for drone using design optimization and 3D printing. A comparison between fused deposition modelling (FDM) and selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing techniques for the fabrication of thin structures was made, and it was found that SLS is more superior in this aspect. A hybrid 3D printing process combining SLS and aerosol jet printing is proposed for the fabrication of lightweight multifunctional structure with printed circuit for a drone safety cage. The safety cage is designed in such a way that maximizes the production efficiency of SLS printing process. In addition, aerosol jet printing is used to fabricate conformal circuit onto the 3D-printed safety cage structure to replace the conventional connecting wires for weight saving purpose. Lastly, an electrical characterization is conducted to investigate the functionality of the printed conductive traces on the safety cage. Nevertheless, this work demonstrates the streamlining of various 3D printing approaches for the fabrication of multifunctional structures with conformal circuits.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files).

Code availability

Not applicable.

References

  1. Mogili UR, Deepak B (2018) Review on application of drone systems in precision agriculture. Procedia Comput Sci 133:502–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Restas A (2015) Drone applications for supporting disaster management. World J Eng 3(03):316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ventura D, Bruno M, Lasinio GJ, Belluscio A, Ardizzone G (2016) A low-cost drone based application for identifying and mapping of coastal fish nursery grounds. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 171:85–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Amukele T, Ness PM, Tobian AA, Boyd J, Street J (2017) Drone transportation of blood products. Transfusion 57(3):582–588

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Luppicini R, So A (2016) A technoethical review of commercial drone use in the context of governance, ethics, and privacy. Technol Soc 46:109–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Koh CH et al (2018) Experimental and simulation weight threshold study for safe drone operations. In 2018 AIAA Information Systems-AIAA Infotech@ Aerospace p. 1725

  7. Zonneveld TV (2018) Realisation of a safety-cage with integrated force sensing for interactive aerial robots

  8. Shahmoradi J, Mirzaeinia A, Roghanchi P, Hassanalian M (2020) Monitoring of inaccessible areas in gps-denied underground mines using a fully autonomous encased safety inspection drone. In AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum p. 1961

  9. Hassanalian M, Abdelkefi A (2017) Classifications, applications, and design challenges of drones: A review. Prog Aerosp Sci 91:99–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Caizzone S, Buchner G, Cuntz M, Elmarissi W, Marcos EP (2019) A multiband miniaturized antenna array for robust navigation in airborne applications. In Proceedings of the 32nd International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2019) pp. 3730–3737

  11. Zhang Z, Zhang R, Jihong Z, Tong G, Fei C, Zhang W (2021) Integrated batteries layout and structural topology optimization for a solar-powered drone. Chinese J Aeronaut

  12. Sripada NS (2018) A Methodology for Topology and Lattice Structure Optimization of a Cargo Drone Motor Mount

  13. Sairajan K, Aglietti G, Mani K (2016) A review of multifunctional structure technology for aerospace applications. Acta Astronaut 120:30–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Maalderink HH et al (2018) 3D Printed structural electronics: embedding and connecting electronic components into freeform electronic devices. Plast, Rubber Compos 47(1):35–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Macdonald E et al (2014) 3D printing for the rapid prototyping of structural electronics. IEEE access 2:234–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lu Y, Vatani M, Choi J-W (2013) Direct-write/cure conductive polymer nanocomposites for 3D structural electronics. J Mech Sci Technol 27(10):2929–2934

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Lopes AJ, MacDonald E, Wicker RB (2012) Integrating stereolithography and direct print technologies for 3D structural electronics fabrication. Rapid Prototyp J

  18. Goh GL, Zhang H, Chong TH, Yeong WY (2021) 3D printing of multilayered and multimaterial electronics: a review. Advanced Electronic Materials 7(10):2100445

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Paulsen JA, Renn M, Christenson K, Plourde R (2012) Printing conformal electronics on 3D structures with Aerosol Jet technology. In 2012 Future of Instrumentation International Workshop (FIIW) Proceedings IEEE pp. 1–4

  20. Adams JJ et al (2011) Conformal printing of electrically small antennas on three-dimensional surfaces. Adv Mater 23(11):1335–1340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Blumenthal T, Fratello V, Nino G, Ritala K (2013) Conformal printing of sensors on 3D and flexible surfaces using aerosol jet deposition. In Nanosensors, Biosensors, and Info-Tech Sensors and Systems 2013 8691:86910P. Int J Opt Photonics

  22. Alkadi F, Lee KC, Bashiri AH, Choi JW (2020) Conformal additive manufacturing using a direct-print process. Addit Manuf 32:100975

  23. Jo Y et al (2020) Form-factor free 3D copper circuits by surface-conformal direct printing and laser writing. Adv Func Mater 30(45):2004659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Xie M, Zhu M, Yang Z, Okada S, Kawamura S (2021) Flexible self-powered multifunctional sensor for stiffness-tunable soft robotic gripper by multimaterial 3D printing. Nano Energy 79:105438

  25. Ponnamma D, Yin Y, Salim N, Parameswaranpillai J, Thomas S, Hameed N (2021) Recent progress and multifunctional applications of 3D printed graphene nanocomposites. Compos B Eng 204:108493

  26. Agarwala S, Goh GL, Yeong WY (2018) Aerosol jet printed pH sensor based on carbon nanotubes for flexible electronics. In The 3rd International Conference of Progress in Additive Manufacturing (PRO-AM 2018), Singapore, Nanyang Technological University pp. 88–94

  27. Goh GL, Agarwala S, Yeong WY (2018) High resolution aerosol jet printing of conductive ink for stretchable electronics. In the 3rd International Conference of Progress in Additive Manufacturing (PRO-AM 2018), Singapore, Nanyang Technological University pp. 109–114

  28. Efimov A, Arsenov P, Kornyushin D, Lizunova A, Volkov I, Ivanov V (2020) Aerosol jet printing of silver lines with a high aspect ratio on a heated silicon substrate. Materials 13(3):730

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Tan HW, Chua CK, Tran T (2006)  A Study of the State-of-the-Art Printed Passive Electronic Components Through Fully Additive Manufacturing Methods. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Progress in Additive Manufacturing 290(F1):27-32)

  30. Wilkinson N, Smith M, Kay R, Harris R (2019) A review of aerosol jet printing—a non-traditional hybrid process for micro-manufacturing. Int J Adv Manuf Syst 105(11):4599–4619

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Goh GD, Agarwala S, Goh GL, Dikshit V, Sing SL, Yeong WY (2017) Additive manufacturing in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): challenges and potential. Aerosp Sci Technol 63:140–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Kudelski R, Cieslik J, Kulpa M, Dudek P, Zagorski K, Rumin R (2017) Comparison of cost, material and time usage in FDM and SLS 3D printing methods. In2017 XIIIth international conference on perspective technologies and methods in MEMS design (MEMSTECH) IEEE pp. 12-14

  33. Goh GL, Agarwala S, Yeong WY (2019) Aerosol-jet-printed preferentially aligned carbon nanotube twin-lines for printed electronics. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 11(46):43719–43730

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Goh GL, Agarwala S, Tan YJ, Yeong WY (2018) A low cost and flexible carbon nanotube pH sensor fabricated using aerosol jet technology for live cell applications. Sens Actuators, B Chem 260:227–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Goh GL, Agarwala S, Yeong WY (2019) Directed and on-demand alignment of carbon nanotube: a review toward 3D printing of electronics. Adv Mater Interfaces 6(4):1801318

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This research is supported by NAMIC Singapore and funded by the National Research Foundation Singapore under its Innovation Cluster Programme. This work is also supported by the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, through the use of its additive manufacturing facilities.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Guo Liang Goh and Vishwesh Dikshit contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Singapore Center for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Guo Liang Goh, Rahul Koneru, Guo Dong Goh & Wai Yee Yeong

  2. School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Vishwesh Dikshit & Zhen Kai Peh

  3. Flare Dynamics Ptd Ltd, Singapore, Singapore

    Weiyao Lu

Authors
  1. Guo Liang Goh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vishwesh Dikshit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rahul Koneru
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhen Kai Peh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Weiyao Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Guo Dong Goh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Wai Yee Yeong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

G.L. Goh and V. Dikshit conceived the presented idea and planned the experiment. R. Koneru and Z.K. Peh helped design the CAD model and manufacture the prototype. W. Lu conducted the simulation. W.Y. Yeong supervised the project. G.D. Goh conducted the impact test.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wai Yee Yeong.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Disclaimer

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of National Research Foundation, Singapore and NAMIC Singapore.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 1413 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Goh, G.L., Dikshit, V., Koneru, R. et al. Fabrication of design-optimized multifunctional safety cage with conformal circuits for drone using hybrid 3D printing technology. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 120, 2573–2586 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-022-08831-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-022-08831-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation