SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A TANGIBLE OBJECT

• US 20090289384A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepastnatuurwetens Chappelijk Onderzoek Tm
• Inventors: Boot, Ronaldus Jacobus Johannes, Michels, Jasper Joost, Maalderink, Herman Hendrikus
• Granted Patent: US 9,205,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/40.100
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/20 for indicating or measuring workpiece characteristics, e.g. contour, dimension, hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/76 Measuring, controlling or regulating measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/766 the setting or resetting of moulding conditions, e.g. before starting a cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/80 of relative position of mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/19 characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/235 with force or acceleration feedback only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/237 with a combination of feedback covered by G05B19/232 - G05B19/235
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/404 characterised by control arrangements for compensation, e.g. for backlash, overshoot, tool offset, tool wear, temperature, machine construction errors, load, inertia G05B19/19, G05B19/41 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing

Abstract

A system for producing a tangible object. The system has a space which can be filled with a fluid. A reference platform at least partially defines at least one side of the space. The system further has a phase-transformer which can form a layer of the object by selectively transforming the fluid into a solid in a predetermined area of the space. An actuator can separate the layer from the reference platform by moving the layer relative to the reference platform or vice versa. The system has a controller connected with an actuator control output to the actuator and/or with a transformer control output to the phase transformer. The controller can control the production of the object based on a determined value of the force exerted on the reference platform or the solid or of a parameter related to the force.

Claims

1. A system for producing a tangible object, including:

a space which can be filled with a fluid;

a reference platform which at least partially defines at least one side of the space;

a phase-transformer, for forming a layer of said object by selectively transforming the fluid into a solid in a predetermined area of said space;

an actuator for separating said layer from said reference platform by moving the layer relative to the reference platform or vice versa; and

a controller connected with an actuator control output to said actuator and/or with a transformer control output to said phase transformer, for controlling the production of said object based on a determined value of the force exerted on the reference platform or the solid or of a parameter related to the force.

2. A system according to claim 1, further including:

a sensor for sensing said force or the parameter related to said force, and

wherein said controller is connected with a control input to said sensor, for receiving said determined value.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor includes a force sensor for measuring a force parallel or opposite to a direction of movement of the layer or the reference platform.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor includes a three-point force measurement system.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is arranged to determine from the force value a suitable time for a sub-process of the fabrication of the object, such as for separating the layer from the reference platform and/or for transforming the fluid into a solid and/or for a cycle of forming a following layer of said object.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controller includes a timer, for controlling the actuator based on the value as a function of time.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said contoller includes a comparator connected to the control input and to a memory in which a force threshold is stored, for limiting the movement or the velocity of the movement in case said determined value exceeds the force threshold.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said force threshold is stored as a function of time.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said reference platform can be pivoted relative to said layer, for at least partially separating the reference platform and the layer and/or said layer can be moved in a direction away from the reference platform, for providing a space between the reference platform and the layer in which a following layer of the object can be produced.

10. A system according to claim 1, further including

a memory in which a model of forces acting on the layer or the reference platform is stored and wherein the controller includes a control input for receiving data suitable to be inputted in the model to determine said force.

11. A system according to claim 1, further including:

a carrier platform which defines a side of the space opposite to the side defined by said platform, to which carrier platform said layer may be suspended for moving the layer relative to the reference platform; and

wherein said actuator can move said carrier platform relative to the reference platform, for separating the layer suspended to the carrier platform from the reference platform.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said carrier platform provides a top side of the space and said reference platform defines a bottom side of the space, and said carrier platform is moved upwards and/or said reference platform downwards to separate the layer from the reference platform.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the reference platform includes an anti-stick layer, such as a rubber-like layer or a silicon layer, which forms a wall of the space.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said fluid can be transformed into a solid by a suitable type of energy and the phase-transformer includes a source of energy which can selectively provide the energy to the predetermined area.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said source of energy includes a source of electromagnetic radiation;

the reference platform includes a window which is transparent to said radiation; and

said system further includes a projection unit for projecting the electromagnetic radiation through the window onto the predetermined area.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the phase-transformer can initiate a chemical reaction of a component in the fluid which results in a solid reaction product, such as curing a liquid resin by electromagnetic radiation.

17. A controller for use in a system according to claim 1.

20. A computer program product, including program code portions for performing the function of a controller according to claim 17 when run on a programmable apparatus.

18. A method for producing a tangible object, including forming at least one layer with a predetermined shape, said forming including:

providing a liquid filled space of which at least one side is at least partially defined by a platform;

transforming said liquid into a solid in a predetermined area of the space corresponding to the predetermined shape;

separating said solid from said platform by moving the platform relative to another side of the space or vice versa;

wherein the producing is controlled based on a determined value of the force exerted on the platform or the solid or of a parameter related to the force.

19. A method according to claim 18, further including forming a following layer with a predetermined shape by providing a space between said separated solid and said platform, filling said space between said separated solid and said platform with a liquid and repeating said transforming and separating.