CONSUMABLE MATERIALS HAVING TOPOGRAPHICAL SURFACE PATTERNS FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

• US 20110076495A1
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Crump, S. Scott, Batchelder, J. Samuel, Swanson, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,236,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/369
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/001 Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0022 combined with cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/05 Filamentary, e.g. strands
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/06 Rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/355 Conveyors for extruded articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0072 Roughness, e.g. anti-slip
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2007/008 Wide strips, e.g. films, webs
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/06 Rods, e.g. connecting rods , rails, stakes shafts B29L2031/75; poles, masts, posts B29L2031/766
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/752 Measuring equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/42 by cutting films into narrow ribbons or filaments or by fibrillation of films or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2922 Nonlinear [e.g., crimped, coiled, etc.]

Abstract

A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising a topographical surface pattern that is configured to engage with a drive mechanism of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system.

Claims

1. A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising a length and a topographical surface pattern along at least a portion of the length that is configured to engage with a drive mechanism of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, wherein the topographical surface pattern provides a fractal dimensionality for at least a portion of an exterior surface of the consumable material that is greater than two for a length scale between 0.01 millimeters and 1.0 millimeter.

2. The consumable material of claim 1, wherein the consumable material has a substantially cylindrical geometry with an average diameter ranging from about 1.143 millimeters to about 2.54 millimeters.

3. The consumable material of claim 1, wherein the topographical surface pattern comprises a plurality of tracks extending around at least a portion of an exterior surface of the consumable material.

4. The consumable material of claim 3, wherein the plurality of tracks are selected from the group consisting of rectangular tracks, parabolic tracks, worm-type tracks, corrugated tracks, textured tracks, impressed file-type tracks, herringbone-type tracks, sprocket tracks, edge-facing tracks, staggered tracks, and combinations thereof.

5. The consumable material of claim 1, wherein the consumable material compositionally comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic material, an amorphous metallic alloy, and combinations thereof.

6. The consumable material of claim 1, wherein the consumable material has a non-cylindrical geometry.

7. The consumable material of claim 6, wherein the non-cylindrical geometry comprises a cross-sectional profile having a width and a thickness, and wherein an aspect ratio of the width to the thickness is greater than about 2:

1.

8. The consumable material of claim 1, wherein the topographical surface pattern has an average cross-sectional area that is at least about 5% of an average cross-sectional area of the consumable material at a non-track location.

9. The consumable material of claim 8, wherein the average cross-sectional area of the topographical surface pattern ranges from about 5% to about 30% of the average cross-sectional area of the consumable material at the non-track location.

10. A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising:

a composition comprising at least one material having amorphous properties; and

a geometry comprising;

a length;

an exterior surface extending along the length; and

a plurality of tracks formed in the exterior surface along at least a portion of the length, wherein the plurality of tracks provide a fractal dimensionality for the exterior surface that is greater than two for a length scale between 0.01 millimeters and 1.0 millimeter.

11. The consumable material of claim 10, wherein the consumable material has a substantially cylindrical geometry with an average diameter ranging from about 1.143 millimeters to about 2.54 millimeters.

12. The consumable material of claim 10, wherein the plurality of tracks are selected from the group consisting of rectangular tracks, parabolic tracks, worm-type tracks, corrugated tracks, textured tracks, impressed file-type tracks, herringbone-type tracks, sprocket tracks, edge-facing tracks, staggered tracks, and combinations thereof.

13. The consumable material of claim 10, the consumable material has a non-cylindrical geometry.

14. The consumable material of claim 10, wherein the plurality of tracks have an average cross-sectional area that is at least about 5% of an average cross-sectional area of the consumable material at a non-track location.

15. A method for forming a consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the method comprising:

providing an extruded consumable material precursor comprising a length and an exterior surface extending along the length, wherein the extruded product is formed from an amorphous material; and

forming a topographical surface pattern in the exterior surface along at least a portion of the length, wherein at least a portion of the topographical surface pattern is configured to engage with a drive mechanism of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, and wherein the topographical surface pattern provides a fractal dimensionality for the exterior surface that is greater than two for a length scale between 0.01 millimeters and 1.0 millimeter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the topographical surface pattern provide a fractal dimensionality for the exterior surface that is greater than two.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the extruded consumable material precursor an extruded sheet, and wherein the method further comprises cutting the extruded sheet into a plurality of non-cylindrical filaments, wherein the topographical surface pattern extends at least partially along a length of at least one of the plurality of non-cylindrical filaments.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of non-cylindrical filaments comprises a non-track cross section having a width and a thickness, wherein the thickness of the non-track cross section is substantially equal to a thickness of the extruded sheet.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the topographical surface pattern comprises a plurality of tracks extending around at least a portion of the exterior surface.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the topographical surface pattern has an average cross-sectional area that is at least about 5% of an average cross-sectional area of the consumable material at a non-track location.