Method and Device for Production of a Three-Dimensional Article

• US 20080233302A1
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Original Assignee: Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Technische Universitã¤T Berlin (Tu), Voxeljet Technology GMBH (Voxeljet AG)
• Inventors: Ederer, Ingo, Stephan, Michael, Gudrun, Janke, Dreher, Stefan, Voit, Brigitte, Elsner, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,767,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/421.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/16 Braille printing typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for production of a three-dimensional article from a material, by means of layered application. According to the invention, a dropwise application is carried out, whereby drops of reaction components are ejected by a nozzle arrangement (3) and applied to a base reaction component (2), arranged on a substrate (1). The material for the three-dimensional article is formed in layers, with reaction of the base reaction component (2) with reaction components on contact, whereby the material is formed on a reaction of the base reaction component with one of the reaction components to give a material with one material property and on another reaction of the base reaction component with another of the reaction components to give a material with another material property. On production of the three-dimensional article, an article section is produced in which a gradual transition between the one material property and the other material property is generated.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A process to manufacture a three-dimensional item from a material, by means of layer application onto a board (1), in which:

a. applying by a drop by drop application using a jet assembly, a plurality of drops of a first reaction component and a second reaction component using a jet assembly and applied on a basic reaction component;

b. forming the material for the three-dimensional item, by reacting the first and second reaction components respectively, upon contact with whereby the material in a reaction of basic reaction component with the first reaction component is formed as a material with a first material property and in another reaction of the basic reaction component with the second reaction components as a material with a second material property,

the steps a. and b. are repeated several times to form the three-dimensional item; and

c. producing an item section with a gradual transition between that of the first material property and that the second material property, by;

c1. in an end range of the item section in drop by drop application, initial reaction parameters for the drops of the first reaction component and drops of the second reaction component are set, so that in the end range of the item section, after drop by drop application the material is formed predominantly or solely with the first material property;

c2. in a contrasting end range of the item section, in drop by drop application second reaction parameters for the drops of the first reaction component and drops of the second reaction component are set, so that in the other end range of the item section after drop application the material is formed predominantly or solely with the second material property; and

c3. in an intermediate range of the item section between both end ranges in shifting the jet assembly from the end range to the contrasting end range in drop by drop application, changeable intermediate reaction parameters for the drops of the first reaction component and the drops of the second reaction component are set, so that a gradual transition between the first reaction parameters and the second reactions parameters is made.

20. The process as in claim 19 wherein the basic reaction component being applied drop by drop using the jet assembly and at least when producing the material with an intermediate range material property, each drop of the basic reaction component applied is exposed to at least a drop of the first reaction component and at least a drop of the second reaction component.

21. The process as in claim 19 wherein the drops of the basic reaction component and the drops of both the first and the second reaction component(s) are exposed to one another ‘

in flight’

.

22. The process as in claim 19 wherein the drops of both the first and the second reaction components are applied onto a coating of basic reaction component.

23. The process as in claim 19 wherein the item section is produced with the gradual transition within one layer applied.

24. The process as in claim 19 wherein the item section is produced with the gradual transition over multiple applied coatings.

25. The process as in claim 19 wherein a drop volume for at least one of the drops of the first reaction component or the drops of the second reaction component being set when setting the first reaction parameters, the second reaction parameters and the changeable intermediate reaction parameters.

26. The process as in claim 19 wherein a chemical composition for at least one of the drops of the first reaction component or the drops of the second reaction component being set when setting the first reaction parameters, the second reaction parameters and the changeable intermediate reaction parameters.

27. The process as in claim 19 wherein a time delay for expelling at least one of the drops of the first reaction component or the drops of the second reaction being set using the jet assembly, when setting the first reaction parameters, the second reaction parameters and the changeable intermediate reaction parameters,

28. The process as in claim 19 wherein an expelling power for expelling drops of at least one of the first reaction component or the drops of the second reaction component being set using the jet assembly, when setting the first reaction parameters, the second reaction parameters and the changeable intermediate reaction parameters.

29. The process as in claim 19 wherein the basic reaction component and the first reaction component as well as the basic reaction component and the second reaction component each forming a reaction system, with which a fixed crosslinked plastic is formed in the reaction following exposure.

30. The process as in claim 29 wherein the respective crosslinked plastics being formed with the aid of a polyaddition reaction.

31. The process as in claim 29 wherein the basic reaction component comprises at least one material or blend of materials selected from the group of divergent organic polyisocyanate, modified organic polyisocyanate, or polyisocanate prepolymers.

32. The process as in claim 19 wherein the basic reaction component and at least one of the first or second reaction components being used with a viscosity between about 0.5 and 50 mPa and with a surface energy between about 20 and 70 mN/m at a predetermined dosing temperature.

33. A method for the production of a three dimensional article from a material, the method comprising:

ejecting a predetermined volume of a plurality of first drops of a base reaction component with a first nozzle, with a jet assembly onto a construction platform in a predetermined pattern, wherein the first drops are temperature and volumetrically controlled, further wherein the first drops comprise at least two hydrogen atoms reactive against isocyanates;

ejecting a predetermined volume of a plurality of second drops of a first initial reaction component with a second nozzle, with the jet assembly onto the first drops in a predetermined pattern, wherein the second drops are temperature and volumetrically controlled, further wherein the second drops comprise at least one of, or a combination of, organic polyisocyanates or polyisocyanate prepolymers;

ejecting a predetermined volume of a plurality of third drops of a second initial reaction component with a third nozzle, with the jet assembly onto at least the first drops in a predetermined pattern, wherein the third drops are temperature and volumetrically controlled, further wherein the third drops comprise at least one of, or a combination of, organic polyisocyanates or polyisocyanate prepolymers; and

repeating the above steps for producing individual layers until the three dimensional article is complete;

wherein;

i. a reaction component of the first initial reaction components reacts with the base reaction component to produce a first material with a first material property;

ii. a reaction component of the second initial reaction components reacts with the base reaction component to produce a second material with a second material property;

iii. the article exhibit a gradual transition from the first material property to the second material property; and

iv. the complete article being comprised of a crosslinked plastics being formed with the aid of a polyaddition reaction.

34. The method as in claim 33 wherein the basic reaction component comprises at least partially a filler material or blend of filler materials selected from the group of glass fibre, glass micro-balls, carbon fibre, clay, talc, or mineral.

35. The method as in claim 33 wherein the volume of drops of the first reaction component and the second reaction component released from the jet assembly and applied on a basic reaction component is varied based upon a thickness created by the previous repetition.

36. The method as in claim 33 wherein the jet assembly has a nozzle temperature between 50 and 90°

C.

37. The method as in claim 33 wherein the manufacture the three-dimensional item is completed in a controllable construction atmosphere, wherein the controllable construction atmosphere has settable temperature and humidity.

38. A method for the production of a three dimensional article from a material, the method comprising:

ejecting a plurality of first drops of a base reaction component at a predetermined volume, at a predetermined pressure and at a predetermined time with a first nozzle with a nozzle temperature between 50 and 90°

C., with a jet assembly onto a construction platform in a predetermined pattern, wherein the construction platform is disposed in a controllable construction atmosphere with a settable temperature and humidity, wherein the first drops are temperature and volumetrically controlled, further wherein the first drops comprise at least two hydrogen atoms reactive against isocyanates;

ejecting with the jet assembly a plurality of second drops of a first initial reaction component at a predetermined volume, at a predetermined pressure and at a predetermined time with a second nozzle having a nozzle temperature between 50 and 90°

C., with the jet assembly, onto the first drops in a predetermined pattern, wherein the second drops are temperature and volumetrically controlled, further wherein the second drops comprise at least one or a combination of, organic polyisocyanates or polyisocyanate prepolymers;

ejecting with the jet assembly a plurality of third drops of a second initial reaction component at a predetermined volume, at a predetermined pressure, and at a predetermined time with a third nozzle having a nozzle temperature between 50 and 90°

C., onto at least the first drops in a predetermined pattern, wherein the third drops are temperature and volumetrically controlled, further wherein the third drops comprise at least one, or a combination of organic polyisocyanates or polyisocyanate prepolymers; and

repeating the above steps for producing individual layers, wherein the volume of drops of the first initial reaction component and the second initial reaction component released from the jet assembly and applied on the basic reaction component is varied based upon a thickness created by the previous repetition, until the three dimensional article is complete;

wherein;

v. a reaction component of the first initial reaction components reacts with the base reaction component to produce a first material with a first material property;

vi. a reaction component of the second initial reaction components reacts with the base reaction component to produce a second material with a second material property;

vii. the article exhibits a gradual transition from the first material property to the second material property; and

viii. the complete article includes a crosslinked polymeric structure.