3-D model maker

• US 20040207123A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huntsman Advanced Materials Americas, Inc.
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Peace, Richard J., Patel, Ranjana
• Application Number:
  US10/468,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207123A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/401
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials

Abstract

A process for forming a three-dimensional article in sequential layers in accordance with a digital model of the article. The process comprises the steps of defining a layer of a first liquid, applying a second liquid to the first liquid layer in a pattern corresponding to the digital model, and repeating these steps to form succesive layers. The first liquid comprises a first active component and the second liquid includes a second active component capable of reacting with the first reactive component so that the article is built up in layers.

Claims

1. A process for forming a three-dimensional article in sequential layers in accordance with a model of the article, the process comprising the steps of. defining a layer of a first liquid material;

applying a second liquid to the first liquid layer in a pattern corresponding to the model; and

repeating these steps to form successive layers; and

in which the first liquid includes a first active component and the second liquid includes a second active component capable of reacting with the first reactive component, the second liquid having a viscosity in the range of 2 to 5 00 cps at room temperature.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, in which the first liquid substantially comprises the first active component and/or the second liquid substantially comprises the second active component.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2, in which the second liquid includes a proportion of the first liquid and/or first active component.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3, in which the model is a digital model.

5. A process as claimed in claim 4, in which the first and/or second active components comprise respective mixtures of active components.

6. A process as claimed in claim 5, in which the second liquid additionally comprises a viscosity lowering diluent in order to achieve the desired viscosity.

7. A process as claimed in claim 6, in which the second liquid has a viscosity in the range 2 to 30 cps at ambient temperature.

8. A process as claimed claim 7, in which the second liquid is applied through a plurality of nozzles.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8, in which the nozzles form part of an inkjet printer or a device including a set of nozzles generally equivalent to an inkjet print head.

10. A process as claimed in claim 9 in which the nozzles operate on the principles of piezo inkjet technology.

11. A process as claimed in claim 10 in which the size of the nozzle openings is the range 10 to 100 mm and/or the size of the applied droplets is in the range 1 to 200 mm.

12. A process as claimed in claim 10, in which the size of the nozzle openings is in the range 0.1 to 100 mm and/or the size of the applied droplets is in the range 0.1 to 200 mm

13. A process as claimed in claim 12, in which a plurality of different liquids is applied to respective layers of the first liquid.

14. A process as claimed in claim 13, in which a plurality of different liquids is applied to a single layer of the first liquid, in the same or in different locations.

15. A process as claimed in claim 14, in which the different liquids are applied in a single pass.

16. A process as claimed in claim 14, in which the different liquids are applied in respective sequential passes,

17. A process claimed in claim 16 any preceding claim, in which the layers formed have differing thicknesses.

18. A process as claimed in claim 17, in which a layer is formed with a varying thickness over its extent.

19. A process as claimed in claim 18 any preceding claim, further including the step of irradiating the article.

20. A process as claimed in claim 19, in which the article is irradiated, pixel by pixel, line by line or layer by layer.

21. A process as claimed in claim 19, in which the article is irradiated after several layers have been formed.

22. A process as claimed in claim 19, in which the article is irradiated after all the layers have been formed.

23. A process as claimed, in which the irradiating step employs electromagnetic radiation.

24. A process as claimed in which the irradiating step employs UV radiation.

25. A process as claimed in claim 24, including the step of varying the -number of pixel drops and/or varying the applied liquid per pixel, per line applied and/or per layer, in order to achieve variable properties in the article.

26. A process as claimed in claim 25, in which the first liquid comprises a curable cross-linkable or polymerisable compound and the second liquid comprises an initiator.

27. A process as claimed in claim 26, in which the first active component is selected from:

resins such as ring opening compounds, eg epoxy, polyepoxy, thiiranes aziridines oxetanes and cycloaliphatics polymerising compounds such as vinyl, ethylenic and (metha) acrylate, hydroxyacrylates, urethane acrylates and polyacrylates;

hybrid compounds, such as epoxy-acrylates, isocyanurate-epoxy, Epoxy-Silane advanced resins and PU-silanes condensing resins such as isocyanates; and

mixtures thereof.

28. A process as claimed claim 27, in which the first and/or second liquid contains an organic or inorganic filler, pigments, nanoparticles, dyes, surfactants and/or dispersants

29. A process as claimed claim 28, in which the first and/or second liquid is coloured.

30. A process as claimed claim 29, in which the second active component is a radical and/or cationic photoinitiator and/or a catalyst.

31. A process as claimed claim 30, in which the first reactive component represents essentially 100% of the first liquid.

32. A process as claimed claim 31, in which the second active component represents 1 to 80% of the second liquid.

33. A process as claimed claim 32, in which the thickness of the applied layers from first liquid is in the range 0.1 to 200 gm.

34. A process as claimed claim 33, in which the thickness of the formed layer is from 1.0 gm to 200 gm.