Digitally active 3-D object creation system

• US 20070150088A1
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 7,416,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/119
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/0212 only at particular parts of the articles at particular part of web, band, strip, belt or ribbon B05C5/025
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/10 Formation of a green body
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/70 Gas flow means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/68 by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers , e.g. foam blocks mould constructions therefor B29C33/12; joining preformed parts by moulding B29C65/70
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/002 Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0021 using irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00214 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00216 using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0022 using convection means, e.g. by using a fan for blowing or sucking air
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0024 using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 : Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• 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: B41J 3/543 : with multiple inkjet print heads B41J2/17503, B41J2/2103 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/185 : Components encapsulated in the insulating substrate of the printed circuit or incorporated in internal layers of a multilayer circuit semiconductor chips encapsulated by interconnect and support structures H01L23/5389, H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/125 : by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4664 : Adding a circuit layer by thick film methods, e.g. printing techniques or by other techniques for making conductive patterns by using pastes, inks or powders H05K3/4647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/901 : Connector hood or shell
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 : by metal fusion

Abstract

A method of printing a three-dimensional object is provided. The method comprises providing a plurality of stationary printhead layer groups, each layer group comprising at least one printhead for printing a respective layer of the object; conveying a partially-formed object past the layer groups; and simultaneously printing material from at least one printhead in each layer group, such that a plurality of different layers are printed simultaneously by the layer groups.

Claims

1. A method of printing a three-dimensional object, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of stationary printhead layer groups, each layer group comprising at least one printhead for printing a respective layer of said object;

conveying a partially-formed object past said layer groups; and

simultaneously printing material from at least one printhead in each layer group, such that a plurality of different layers are printed simultaneously by said layer groups.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one layer group comprises a plurality of printheads.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each printhead in said at least one layer group prints the same material.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said at least one layer group comprises a first printhead which prints a first material and a second printhead which prints a second material in a same layer of said object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first and second printheads are maintained at different temperatures.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each layer group is positioned at a different height relative to said conveyor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a height difference between each layer group and an adjacent layer group is constant.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the height difference is at least one voxel height.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one layer group comprises a plurality of printheads, and said plurality of printheads within said at least one layer group are positioned at the same height relative to said conveyor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each layer is defined by a plurality of voxels arranged in a regular array and wherein the voxels of each layer are printed so as to be offset by half a voxel relative to the voxels of adjacent layers in a conveying direction and/or a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each layer group is controlled by a control system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a robot inserts pre-formed objects into the partially-formed object during printing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the pre-formed object is an electrical or mechanical device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pre-formed object is a semiconductor device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one printhead prints electrical connections for the electrical device.

16. The object creation system of claim 14, wherein said layer groups create one or more cavities in the partially-formed object during printing, the or each cavity being configured for receiving a pre-formed object from said robot.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said printheads extend transversely across said conveyor relative to a conveying direction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said layer groups are spaced apart along the conveying direction of the conveyor.