Recovery of additive manufacturing support materials
First Claim
1. A method for recovering support materials used in an additive manufacturing process, the method comprising,(i) providing a precursor fused filament fabrication additive manufactured article comprised of a water soluble support polymer and an insoluble material,(ii) exposing the precursor additive manufactured article to water such that the water soluble support polymer is dissolved in the water to form (a) an aqueous solution of the water soluble support polymer and water and (b) a finished additive manufactured article,(iii) removing the final additive manufactured article from the aqueous solution,(iv) precipitating the water soluble support polymer from the aqueous solution to form a precipitate of the water soluble support polymer,(v) separating the precipitate from the water, and(vi) removing any water remaining from the precipitate of the water soluble support polymer,wherein the water soluble support polymer is a hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxyethyl methylcellulose (HEMC) or combination thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The inventions is directed to a method for recovering support materials used in an additive manufacturing process. The method comprises exposing a precursor additive manufactured article comprised of a water soluble support polymer and an insoluble material to water. The water soluble support polymer is dissolved in the water. The remaining article is then removed from the water. The dissolved water soluble polymer is precipitated from the water. The precipitated polymer is separated from the water and any remaining water removed to recover the water soluble support polymer. The recovered water soluble support polymer may then be re-used to make further additive manufactured articles.
18 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for recovering support materials used in an additive manufacturing process, the method comprising,
(i) providing a precursor fused filament fabrication additive manufactured article comprised of a water soluble support polymer and an insoluble material, (ii) exposing the precursor additive manufactured article to water such that the water soluble support polymer is dissolved in the water to form (a) an aqueous solution of the water soluble support polymer and water and (b) a finished additive manufactured article, (iii) removing the final additive manufactured article from the aqueous solution, (iv) precipitating the water soluble support polymer from the aqueous solution to form a precipitate of the water soluble support polymer, (v) separating the precipitate from the water, and (vi) removing any water remaining from the precipitate of the water soluble support polymer, wherein the water soluble support polymer is a hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxyethyl methylcellulose (HEMC) or combination thereof.
Specification