Three-dimensional printing of three-dimensional objects

• US 10,442,003 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Inventors: Symeonidis, Kimon, Mendelsberg, Rueben Joseph, Lappas, Tasso, Bordeaux, Nina Cathryn, Brown, Gregory Ferguson, Stone, Peter Robert, Buller, Benyamin, Spink, Brian Charles, Murphree, Zachary Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Handville, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/909,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20180250746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/00 Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/366 Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/368 Temperature or temperature gradient, e.g. temperature of the melt pool
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/38 to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/385 Overhang structures
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/47 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/43 pulsed; frequency modulated
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/45 Two or more
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/00 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/11 temperature, temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2207/17 density or porosity gradients
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/11 Making porous workpieces or articles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/00 Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/002 of porous nature
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0013 Positioning or observing workpieces, e.g. with respect to the impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing electronbeams
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 : welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0093 : characterised by the properties of the materials to be welded
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/02 : Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/06 : within a vacuum chamber B23K15/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/10 : Non-vacuum electron beam-welding or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/00 : Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 : taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 : using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/034 : Observing the temperature of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/04 : Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0608 : in the same heat affected zone [HAZ] B23K26/0613, B23K26/0619 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0626 : Energy control of the laser beam B23K26/0622 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0643 : comprising mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 : Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0876 : in at least two axial directions
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/10 : using a fixed support , i.e. involving moving the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1224 : in vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/123 : in an atmosphere of particular gases
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/127 : in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/34 : Laser welding for purposes other than joining
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 : Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/354 : by melting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/355 : Texturing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/703 : Cooling arrangements by using a fluid stream B23K26/14
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/704 : Beam dispersers, e.g. beam wells
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/06 : for positioning the molten material, e.g. confining it to a desired area
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 : Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 : Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/10 : Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/0458 : Alloys based on titanium, zirconium or hafnium
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 : Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 : 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 : Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49013 : Deposit layers, cured by scanning laser, stereo lithography SLA, prototyping
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, systems and/or software to form one or more three-dimensional objects, some of which may be complex. The three-dimensional objects may be formed by three-dimensional printing using one or more methodologies. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional object may comprise an overhang portion, such as a cavity ceiling, with diminished deformation and/or auxiliary support structures.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional object, comprising:

a plurality of layers of hardened material, wherein a single layer of the plurality of layers of hardened material includes (1) a core portion, (2) a skin portion, and (3) a plurality of melt pools;

wherein the core portion is characterized as having a first microstructure; and

wherein an exterior surface of the skin portion (i) corresponds to at least a fraction of an exterior surface of the three-dimensional object, and (ii) is characterized as having a second microstructure that is different than the first microstructure, and

(a) wherein the three-dimensional object comprises at most about 15% porosity and/or (b) wherein the exterior surface of the skin portion is a bottom skin portion of a structure that extends from the core portion of the three-dimensional object, wherein the structure is such that a vector (I) is normal to the exterior surface at a point on the exterior surface, (II) is directed into the structure, and (III) forms an angle by intersecting with (A) a layering plane of the plurality of layers of hardened material and/or (B) a plane parallel to the layering plane, and wherein the angle has a value of at least sixty degrees and at most ninety degrees.

2. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the first microstructure is formed at a first solidification rate, wherein the second microstructure is formed at a second solidification rate, and wherein the first solidification rate is greater than the second solidification rate.

3. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the first microstructure comprises a first melt pool and/or a first grain, and wherein the second microstructure comprise a second melt pool and/or a second grain, and wherein the first grain comprises a first constituent and wherein the second grain comprises a second constituent, wherein the first constituent differs from the second constituent in at least one member selected from the group consisting of fundamental length scale, chemical makeup, crystal structure, and metallurgical microstructure.

4. The three-dimensional object of claim 3, wherein the first constituent comprises a first crystal structure or a first metallurgical microstructure, and wherein the second constituent comprises a second crystal structure or a second metallurgical microstructure.

5. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the skin portion has a thickness ranging from about 20 micrometers to about 1000 micrometers.

6. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the first microstructure comprises a first melt pool and/or a first grain, and wherein the second microstructure comprise a second melt pool and/or a second grain, and wherein grains of the second microstructure of the skin portion are more ordered as compared to grains of the first microstructure of the core portion.

7. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the first microstructure comprises a first melt pool and/or a first grain, and wherein the second microstructure comprise a second melt pool and/or a second grain, and wherein grains of the second microstructure of the skin portion are aligned with respect to (i) the exterior surface of the skin portion and/or (ii) an interior of a melt pool.

8. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the skin portion comprises (i) a melt pool that defines an alignment line that runs parallel to a surface of the skin portion and/or through a central portion of the melt pool, and (ii) a plurality of grain structures that are directed to the alignment line.

9. The three-dimensional object of claim 8, wherein grain structures of the second microstructure are aligned at an angle with respect to the alignment line.

10. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the core portion comprises a first set of grains, wherein the skin portion comprises a second set of grains, wherein grains of the second set of grains have on average a fundamental length scale that is larger than a corresponding fundamental length scale of grains of the first set of grains.

11. The three-dimensional object of claim 10, wherein the fundamental length scale comprises a width or a length.

12. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the skin portion is directly attached to the core portion.

13. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the skin portion is characterized by a plurality of tiles, wherein centers of adjacent tiles of the plurality of tiles are substantially uniformly spaced apart from one another.

14. The three-dimensional object of claim 13, wherein at least two adjacent tiles of the plurality of tiles overlap with one another.

15. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface has a surface roughness (Sa) of at most about 20 micrometers as measured by a surface profilometer.

16. The three-dimensional object of claim 2, wherein the first solidification rate and the second solidification rate are associated with a cooling rate during generation of the three-dimensional object.

17. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object comprises a portion in which the core portion contacts the skin portion.

18. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, further comprising one or more intermediate portions between the core portion and the skin portion.

19. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers of hardened material comprises at least one layer that does not include a core portion and a skin portion having different microstructures.

20. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object comprises at most about 15% porosity.

21. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the vector is a first vector, and wherein the first vector has a component in a direction of a stacking vector of the plurality of layers of hardened material.

22. The three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the skin portion is a bottom skin portion of a structure that extends from the core portion of the three-dimensional object, wherein the structure is such that a vector (I) is normal to the exterior surface at a point on the exterior surface, (II) is directed into the structure, and (III) forms an angle by intersecting with (A) a layering plane of the plurality of layers of hardened material and/or (B) a plane parallel to the layering plane, and wherein the angle has a value of at least sixty degrees and at most ninety degrees.

23. The three-dimensional object of claim 22, wherein the vector is a first vector, and wherein the first vector has a component in a direction of a stacking vector of the plurality of layers of hardened material.