Missouri

University of Missouri Develops New Assembly Process

Published

2 years ago

September 23, 2024

University of Missouri Develops New Assembly Process

Assembling products that contain dissimilar materials has challenged engineers for decades. However, a new production process developed at the University of Missouri may change that.

The Freeform Multi-material Assembly Process can create complex devices with a single machine that combines additive manufacturing and laser technology.

According to Jian “Javen” Lin, Ph.D., an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Mizzou, the new process can be used to mass-produce a variety of products, including multilayered sensors, printed circuit boards (PCBs) and textiles embedded with electronic components.

The process could also be used to produce different types of medical devices. Since it can use all thermoplastic materials as structure and carbon as conductive traces, it can create biocompatible products for task-specific applications.

“One of the main benefits is that innovators can focus on designing new products without worrying about how to prototype them,” explains Lin. “It will shorten fabrication time for device prototyping by allowing [engineers] to make prototypes in-house.

“This opens the possibility for entirely new markets,” claims Lin. “It will have broad impacts on wearable sensors, customizable robots, medical devices and [other products].”

“The advancement of 3D printing has already made it possible for designers to create products themselves at a significantly lower cost than outsourcing to a manufacturing company,” adds Bujingda Zheng, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at Mizzou who worked on the project. “This democratization of manufacturing means that as long as you have the design, a printer can produce it for you.

“However, desktop 3D printers are currently limited in their ability to fabricate products that require multiple materials,” notes Zheng. “Our new process addresses this limitation by enabling low-cost, multimaterial 3D printing, thus expanding the capabilities and applications of additive manufacturing technology.

“This advancement not only reduces production costs, but also opens up new possibilities for complex, multifunctional product designs,” claims Zheng..

“By printing sensors embedded within a structure, [our] machine can make things that can sense environmental conditions, including temperature and pressure,” says Zheng. “That could lead to natural-looking objects such as a rock or seashell that could measure the movement of ocean water. Other potential applications include wearable devices that monitor vital signs such as blood pressure.

“The greatest benefit would be a reduction in the time required to create PCBs,” explains Zheng. “The existing process for producing PCBs is totally different from ours. It involves chemical etching and other complicated [steps].

“Currently, manufacturing a multilayered structure such as a PCB can be a cumbersome process that involves numerous steps and materials,” Zheng points out. “Those processes are costly, time consuming and can generate waste that harms the environment.

“[Our] new process is simple,” claims Zheng. “It produces PCBs on one station without any waste. So, it will replace the traditional PCB manufacturing process. And, it can be fully automated.”

Zheng and his colleagues built a machine that has three different nozzles. One adds ink-like material; another uses a laser to carve shapes and materials; and the third adds additional functional materials to enhance the product’s capabilities.

It starts by making a basic structure with a regular 3D printing filament, such as polycarbonate. Then, it switches to laser to convert some parts into a special material called laser-induced graphene, putting it exactly where it’s needed. Finally, more materials are added to enhance the functional abilities of the final product.

“Not only is the new technique better for the planet, [but] it’s inspired by systems found in nature,” says Zheng. “Everything in nature consists of structural and functional materials.

“For example, electrical eels have bones and muscles that enable them to move,” Zheng points out. “They also have specialized cells that can discharge up to 500 volts to deter predators. These biological observations inspired [us] to develop new methods for fabricating 3D structures with multifunctional applications.”

According to Zheng, other techniques fall short when it comes to how versatile the material can be and how precisely smaller components can be placed inside larger 3D structures.

“Previously, we developed a process called freeform laser induction (FLI), which enables the fabrication of 3D electronics on curved surfaces,” says Zheng. “However, this process is limited to the exterior of pre-existing objects.

“To enhance the capabilities of FLI, we integrated two additional processes: fused filament fabrication (FFF) and direct ink writing (DIW),” explains Zheng. “This integration is the rationale behind the project’s approach. This is the first time this type of process has been used, and it’s unlocking new possibilities.”

The new production process can use various types of thermoplastic filaments, such as polycarbonate, polylactic acid, polyethylene terephthalate glycol and thermoplastic polyurethane, as structural materials. Additionally, it employs laser-induced graphene, lignin, silver, zinc oxide and other extrudable materials as functional components.

“The laser converts the structural material into functional material and converts the precursor of extruded material into functional material, such as silver nitrate into silver,” says Zheng. “FFF constructs the structural material, while DIW deposits the precursor into the predesignated locations.”

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Missouri

Patrol reports 11 arrests across north Missouri May 29-June 1, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

June 2, 2026

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Patrol reports 11 arrests across north Missouri May 29-June 1, 2026

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested eleven people in north Missouri between May 29, 2026, and June 1, 2026. The arrests involved a variety of alleged offenses, including driving while intoxicated, felony drug possession, resisting arrest, and outstanding felony warrants. Arrests were reported in Grundy, Clinton, Caldwell, Shelby, Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Clark, and Macon counties.

It is important to note that, while all the individuals listed below have been reported as arrested, they may not have been physically transported to a detention center. Depending on the circumstances, an individual may be issued a summons, which includes a court date. When the Missouri State Highway Patrol issues a summons with a court date, it is considered an arrest, even if the individual is not physically transported to a detention center.

Diego G. Gavilanes-Tigse, 31, of Trenton, was arrested in Grundy County at 6:36 p.m. on May 29, 2026. He was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and failure to signal. Gavilanes-Tigse was held at the Grundy County Law Enforcement Center and was placed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.

Heather S. Starchman, 37, of Kansas City, was arrested in Clinton County at 7:52 p.m. on May 29, 2026. Authorities reported she was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of a synthetic narcotic, felony tampering with evidence, felony resisting arrest, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior offense, cutting in on an overtaken vehicle, failure to yield, failure to register a motor vehicle, no insurance, no valid driver’s license, and failure to wear a seat belt. Starchman was taken to Cameron Regional Medical Center and later released.

Alcides Blazimiro Sagastume Gonzalez, 52, of Rock Springs, Wyoming, was arrested in Shelby County at 6:50 p.m. on May 29, 2026. He was charged with driving without a valid license and driving while intoxicated. He was held in Shelby County before being released.

Ernesto J. Carames Lopez, 27, of Kansas City, was arrested in Clinton County at 4:03 a.m. on May 30, 2026. Troopers reported he was wanted on a Clarke County, Iowa, felony warrant for larceny and was also charged with careless and imprudent driving resulting in an accident. He was held in Clinton County and was listed as bondable.

Mariah R. Vandervelden, 31, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, was arrested in Marion County at 2:56 p.m. on May 30, 2026. She was charged with driving while intoxicated and was held in the Marion County Jail before being released.

Chad A. Woolfolk, 46, of Hannibal, was arrested in Marion County at 3:50 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while revoked, and no insurance. Woolfolk was held in the Marion County Jail and later released.

Jo A. Kennedy, 62, of Louisiana, Missouri, was arrested in Ralls County at 5:35 p.m. on May 30, 2026. Troopers charged her with driving while intoxicated involving alcohol and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway. Kennedy was held by the Ralls County Sheriff’s Office before being released.

Ethan Z. White, 25, of Huntsville, was arrested in Monroe County at 5:40 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with felony resisting arrest, two counts of speeding 26 mph or more over the limit, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving on the left side of the roadway when the view was obstructed, driving while intoxicated involving alcohol, and consumption of alcohol while driving. White was taken to the Randolph County Jail and placed on a 24-hour hold.

Brian D. Brooks, 66, of Keokuk, Iowa, was arrested in Clark County at 9:53 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated as an aggravated offender, no valid license, and failure to comply with ignition interlock requirements. Brooks was held by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office on a 12-hour hold.

Justus Garway, 30, of Altoona, Iowa, was arrested in Macon County at 11:30 a.m. on May 31, 2026. He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated as an aggravated offender, failure to comply with an ignition interlock system, failure to secure a child younger than 8 years old, and speeding. Garway was held in the Macon County Jail on a 24-hour hold.

Justin L. Bittiker, 44, of Independence, was arrested in Caldwell County at 8:22 a.m. on June 1, 2026. Troopers charged him with felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, and turning from a direct course when unsafe. Bittiker was held at the Caldwell County Detention Center on a 24-hour hold.

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Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri, police investigating Monday evening homicide near 12th, Askew

Published

14 hours ago

June 1, 2026

Press Room

Kansas City, Missouri, police investigating Monday evening homicide near 12th, Askew

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred Monday evening.

The incident happened near 12th Street and Askew Avenue just after 6:40 p.m.

No word on what led to the violence.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.

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