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

• US 20040004653A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Therics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Therics Inc.
• Inventors: Fagerquist, Randy Lee, Fairweather, James A., Pryor, Timothy J., Materna, Peter A., Weitzel, Douglas E.
• Application Number:
  US10/189,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004653A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/106
• 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 method for selecting a group of valves from a supply of like valves, the group of valves to be inserted into a multi-valve printhead for a three-dimensional printing machine, the method comprising:

dispensing a liquid though each valve of the supply for a plurality of actuation pulse durations, the actuation pulse being in the form of a peak-and-hold signal;

recording the flowrates of the liquid and the corresponding actuation pulse durations for each of the valves;

plotting the flowrates as a function of the actuation pulse durations for each valve; and

separating the valves into groups containing like flowrates within an operable range of pulse durations.

2. The method for selecting of claim 1 wherein dispensing the liquid comprises sending an actuation pulse wherein the peak measures approximately 500 microseconds in duration.

3. The method for selecting of claim 1 wherein dispensing the liquid comprises sending an actuation pulse wherein the peak measures approximately 500 microseconds in duration and the entire peak-and-hold signal measures between approximately 500 and approximately 1000 microseconds in duration.

4. The method for selecting of claim 1 wherein the operable range of pulse durations is from approximately 500 microseconds to approximately 1000 microseconds, and wherein separating the plurality of valves into groups comprises grouping valves with like flowrates falling between approximately 500 and approximately 1000 microseconds.

5. The method for selecting of claim 1 wherein the liquid is a substantially Newtonian liquid.

6. A method for selecting and calibrating valves in a multi-valve printhead for a three-dimensional printing system, the method comprising:

dispensing a liquid though a supply of valves for a plurality of actuation pulse durations, each of the actuation pulses being in the form of a peak-and-hold signal;

recording the flowrates of the liquid and the corresponding actuation pulse durations for each of the valves;

plotting the flowrates as a function of the actuation pulse durations for each valve;

separating the plurality of valves into groups containing like flowrates within an operable range of pulse durations;

installing valves from a common group into the multi-valve printhead; and

independently adjusting the pulse duration for each valve in the multi-valve printhead such that each valve dispenses substantially the same volume of liquid per actuation pulse as the other valves in the multi-valve printhead.

7. A method for dispensing a fluid in a three-dimensional printing machine, the method comprising:

installing a plurality of valves into a multi-valve printhead; and

sending an independent actuation signal to each of the valves to cause each valve to open, dispense fluid, then close, wherein each independent actuation signal is a peak-and-hold signal.

8. The method for dispensing of claim 7 wherein sending an independent actuation signal to each of the valves comprises sending a signal to each valve that is not necessarily the same as the signals sent to the other valves.

9. The method for dispensing of claim 7 wherein sending an independent actuation signal to each of the valves comprises sending a signal to each valve that is different from the signals sent to the other valves.

10. The method for dispensing of claim 7 wherein sending an independent actuation signal to each of the valves comprises determining a particular signal for each valve based on a calibration curve associated with each valve.

11. The method for dispensing of claim 7, further comprising, prior to installing the valves:

dispensing a liquid though each valve in a supply of valves, for a plurality of actuation pulse durations;

recording the flowrates of the liquid and the corresponding actuation pulse durations for each of the valves;

plotting the flowrates as a function of the actuation pulse durations for each valve; and

separating the plurality of valves into groups containing like flowrates within an operable range of pulse durations.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein sending an independent actuation signal comprises triggering the valve to dispense fluid based on information from an encoder configured to read the position of the printhead with respect to the three-dimensional printing machine.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the fluid has a viscosity less than 5 centiPoise and the valve has an exit tube internal diameter of approximately 250 microns (0.010 inch) and a seat orifice diameter substantially equal to the exit tube diameter.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the fluid has a viscosity greater than 5 centiPoise but less than 10 centiPoise and the valve has an exit tube internal diameter of approximately 425 microns (0.017 inch) and a seat orifice diameter substantially equal to the exit tube diameter.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein the fluid has a viscosity greater than 10 centiPoise and the valve has an exit tube internal diameter of approximately 1.25 mm (0.050 inch) and a seat orifice diameter of approximately 425 microns (0.017 inch).

16. A three-dimensional printing machine comprising:

depositing means for depositing layers of powder;

dispensing means for dispensing onto each layer of powder in desired places a liquid capable of binding the powder; and

flow-measuring means for measuring the flowrate of liquid before the liquid is dispensed by the dispensing means.

17. A three-dimensional printing machine comprising:

a powder layer depositor capable of depositing successive layers of powder;

a binder liquid dispenser capable of dispensing binder liquid in selected places on each layer of powder; and

a flowmeter capable of measuring the flowrate of binder liquid as the binder liquid is dispensed.

18. The three-dimensional printing machine of claim 17 wherein the flowmeter is a differential pressure flowmeter.

19. The three-dimensional printing machine of claim 17 wherein the flowmeter comprises a flow obstruction and either a differential pressure transducer or two pressure transducers.

20. The three-dimensional printing machine of claim 19 wherein the dispenser dispenses fluid through an orifice or nozzle having an orifice minimum flow area, and the flow obstruction has a minimum cross-sectional area of similar magnitude as the orifice minimum flow area.

21. The three-dimensional printing machine of claim 17 wherein the flowmeter comprises a conduit and apparatus configured to measure the advance of a bubble present in the binder liquid contained in the conduit.

22. The three dimensional printing machine of claim 21 wherein the bubble occupies the full cross-sectional area of the conduit.

23. The three dimensional printing machine of claim 21 wherein the bubble occupies the full cross-sectional area of the conduit, and the conduit diameter is less than approximately 1 mm.

24. The three dimensional printing machine of claim 21 wherein the conduit is substantially transparent.

25. The three-dimensional printing machine of claim 17 wherein the dispenser is located on a movable printhead and the flowmeter is located together with the printhead.

26. The three-dimensional printing machine of claim 17 wherein the flowmeter is stationary and the printhead is movable.

27. A method of performing precise three-dimensional printing, comprising:

depositing a layer of powder;

dispensing onto the layer of powder, in selected places, a binder liquid, the dispensing of binder liquid having a flowrate;

and measuring the flowrate of binder liquid.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising recording the flowrate information.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising associating the flowrate information with information about the time or location of the dispenser when a flowrate was measured.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising comparing the measured flowrate information with a desired flowrate.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising adjusting a command to a dispenser based on the comparison between the measured flowrate and the target flowrate.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the dispenser comprises a solenoid valve.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the dispenser comprises a piezoelectric dispenser.