Method for building three-dimensional objects containing metal parts

• US 20080006966A1
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Mannella, Dominic F.
• Application Number:
  US11/483,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20080006966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/259
• 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]

Abstract

A method for building a three-dimensional object, the method includes positioning a metal part within a build chamber of an extrusion-based layered deposition system, where the metal part comprising a polymer-coated surface. The method also includes depositing a build material on the polymer-coated surface of the metal part, wherein the deposited build material cools to form at least a portion of a layer of the three-dimensional object.

Claims

1. A method for building a three-dimensional object in a layer-by-layer manner using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising:

positioning a metal part within a build chamber of the extrusion-based layered deposition system, the metal part comprising a polymer-coated surface; and

depositing a build material on the polymer-coated surface of the metal part, wherein the deposited build material cools to form at least a portion of a layer of the three-dimensional object, and wherein an adhesion between the build material and the polymer-coated surface is greater than an adhesion between the build material and the metal part.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer-coated surface comprises a polymer film adhered to an outer surface of the metal part.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the polymer film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of acrylate-containing polymers, alkyd polymers, epoxy-containing polymers, polyurethanes, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the build material is selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, polycarbonate, polyphenylsulfone, polysulfone, nylon, polystyrene, amorphous polyamide, polyester, polyphenylene ether, polyurethane, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the metal part within the build chamber comprises placing the metal part on a previously deposited layer of the build material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the extrusion-based layered deposition system comprises a fused deposition modeling system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the metal part to about an operating temperature of the build chamber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the build material is based at least in part on a deposition timing sequence, and wherein the method further comprises generating a pause time in the deposition timing sequence.

9. A method for building a three-dimensional object in a layer-by-layer manner, the method comprising:

depositing a first build material, wherein the deposited first build material cools to form a first layer of the three-dimensional object;

placing a metal part on a first portion of the first layer, the metal part comprising a polymer-coated surface, wherein the polymer-coated surface comprises an adhesion-promoting polymeric material; and

depositing a second build material on at least a portion of the polymer-coated surface of the metal part and on at least a second portion of the first layer, wherein the deposited second build material cools to form a second layer of the three-dimensional object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the adhesion-promoting polymeric material is provided as a polymer film adhered to an outer surface of the metal part.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the adhesion-promoting polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of acrylate-containing polymers, alkyd polymers, epoxy-containing polymers, polyurethanes, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first build material and the second build material are each selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, polycarbonate, polyphenylsulfone, polysulfone, nylon, polystyrene, amorphous polyamide, polyester, polyphenylene ether, polyurethane, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising heating the metal part prior to depositing the second build material.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the metal part further comprises a second surface opposite the polymer-coated surface, the second surface comprising an adhesive material.

15. A method for building a three-dimensional object in a layer-by-layer manner using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising:

coating a surface of a metal part with an adhesion-promoting polymeric material;

positioning the metal part within a build chamber of the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

depositing a thermoplastic material on at least a portion of the coated surface of the metal part; and

cooling the deposited thermoplastic material to form a layer of the three-dimensional object.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising drying the adhesion-promoting polymeric material to form a polymer film.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the adhesion-promoting polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of acrylate-containing polymers, alkyd polymers, epoxy-containing polymers, polyurethanes, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising heating the metal part to about an operating temperature of the build chamber.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the surface comprises a first surface, and wherein the method further comprises coating a second surface of the metal part with an adhesive material.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the metal part within the build chamber comprises placing the metal part on a previously deposited layer of the thermoplastic material.