SELF-HARDENING MATERIAL AND PROCESS FOR LAYERWISE FORMATION OF MODELS

• US 20100291314A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet Technology
• Inventors: Kashani-Shirazi, Kaveh
• Granted Patent: US 9,643,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/521
• 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: B29K 2033/12 Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/16 Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-hardening material for layerwise construction of three-dimensional components, whereby the material comprises at least one particulate material and a separately applied bonding agent for bonding the particulate material, and has a setting time which is at least several times as long as the application time of a particulate layer.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A self-hardening material for layerwise construction of three-dimensional components, whereby the material comprises at least one particulate material and a separately applied bonding agent for bonding the particulate material, and where a setting time is at least several times as long as a application time of a particulate layer.

19. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the setting time is greater than 20 times as long as the application time of the particulate layer.

20. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, in which setting of the binding material takes place after formation of the component.

21. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the component demonstrates uncured setting within 72 hours.

22. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the binder contains at least one component of the group including acrylate, methacrylate and/or sterols.

23. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the particulate material used is polymethylmethacrylate.

24. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the binding material can be polymerised using UV light, radiation, heat and/or reactive activators.

25. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the binder is composed of a multi-component bonding system.

26. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the binding material used is polyurethane resin or epoxy resin.

27. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the binder releases at least part of the particulate material.

28. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, whereby the binder contains further ingredients for the improvement of printability, such as, for example, an increase or decrease in viscosity and/or surface tension.

29. The self-hardening material as per claim 18, the particulate material used is a filler material.

30. A process for layerwise construction of three-dimensional components, whereby a material comprises at least one particulate material and a bonding agent for self-hardening of a particulate material, with a setting time which is at least several times as long as a application time of a particulate layer.

31. The process according to claim 30, whereby the setting time is between 20 and 150 times as long as the application time for the particulate layer.

32. The process according to claim 30, whereby the component demonstrates uncured setting within 72 hours.

33. The process according to claim 30, whereby the setting time is controlled by process temperature.

34. The process according to claim 30, whereby polymerisation of the binder using UV light, radiation, heat and/or reactive activators is employed.