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

• US 20040118309A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• 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., Materna, Peter A., Fedor, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,073,442 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 system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

a ventilation system configured to introduce into the enclosure a gas at a desired gas temperature to maintain an enclosure temperature within the enclosure within a desired range of temperatures.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the ventilation system comprises a heater or a heat exchanger or a chiller external to the enclosure.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the ventilation system is controlled by a control system responsive to a measured temperature.

4. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

a ventilation system configured to introduce a gas into the enclosure at a desired humidity to maintain a humidity within the enclosure within a desired range of humidities.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the ventilation system is controlled by a control system responsive to a measured humidity.

6. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

a ventilation system configured to introduce a gas into the enclosure at a desired volatile liquid vapor concentration to maintain a concentration of the volatile liquid vapor within the enclosure within a desired range of vapor concentrations.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the ventilation system is controlled by a control system responsive to a measured concentration of the volatile liquid vapor.

8. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment, wherein the enclosure comprises at least one window, the at least one window having a sensor that registers when the window is open; and

an alarm communicating with the sensor and configured to notify an operator, disable and/or turn off at least a portion of the three-dimensional printing machine or initiate a shutdown sequence when one or more windows are open.

9. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

a ventilation system configured to remove gas from the enclosure and return at least a portion of the removed gas back into the enclosure.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the ventilation system is also configured to supply new gas into the enclosure.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the gas is filtered before entering the enclosure.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the gas passes through a heat exchanger or chiller before entering the enclosure.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the gas passes through a humidity control device before entering the enclosure.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein a proportion of the new gas and a recirculated gas can be adjusted.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein approximately 80% of the total gas flow is recirculated.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising a filter positioned to clean gas introduced into the enclosure from the exterior environment.

17. The system of claim 9, further comprising a filter positioned to clean gas circulated within the enclosure.

18. The system of claim 9, further comprising a filter positioned to clean gas before it exits the enclosure.

19. The system of claim 9, further comprising a High Efficiency, Particulate Arresting filter configured to clean gas as it circulates, enters and/or exits the enclosure.

20. The system of claim 9, further comprising an adsorber configured to remove solvent vapors or other undesirable substances from the gas.

21. The system of claim 9, further comprising a condenser configured to condense solvent vapors.

22. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment, the enclosure having an internal pressure; and

a ventilation system capable of maintaining a pressure inside the enclosure at one of sub-atmospheric and above-atmospheric values.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising operable windows configured to be selectively opened and closed to provide access to an inside of the enclosure, the windows comprising latches configured to retain the windows in the closed position against a sub-atmospheric or over-atmospheric pressure within the enclosure.

24. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three- dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

a ventilation system configured to introduce into the enclosure a gas whose composition is different from the composition of air.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the ventilation system is configured to introduce an inert gas or a gas having an oxygen content lower than the oxygen content of air.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the ventilation system is configured to introduce a sterilant gas or vapor.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the sterilant gas or vapor is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ethylene oxide.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the three dimensional printing machine comprises various components inside the enclosure, each component being made of a respective material, and all of those materials are compatible with the sterilant gas or vapor.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein substantially all internal corners inside the enclosure comprise rounded internal corners and wherein the enclosure comprises a minimal number of joints.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature within the enclosure, and operable to control a heat exchanger configured to maintain the temperature within the enclosure within a desired range of temperatures.

31. The system of claim 24, further comprising a sensor for measuring the concentration of selected vapors within the enclosure.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for adjusting the ventilation system based on a measured concentration of a selected vapor.

33. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for generating a warning based on a measured concentration of a selected vapor.

34. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for adjusting the operation of the three-dimensional printing machine in response to a measured concentration of a selected vapor.

35. The system of claim 24 wherein the gas flows at a rate sufficient to maintain the concentration of a selected vapor below a flammable limit or an explosive limit.

36. The system of claim 24 wherein the gas flows at a rate sufficient to maintain the temperature within the enclosure below a desired limit.