Additive manufacturing system with extended printing volume, and methods of use thereof

• US 10,549,517 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Crump, S. Scott, Mannella, Dominic F., Swanson, William J., Johnson, Kevin C., Schloesser, Ronald G., LaBossiere, Joseph E., Anderson, Richard Thomas, Bosveld, Michael D., Leavitt, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hauth, Galen H
• Application Number:
  US15/581,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20170232685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/40 Test specimens ; Models, e.g. model cars mannequins B29L2031/7028; Probes
• 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 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system for printing three-dimensional parts, the system comprising a heatable region, a receiving surface, a print head configured to print a three-dimensional part onto the receiving surface in a layer-by-layer manner along a printing axis, and a drive mechanism configured to index the receiving surface along the printing axis such that the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part out of the heated region.

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part, the system comprising:

a build environment having a first length;

a gantry located within the build environment;

a print head attached to the gantry, wherein the gantry is configured to move the print head in a plane substantially parallel to a print plane, wherein a part material is extruded in the print plane to print the three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner, wherein the print plane is non-horizontal;

a receiving surface configured to receive the printed part material from the print head to build the three-dimensional part in the layer-by-layer manner to a selected part length where the part length is greater than the first length of the build environment; and

a drive mechanism configured to index at least a portion of the receiving surface substantially parallel to a printing axis such that the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part move out of the build environment as the three-dimensional part is being built in the layer-by layer manner.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the build environment is unheated.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the build environment comprises one or more heaters configured to heat the build environment proximate the build plane.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the build environment comprises a chamber having chamber walls and a port, and wherein the indexing moves the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part through the port.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the build environment comprises a plurality of chambers in series, and wherein the indexing moves the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part through each of the plurality of chambers, wherein each of the plurality of chambers is configured to be heated to different temperatures to define a step-down temperature gradient.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the printing axis comprises a substantially non-vertical printing axis.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a rotatable belt configured to accept and support the extruded material as the three-dimensional part is printed in the layer-by-layer manner.

8. The system of claim 7, and further comprising one or more post-printing processing stations, wherein the rotatable belt extends through the one or more post-printing processing stations.

9. A method of print a three-dimensional part in a layer by layer manner, the method comprising:

providing a build environment having a first length;

providing a gantry located within the build environment and carrying a print head configured to extrude molten material in a series of roads to form each layer of the three-dimensional part;

heating the material to a molten state;

extruding the molten material in the series of roads to form one or more layers of the three-dimensional part by causing the gantry to move the print head in the series of roads proximate the substantially non-horizontal print plane wherein the plurality of layers is supported by a receiving surface;

indexing the receiving surface substantially a thickness of a layer of the three-dimensional part; and

repeating the extruding step and the indexing step until the three-dimensional part is printed wherein a length of the three-dimensional part is greater than the first length of the build environment.

10. The method of claim 9 and wherein the build environment is subject to ambient conditions.

11. The method of claim 9 and further comprising:

heating the build environment.

12. The method of claim 9 and wherein the receiving surface comprises a rotatable belt.

13. The method of claim 9 and wherein the receiving surface comprises a starter piece having a surface substantially parallel to the printing plane.

14. An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part, the system comprising:

a build environment having a first length;

a gantry located within the build environment;

a print head attached to the gantry, wherein the gantry is configured to move the print head in a plane substantially parallel to a print plane, wherein a part material is extruded in the print plane to print the three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner, wherein the print plane is non-horizontal;

a closed looped belt configured to receive the printed part material from the print head to build the three-dimensional part in the layer-by-layer manner to a selected part length where the part length is greater than the first length of the build environment; and

a drive roller configured to index at least an upper portion of the closed looped belt substantially parallel to a printing axis such that the upper portion and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part move out of the build environment as the three-dimensional part is being built in the layer-by layer manner.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the build environment is unheated.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the build environment comprises one or more heaters configured to heat the build environment proximate the build plane.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the build environment comprises a chamber having chamber walls and a port, and wherein the indexing moves the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part through the port.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the build environment comprises a plurality of chambers in series, and wherein the indexing moves the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part through each of the plurality of chambers, wherein each of the plurality of chambers is configured to be heated to different temperatures to define a step-down temperature gradient.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the printing axis comprises a substantially non-vertical printing axis.

20. The system of claim 14, and further comprising one or more post-printing processing stations, wherein the rotatable belt extends through the one or more post-printing processing stations.