CONFIGURABLE SYSTEM FOR CREATING 3D OBJECT

• US 20100002041A1
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• 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 7,914,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/20
• 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 system is provided for creating a three-dimensional object. A plurality of printheads are provided with each printhead configured to print a respective portion of the object. The system is configured to enable a first printhead that is initially configured to print a first portion to be dynamically reconfigured to print a second portion, and if a second printhead initially configured to print the second portion fails, the first printhead is dynamically reconfigured to print the second portion.

Claims

1. A system for creating a three-dimensional object comprising:

a plurality of printheads, each printhead configured to print a respective portion of said object,

wherein the system is configured to enable a first printhead that is initially configured to print a first portion to be dynamically reconfigured to print a second portion, and if a second printhead initially configured to print the second portion fails, said first printhead is dynamically reconfigured to print the second portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reconfiguration is made with no loss of printed product.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a fault detection system that automatically detects faults in said system and reconfigures said first printhead in the event of a failure.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a conveyor for conveying a partially-formed object past said printheads, and wherein said printheads are configured to print simultaneously such that a plurality of different portions are printed simultaneously.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the printheads print different materials.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said printheads are maintained at different temperatures.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the printheads are each positioned at different heights relative to a conveyor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a height difference between each printhead is at least one volume element (voxel) height of the object.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein each printhead extend transversely across said conveyor relative to a conveying direction.