US Patent 10052820 Additive manufacturing of extended structures

An extended structure additive manufacturing device and method are provided. The device includes a movable material bonding component and a movement mechanism which enable the device to create parts outside the conventional additive manufacturing device print volumes defined by the device and its print-head. Methods of making parts involve creating a portion of a part and moving the extended structure additive manufacturing device relative to the part and printing a second portion of the part. Parts incapable of being formed using a conventional additive manufacturing device may be made using the extended structure additive manufacturing device and/or methods disclosed herein.