APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUS GENERATIVE PRODUCTION

• US 20110049739A1
• Filed: 08/23/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bego Medical GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bego Medical GmbH
• Inventors: Uckelmann, Ingo, Schwartz, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,524,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0013 using stereolithographic techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0018 using laser
• 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 64/176 Sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

The invention concerns a process for producing products of individual geometry, in particular dental prostheses or dental auxiliary parts, comprising the steps of producing a plurality of products on the surface of a substrate plate by means of selective hardening, in particular by means of selective sintering or melting, in which the material is applied in successive layers, after each layer application one or more predetermined regions of the applied layer is selectively hardened by means of an energy-rich radiation and connected to one or more regions of the subjacent layer, wherein the predetermined regions are predetermined on the basis of a cross-sectional geometry of the product in the respective layer. According to the invention the successive layers are applied in layer planes oriented inclinedly relative to the surface of the substrate plate. The invention further concerns an apparatus for carrying out such a process.

Claims

1. A process for producing products of individual geometry, in particular dental prostheses or dental auxiliary parts, comprising the steps:

producing a plurality of products on the surface of a substrate plate by means of selective hardening, in particular by means of selective sintering or melting,

applying a hardenable material in successive layers,

selectively hardening one or more predetermined regions after each layer application by means of an energy-rich radiation and in so doing connecting said regions to one or more regions of the subjacent layer,

wherein the predetermined region or regions is or are predetermined on the basis of a cross-sectional geometry of the product in the respective layer,

characterised in that the successive layers are applied in layer planes which are oriented inclinedly relative to the surface of the substrate plate.

2. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that each of the successive layers is applied at an angle which is less than or equal to the angle of repose of the material.

3. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that the substrate plate is displaced between two successive layer application operations with a directional component perpendicularly to the plane in which the layer is applied.

4. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that the surface of the substrate plate in the region in which the layers are applied extends inclinedly relative to the horizontal in relation to the direction of the force of gravity.

5. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that the applied layers are displaced into an adjacent production portion which is disposed adjacent to a production portion in which the layers are applied and which is in the form of a holding region and in which an upper surface, formed by the applied layers, of the applied material is covered and supported by a lower surface of a cover plate, the lower surface extending parallel to the surface of the substrate plate.

6. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that the surface of the substrate plate is subdivided into a first surface of a first substrate plate segment and at least one further surface of a further substrate plate segment.

7. The process according to claim 6 characterised in that the substrate plate segments are connected releasably to each other or releasably to a main carrier and each substrate plate segment after production of one or more products on the surface thereof is released from an adjacent substrate plate segment or the main carrier in order to feed the product or products thereon to further processing steps.

8. The process according to claim 6 characterised in that in the production portion in which the layers are applied the substrate plate segments are so provided in mutually juxtaposed relationship that no material can pass through between the substrate plate segments.

9. The process according to claim 6 characterised in that the substrate plate segments are in the form of segments of an endless conveyor apparatus.

10. The process according to claim 6 characterised in that provided between the substrate plate segments is a separating wall which separates the building space above each substrate plate segment from the building space above an adjacent substrate plate segment.

11. The process according to preceding claim 10 characterised in that the separating wall is produced by hardening of the applied material during the production operation of the product or products.

12. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that prior to each material application the hardened regions of the previously applied layer are surface-ground.

13. An apparatus for producing products of individual geometry, including

a substrate plate,

a material application apparatus for applying material layers to and above the substrate plate,

a radiation source for a high-energy beam,

beam guidance means for guiding the beam on to predetermined regions of a material layer applied to the substrate plate,

characterised in that the material application apparatus is adapted to apply the material in a plane which is oriented inclinedly, in particular at an angle which is less than or equal to the angle of repose of the material, relative to the surfaces of the substrate plate, to which the material is applied.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 characterised in that

the substrate plate is subdivided into a plurality of substrate plate segments, and

the material application apparatus is adapted for simultaneous application of a material layer to a number of the plurality of substrate plate segments.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 characterised in that the substrate plate segments are connected releasably to each other or releasably to a main carrier.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13 characterised by a control for actuating the beam guidance means of the high-energy beam, which is adapted to so actuate the beam guidance means that a separating wall is produced during the production operation of the product by hardening of the applied material.