Method for loading filament in an extrusion apparatus

• US 20040129823A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: 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 7,169,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/563
• 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

Filament is loaded into an extrusion apparatus, such as a three-dimensional deposition modeling machine, by inserting a cassette containing filament into the apparatus. A filament strand from the cassette is then advanced into the machine, such as by operating a thumb wheel or a follower wheel on the cassette. The filament loading method of the present invention provides a convenient manner of loading and unloading filament in a three-dimensional modeling machine, and can be implemented in a manner that protects the filament from environmental moisture.

Claims

1. A method for loading filament into an extrusion apparatus of the type having a liquifier that receives a feedstock of material in filament form and delivers the material in a flowable state, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting into the apparatus a cassette containing filament;

advancing a filament strand from the cassette into the machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filament strand is advanced out of an exit orifice of the cassette into a conduit of the machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the filament strand is further advanced to feed rollers associated with the liquifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the filament strand is advanced to a roller pair mounted in the machine proximate the inserted cassette, and wherein the advancing step comprises operating a thumb wheel carried by the cassette.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the filament strand is advanced to a roller pair mounted in the machine proximate the inserted cassette.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the advancing step comprises the steps of:

rotating a thumb wheel carried by the cassette until the filament strand advances to the roller pair; and

driving the roller pair until the filament strand advances to feed rollers associated with the liquifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the advancing step comprises operating a thumb wheel carried by the cassette.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the advancing step comprises operating a follower wheel carried by the cassette using a drive wheel mounted on the apparatus.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising the step of:

ceasing operation of the follower wheel when the filament strand reaches feed rollers associated with the liquifier.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of:

engaging the filament strand inside of the cassette prior to commencing the advancing step.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the engaging step comprises forcing a drive wheel mounted on the apparatus against a follower wheel carried by the cassette, and wherein the filament strand is advanced by rotating the drive wheel while it is forced against the follower wheel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the filament strand is advanced in the machine along a path to the liquifier, and further comprising the step of:

creating a moisture barrier along the path.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the filament strand is advanced in the machine along a path towards the liquifier, and further comprising the step of:

ceasing advancement of the filament strand before it reaches the liquifier in response to a control signal indicating that the filament strand is detected at a sensing position.

14. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of:

continuing to advance the filament strand until it reaches feed rollers associated with the liquifier.

15. The method of claim 14 and further comprising the steps of:

identifying that the filament remaining in the cassette has reached a predetermined minimum length; and

automatically driving the filament strand in reverse to remove it from the feed rollers, in response to the minimum length identification.

16. A method for loading filament into a three-dimensional modeling apparatus of the type having a liquifier that receives a feedstock of modeling material in filament form and delivers the material in a flowable state so as to build-up a three-dimensional model, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting into the apparatus a cassette containing filament;

engaging a filament strand inside of the cassette; and

advancing the filament strand out of an exit orifice of the cassette.

17. The method of claim 16, and further comprising the step of:

aligning the exit orifice of the cassette with an entrance of a conduit of the apparatus, prior to advancing the filament strand.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the advancing step comprises operating a thumb wheel carried by the cassette.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the advancing step comprises operating a follower wheel carried by the cassette using a drive wheel mounted on the apparatus.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the engaging step comprises forcing a drive wheel mounted on the apparatus against a follower wheel carried by the cassette, and wherein the filament strand is advanced by rotating the drive wheel while it is forced against the follower wheel.

21. A method for loading filament into a three-dimensional modeling apparatus of the type having a liquifier that receives a feedstock of modeling material in filament form and delivers the material in a flowable state so as to build-up a three-dimensional model, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting into the apparatus a primary cassette containing filament;

inserting into the apparatus a standby cassette containing filament;

advancing a filament strand out of an exit orifice of the primary cassette;

advancing a filament strand out of an exit orifice of the standby cassette;

driving the filament strand from the primary cassette into the liquifier so as to enable building-up of a three-dimensional model out of the filament from the primary cassette;

automatically driving the filament strand from the primary cassette out of the liquifier when the primary cassette becomes depleted of filament;

automatically driving the filament strand from the standby cassette into the liquifier after the filament strand from the primary cassette is removed from the liquifier, so as to enable build-up the three-dimensional model out of the filament from the standby cassette.

22. A method for loading filament into a three-dimensional modeling apparatus of the type having a liquifier that receives a feedstock of modeling material in filament form and delivers the material in a flowable state so as to build-up a three-dimensional model, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting into the apparatus a primary cassette containing filament;

inserting into the apparatus a standby cassette containing filament;

advancing a filament strand out of an exit orifice of the primary cassette;

driving the filament strand from the primary cassette into the liquifier so that the primary cassette is a feedstock source supplying modeling material to the liquifier;

monitoring the length of filament remaining in the primary cassette as the filament strand from the primary cassette is used for building-up a three-dimensional model;

automatically switching the feedstock source from the primary cassette to the standby cassette when the length of filament remaining in the primary cassette reaches a predetermined minimum length.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of automatically switching the feedstock source comprises the steps of:

identifying that the length of filament in the primary cassette has reached the predetermined minimum length;

driving the filament strand from the primary cassette in reverse to remove it from the liquifier, in response to the minimum length identification; and

driving a filament strand from the standby cassette into the liquifier.