Apparatus, systems and methods for use in three-dimensional printing

• US 20040003738A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theken Spine LLC (Orthofix Medical Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Therics Inc.
• Inventors: Gaylo, Christopher M., Imiolek, Ireneusz J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,986,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/480
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/22 Direct deposition of molten metal
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/32 of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/77 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/10 Auxiliary heating means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/224 for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/226 for rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/55 Two or more means for feeding material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/63 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/70 Gas flow means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/84 Parallel processing within single device
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0822 using IR radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3494 using vibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0288 Controlling heating or curing of polymers during moulding, e.g. by measuring temperatures or properties of the polymer and regulating the process controlling or regulating chemical, physical or physico- chemical processes in general B01J19/0006
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/46 Heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/34 Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means B29C43/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• 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 50/00 : Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 : Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for use in three-dimensional printing are shown and described. Various embodiments of the invention allow for more precise and controlled delivery of heat to achieve interlayer drying; isolation of the working region from the outside for reasons of cleanliness and in connection with the vapors of organic solvents; better control of the temperature of the working region; better accuracy in the flowrates of binder fluid dispensed; matching of delivered flowrates for multiple dispensers; verification of delivered flowrate or drops; provision for easier changeover of the machine from one powder to another; cleanability; and other needs.

Claims

1. A powder bed assembly for a three-dimensional printing machine, the three-dimensional printing machine having a guide, the powder bed assembly comprising:

a perimeter wall engaged with the guide, the perimeter wall being movable with respect to the guide between an operable position in which the perimeter wall is oriented for use, and an inoperable position in which the perimeter wall is spaced apart from the operable position to facilitate loading powder into the perimeter wall or removing powder out of the perimeter wall; and

a carrier plate sized and shaped to closely conform to an interior of the perimeter wall, the carrier plate being slidably received within the perimeter wall to raise or lower a quantity of powder during operation of the three-dimensional printing machine.

2. The powder bed assembly of claim 1, further comprising a gasket or seal located between the carrier plate and the perimeter wall.

3. The powder bed assembly of claim 1, further comprising siderails separated from the perimeter wall by gaps or channels, the gaps or channels being configured to allow powder to drop into them.

4. The powder bed assembly of claim 3 further comprising suction means or an air knife or both, configured to create localized airflow into the gaps or channels so as to induce air which may carry airborne powder to flow into the gaps or channels, whereby the air which may carry airborne powder is discouraged from spreading to other regions of the machine.

5. The powder bed assembly of claim 3 wherein the siderails are configured for a component of the three-dimensional printing machine to roll on.

6. The powder bed assembly of claim 1 wherein a top surface of the perimeter wall and a top surface of the siderail are at the same elevation.

7. The powder bed assembly of claim 1 wherein a top surface of the perimeter wall and a top surface of the siderail are at different elevations.

8. The powder bed assembly of claim 1, further comprising a retaining member removably coupleable to the perimeter wall and the guide when the perimeter wall is in the operable position, such that the perimeter wall can be prevented from being inadvertently moved out of the operable position.

9. The powder bed assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to register when the perimeter wall is in the operable position.

10. The powder bed assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sensor and an alarm, the sensor being configured to register when the perimeter wall is in the operable position, and the alarm being configured to notify an operator when the perimeter wall is not in the operable position or to shut off or disable at least some portions of the three-dimensional printing machine or initiate a shutdown sequence when the perimeter wall is not in the operable position.

11. The powder bed assembly of claim 1, wherein the powder bed assembly is a feed bed assembly.

12. The powder bed assembly of claim 1, wherein the powder bed assembly is a build bed assembly.

13. A powder bed assembly and positioning system for a three-dimensional printing machine having a printhead configured to deposit fluid onto a layer of powder, the powder bed assembly and positioning system comprising:

a powder bed assembly comprising a perimeter wall and a carrier plate sized and shaped to closely conform to an interior of the perimeter wall, the carrier plate having a top surface configured to support a quantity of powder, the carrier plate being slidably received within the perimeter wall to raise or lower the quantity of powder during operation of the three-dimensional printing machine; and

a vertical position controller releasably coupled to the carrier plate, the vertical position controller being operable to raise the carrier plate within the perimeter wall to present powder during operation, and being releasable from the carrier plate to allow the powder bed assembly to be removed from the three-dimensional printing machine.

14. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 13 wherein the vertical position controller comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate.

15. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 13 wherein the vertical position controller further comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate, and an O-ring to facilitate maintaining a vacuum between the vacuum coupling and the bottom surface of the carrier plate.

16. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 13 wherein the vertical position controller further comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate, and a vacuum sensor to register a magnitude of the vacuum between the vacuum coupling and the bottom surface of the carrier plate.

17. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 13 wherein the vertical position controller further comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate, a vacuum sensor to register a magnitude of the vacuum between the vacuum coupling and the bottom surface of the carrier plate, and an alarm configured to notify an operator when the magnitude of the vacuum is outside acceptable operating parameters.

18. A three-dimensional printing machine comprising:

a guide fixed with respect to the three-dimensional printing machine;

a powder bed assembly engaged with the guide, the powder bed assembly being movable with respect to the guide between an operable position in which the powder bed is oriented for use, and an inoperable position in which the powder bed is out of the operable position to facilitate loading powder into the powder bed or unloading powder from the bed; and

a retaining member removably coupleable to the powder bed and the guide when the powder bed is in the operable position, such that the powder bed can be prevented from being inadvertently moved out of the operable position.

19. A powder bed assembly for a three-dimensional printing machine, the three-dimensional printing machine having a global guide, the powder bed assembly comprising:

a receiving structure engaged with the global guide, the receiving structure being movable with respect to the global guide between an operable position in which the receiving structure is oriented for use, and an inoperable position in which the receiving structure is spaced apart from the operable position, the receiving structure comprising a local guide; and

a tray subassembly comprising;

a tray subassembly perimeter wall engaged with the local guide, the tray subassembly perimeter wall being movable with respect to the local guide between an operable position in which the tray subassembly is oriented for use, and an inoperable position in which the tray subassembly is spaced apart from the operable position to facilitate loading powder into the tray subassembly or removing powder from the tray subassembly; and

a carrier plate sized and shaped to closely conform to the tray subassembly perimeter wall, and configured to support a powder, the carrier plate being slidably received within the tray subassembly perimeter wall to raise and lower the powder during operation of the three-dimensional printing machine.

20. The powder bed assembly of claim 19, further comprising a gasket or seal located between the carrier plate and the tray subassembly perimeter wall.

21. The powder bed assembly of claim 19 further comprising a powder bed assembly perimeter wall having an internal configuration substantially identical to that of the tray subassembly perimeter wall, the tray subassembly perimeter wall and the powder bed assembly perimeter wall being in substantial alignment with each other when the tray subassembly is in the operable position, so that the carrier plate can pass from being slidably contained within the tray subassembly perimeter wall to being slidably contained within the powder bed assembly perimeter wall.

22. The powder bed assembly of claim 19 wherein the powder bed assembly is a feed bed assembly.

23. The powder bed assembly of claim 19 wherein the powder bed assembly is a build bed assembly.

24. The powder bed assembly of claim 19, further comprising a retaining member removably coupleable to the tray subassembly perimeter wall and the local guide when the tray subassembly perimeter wall is in the operable position, such that the tray subassembly perimeter wall can be prevented from being inadvertently moved out of the operable position

25. The powder bed assembly of claim 19, further comprising a sensor configured to register when the powder bed assembly is in the operable position.

26. The tray subassembly of claim 19, further comprising a sensor configured to register when the tray subassembly is in the operable position.

27. The powder bed assembly of claim 19 wherein a tray subassembly retaining member is pivotably coupled to the local guide to rotate between a locked position in which a projection on the tray subassemnbly retaining member obstructs movement of the tray subassembly out of the operable position, and an unlocked position in which the projection on the tray subassembly retaining member does not obstruct movement of the tray subassembly out of the operable position.

28. A powder bed assembly and positioning system for a three- dimensional printing machine having a printhead configured to sequentially deposit fluid onto a plurality of layers of powder, the build bed comprising:

a tray subassembly perimeter wall or powder bed assembly perimeter wall having a top edge at least substantially coplanar with a working surface;

a carrier plate sized and shaped to closely conform to the tray subassembly perimeter wall, and configured to support the plurality of layers of powder, the carrier plate being slidably received within the tray subassembly perimeter wall to raise and lower the plurality of layers of powder during operation of the three-dimensional printing machine; and

a vertical position controller releasably coupled to the carrier plate, the vertical position controller being operable to sequentially lower the carrier plate within the tray subassembly perimeter wall to create room in which each layer of powder can be presented, and being releasable from the carrier plate to allow the tray subassembly perimeter wall and carrier plate to be removed from the powder bed assembly.

29. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 28 wherein the vertical position controller comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate.

30. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 28 wherein the vertical position controller further comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate, and an O-ring to facilitate maintaining a vacuum between the vacuum coupling and the bottom surface of the carrier plate.

31. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 28 wherein the vertical position controller further comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate, and a vacuum sensor to register the magnitude of the vacuum between the vacuum coupling and the bottom surface of the carrier plate.

32. The powder bed assembly and positioning system of claim 28 wherein the vertical position controller further comprises a vacuum coupling releasably coupled to a bottom surface of the carrier plate, a vacuum sensor to register the magnitude of the vacuum between the vacuum coupling and the bottom surface of the carrier plate, and an alarm configured to notify the operator when the magnitude of the vacuum is outside acceptable operating parameters.

33. The powder bed assembly of claim 28 wherein the carrier plate comprises at least one depression configured to receive a liquid during operation of the three-dimensional printing machine.

34. The powder bed assembly of claim 28 wherein the carrier plate comprises holes or porosity configured to permit the passage therethrough of a liquid during operation of the three-dimensional printing machine.