VOLUME ELEMENT (VOXEL) PRINTING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT

• US 20080062214A1
• Filed: 11/01/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• 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 7,597,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/10
• 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 volume element (voxel) printing system for printing a three-dimensional object is provided. The system includes a first printhead group, at least one second printhead group, a conveyor and a control system. The first printhead group includes a plurality of first printheads configured to print a first voxel layer on a substrate. The second printhead group includes a plurality of second printheads located downstream from the first group and configured for printing a subsequent voxel layer on at least part of the first layer. The second printheads are reconfigurable as backup printheads for the first printheads in case of failure. The conveyor is configured to operatively convey the substrate past the printhead groups. The control system controls and monitors the printhead groups and the conveyor, and is configured to dynamically reconfigure the second printheads if failure of a first printhead is detected.

Claims

1. A volume element (voxel) printing system for printing a three-dimensional object, the system comprising:

a first printhead group having a plurality of first printheads configured to print a first voxel layer on a substrate;

at least one second printhead group having a plurality of second printheads downstream from the first group, the second group configured to print a subsequent voxel layer on at least part of the first layer, said second printheads being reconfigurable as backup printheads for the first printheads in case of failure;

a conveyor to operatively convey the substrate past the printhead groups; and

a control system to control and monitor the printhead groups and the conveyor, and to dynamically reconfigure the second printheads if failure of a first printhead is detected.

2. The printing system of claim 1, wherein each printhead includes a plurality of micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements configured to operatively eject a voxel therefrom, said voxel selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a metal, a metal alloy, a wax, an evaporative drying material, and a compound.

3. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the printhead groups are configured to print simultaneously such that a plurality of different layers are simultaneously printed as the substrate is conveyed past the printheads.

4. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the printhead groups are configured not to print on predetermined parts of a preceding layer to define a cavity for receiving a pre-formed object.

5. The printing system of claim 4, having an insertion assembly for inserting pre-formed objects into the cavity during printing.

6. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the printheads extend transversely across the conveyor relative to a conveying direction.

7. The printing system of claim 1, having at least one curing assembly interspersed between the printheads to perform a curing process, said curing process selected from the group consisting of evaporative drying, freezing of voxels, ultra violet curing, printing of reagents, printing of catalysts, and printing of polymerization initiators.