Solid free-form fabrication of solid three-dimesional objects

• US 20050074511A1
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Farr, Isaac, Kramer, Laura, Oriakhi, Christopher, Tsang, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US10/678,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20050074511A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/174.400
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/162 Nanoparticles
• 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 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles

Abstract

The present invention is drawn toward systems and methods for free-form fabrication of solid three-dimensional objects. In one embodiment, a solid free-form fabrication system for producing a three-dimensional object can comprise a dispensing system adapted to dispense a build material having nanofiller particulates dispersed therein; and a curing system adapted to harden the build material after being dispensed. In another embodiment, a method for producing a three-dimensional object can comprise steps of a) forming a jettable build composition including build material having nanofiller particulates dispersed therein; b) jetting a portion of the build composition to form a build layer; c) curing the build layer; and d) repeating steps b) and c), wherein multiple build layers are contacted and accrued to form a three-dimensional object.

Claims

1. A solid free-form fabrication system for producing a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a dispensing system adapted to dispense a build material having nanofiller particulates dispersed therein; and

a curing system adapted to harden the build material after being dispensed.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the dispensing system includes an ink-jet printing dispensing system.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the dispensing system is also adapted to dispense support material configured to support build material overhangs.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the build material includes a UV curable material and the curing system includes a UV curing system.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the build material includes a reactive build material and the curing systems includes a curing agent configured to be contacted with the reactive build material.

6. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a milling system adapted to mill the build material after being dispensed but before being hardened.

7. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a build platform configured to support the build material, said build platform also being configured to be lowered with respect to the dispensing system upon application of build material.

8. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a build platform configured to support the build material, said dispensing system being configured to be raised with respect to the build platform upon application of build material.

9. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a heating system configured to modify the temperature of the build material while within the dispensing system, thereby improving jettability of the build material.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein the nanofiller particulates are substantially from 1 nm and 500 nm in size, and are dispersed within the build material at from 0.1 wt % to 20 wt %.

11. A system as in claim 1, wherein the nanofiller particulates are selected from the group consisting of inorganic nanoparticulates, organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites, curable liquid crystals, and combinations thereof.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein the nanofiller particulates are inorganic nanoparticulates selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, titania, zirconia, hydroxyapatite, and combinations thereof.

13. A system as in claim 11, wherein the nanofiller particulates are organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite organo-clay, PMMA-clay nanocomposites, epoxy-clay nanocomposites, PMMA-co-MMA clay nanocomposites, starch-clay nanocompostes, and combinations thereof.

14. A system as in claim 11, wherein the nanofiller particulates are curable liquid crystals selected from the group consisting of low viscosity oligomeric liquid crystals, reactive monomeric liquid crystals, and combinations thereof.

15. A method for producing a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a) forming a jettable build composition including build material having nanofiller particulates dispersed therein,

b) jetting a portion of the build composition to form a build layer;

c) curing the build layer; and

d) repeating steps b) and c), wherein multiple build layers are contacted and accrued to form a three-dimensional object.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein the step of curing is by UV curing.

17. A method as in claim 15, wherein the step of curing is by contacting and reacting the build material with a curing agent.

18. A method as in claim 15, further comprising the step of milling the build layer before curing.

19. A method as in claim 15, further comprising the step of adjusting the distance between the build composition and the build layer prior to the repeating step.

20. A method as in claim 15, wherein the step of forming a jettable build composition includes heating the composition to a temperature that makes the composition jettable.

21. A method as in claim 15, wherein the nanofiller particulates are substantially from 1 nm to 500 nm in size, and are dispersed within the build material at from 0.1 wt % to 20 wt %.

22. A method as in claim 15, wherein the nanofiller particulates are selected from the group consisting of inorganic nanoparticulates, organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites, curable liquid crystals, and combinations thereof.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the nanofiller particulates are inorganic nanoparticulates selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, titania, zirconia, hydroxyapatite, and combinations thereof.

24. A method as in claim 22, wherein the nanofiller particulates are organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite organo-clay, PMMA-clay nanocomposites, epoxy-clay nanocomposites, PMMA-co-MMA clay nanocomposites, starch-clay nanocompostes, and combinations thereof.

25. A method as in claim 22, wherein the nanofiller particulates are curable liquid crystals selected from the group consisting of low viscosity oligomeric liquid crystals, reactive monomeric liquid crystals, and combinations thereof.

26. A solid three-dimensional object, comprising multiple layers of a cured build composition bound to one another, said cured build composition including build material having nanofiller particulates dispersed therein.

27. An object as in claim 26, wherein the cured build composition is cured by UV energy.

28. An object as in claim 26, wherein the cured build composition is cured by a curing agent.

29. An object as in claim 26, wherein the nanofiller particulates are substantially from 1 nm to 500 nm in size, and are dispersed within the build material at from 0.1 wt % to 20 wt %.

30. An object as in claim 26, wherein the nanofiller particulates are selected from the group consisting of inorganic nanoparticulates, organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites, curable liquid crystals, and combinations thereof.