METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONVEYING PARTICULATE MATERIAL DURING THE LAYER-WISE PRODUCTION OF PATTERNS

• US 20100272519A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet Technology GMBH (Voxeljet AG)
• Inventors: Hartman, Andreas, Ederer, Ingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/154
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 19/06 Storage, supply or control of the application of particulate material; Recovery of excess particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/10 Formation of a green body
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/60 Planarisation devices; Compression devices
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/003 Apparatus, e.g. furnaces in general F27B
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• 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: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/357 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• 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: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for conveying particulate material during the manufacture of patterns in layers, wherein powder is conveyed out of a reservoir into a spreader unit and, if applicable, excess powder fed to the spreader unit is again conveyed back into the reservoir and wherein this conveying takes place in a closed conveying circuit.

Claims

1. A method for conveying particulate material during the manufacture of patterns in layers, wherein powder is conveyed out of a reservoir into a spreader unit and, if applicable, excess powder fed to the spreader unit is again conveyed back into the reservoir and wherein this conveying takes place in a closed conveying circuit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder conveying takes place via screw conveyors.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder conveying takes place via low pressure.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder conveying of the conveying circuit takes place via an individual conveying systems.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder conveying of the conveying circuit takes place via a plurality of conveying systems.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder conveying of the conveying circuit takes place via conveyor belts, conveyor cages, or both.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder conveying out of the reservoir into the spreader system takes place via an ejection system.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conveying circuit conveys excess powder material back into the reservoir after the coating process.

9. A device for conveying particulate material during the manufacture of patterns in layers, comprises a reservoir, a spreader unit and a powder conveying system, wherein at least the reservoir and the spreader unit are contained in a closed conveying circuit.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein provision is furthermore made for an ejection system.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the reservoir is arranged below the spreader unit in vertical direction, thus viewed in the direction at right angles to the coating direction, at least during filling process.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the powder conveying system comprises at least one conveyor belt.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the powder conveying system comprises screw conveyors.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein the powder conveying system comprises a suction device for low pressure conveying.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the ejection system comprises two covers comprising slits.

16. The device according to claim 9, wherein the ejection system comprises two tubes located within one another and comprising boreholes, which are arranged so as to be offset.

17. The device according to claim 9, wherein provision is furthermore made for a junction for introducing new powder material into the reservoir