US Patent 6949216 Rapid manufacturing of carbon nanotube composite structures

A system for fabricating a free form structure of a composite material including carbon nanotubes. The system includes a discharge assembly and a composite formation device operatively linked with the discharge assembly. The discharge assembly dispenses a fusing agent such as for example a high energy density emission, a laser emission or a particle beam emission. The composite formation device includes a composite generator and an arranger in operative engagement with a composite generator. The composite generator engages with the fusing agent so as to create a composite nodal element. The composite nodal element includes a matrix and a multiplicity of fibers formed of carbon nanotubes dispersed throughout the matrix. The arranger positions one node relative to another to define the free form structure.