Integrated Computer‐Aided Hybrid Additive Manufacturing of Multimaterial Ceramics via Stereolithography and Material Extrusion Compound Process

The multimaterial hybrid additive manufacturing (MHAM) technology needs the integration and combination of different processes at the hardware as well as software level. However, many software programs for MHAM technologies still rely on single‐process computer‐aided manufacturing (CAM) software (slicing software) and data postprocessing at the software level. Discrete, cumbersome, and nonstandardized data preparation processes hinder the industrialization of MHAM technologies. This article develops an integrated CAM framework for MHAM technology which combines stereolithography and material extrusion processes. It achieves full process integration, covering multimaterial model modeling, slicing, compound process path planning, and G‐code generation, providing specialized data support for multiprocess collaborative manufacturing of “coating‐curing‐blowing‐extrusion‐curing.” A slicing strategy of variable layer height was proposed, with multiple matrix material layers corresponding to a single filling material layer, solving the problem of inconsistent printing resolution of different processes. Various multimaterial ceramic parts were designed and printed through the self‐developed multimaterial 3D printer. The results indicated that the distribution of the matrix and filling materials was consistent with the model design and process planning, and the multimaterial interfaces were well bonded and presented a jagged morphology.