Method for building three-dimensional models from thermoplastic modeling materials

• US 20030011103A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Priedeman, William R. Jr., Hopkins, Paul E., Swanson, William J., Turley, Patrick W., Hahn, Andrew M., Kimm, Daniel I., Pollard, David L., Brose, Steve, Popa, Minea A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,374,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/308
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2071/022 Annealing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/005 Using a particular environment, e.g. sterile fluids other than air
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 31/04 Feeding of the material to be moulded, e.g. into a mould cavity B29C39/08 takes precedence; using a material distribution system to two or more fixed injection moulds B29C45/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• 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: B29C 71/02 Thermal after-treatment B29C71/0063 and B29C71/0072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• 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 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0016 Plasticisers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/02 Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49019 Machine 3-D slices, to build 3-D model, stratified object manufacturing SOM
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for building three-dimensional models by deposition modeling techniques from moisture-sensitive thermoplastics. A feedstock of thermoplastic modeling material is dried to a low moisture content and supplied to a dispensing head of a modeling apparatus. The dry thermoplastic material is heated in a liquifier and deposited in a predetermined pattern so as to build a three-dimensional model.

Claims

1. An additive method for building a three-dimensional model by depositing a moisture-sensitive thermoplastic material, comprising the step of:

supplying the thermoplastic material in a container maintained at less than 700 ppm moisture.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material is supplied in the form of a filament, and further comprising the step of:

feeding the filament to a liquifier along a path while drying the path.

3. The method of claims 1 or 2, wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonates, polyphenylsulfones, polycarbonate/ABS blends, polyetherimides, polysulfones, polyethersulfones and amorphous polyamides.

4. An additive method for building a three-dimensional model by depositing a moisture-sensitive thermoplastic material, comprising the steps of:

providing the thermoplastic material in solid form;

drying the thermoplastic material to less than 700 ppm moisture; and

supplying the dry thermoplastic material to a dispensing head.

5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising the step of:

melting the dry thermoplastic material in the dispensing head.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonates, polyphenylsulfones, polycarbonate/ABS blends, polyetherimides, polysulfones, polyethersulfones, and amorphous polyamides.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the solid form is in the form of a filament.