SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THREE DIMENSIONAL MODEL PRINTING

• US 20110147993A1
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Objet Geometries
• Inventors: Eshed, David, Menchik, Guy, Kritchman, Eliahu M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,132,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/308
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/20 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/232 for motion along the axis orthogonal to the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• 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

Abstract

A scanning 3-D printing system comprises a printing platform movable in a printing direction and in an indexing direction, the printing platform comprising a printing head configured for dispensing building material while the printing platform is moving in a printing direction one pass at a time, and layer by layer, a roller configured for leveling the dispensed building material one pass at a time, wherein the roller is rotatably mounted on a roller axle, and wherein the roller axle extends over all passes of the printing system and is stationary in the indexing direction, a scraper configured for scraping excess building material off the roller, and a trough configured for collecting the building material scraped off the roller.

Claims

1. A scanning 3-D printing system comprising:

a printing platform movable in a printing direction and in an indexing direction, the printing platform comprising a printing head configured for dispensing building material while the printing platform is moving in a printing direction one pass at a time, and layer by layer; and

a roller configured for leveling the dispensed building material one pass at a time, wherein the roller is rotatably mounted on Y rail which extends over all passes of the printing system and is stationary in the indexing direction.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Y rail is mounted at each end to a carriage movable in the printing direction, wherein the carriage is configured to support and couple the Y rail on each of its ends to an X rail aligned with the printing direction.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the roller extends over all passes of the printing system and is stationary in the indexing direction.

6. The system according to claim 29, wherein the scraper is mounted on the printing platform.

8. The system according to claim 29, wherein the trough is mounted on the printing platform.

10. The system according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the scraper and the trough extends over all passes of the printing system and is stationary in the indexing direction.

28. The system according to claim 2, wherein the printing platform is mounted on the Y rail.

29. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a scraper configured for scraping excess building material off the roller; and

a trough configured for collecting the building material scraped of the roller.

30. The system according to claim 1, where the printing platform and the roller move together in the printing direction while dispensing the building material from the printing head.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for printing 3-D objects with a scanning 3-D printing system, the method comprising:

dispensing building material from a printing platform while moving in a printing direction one pass at a time and layer by layer;

shifting the printing platform in an indexing direction prior to dispensing a subsequent pass of a layer; and

leveling the building material after each dispensing with a roller, wherein the roller is rotatably mounted on Y rail, and wherein the roller axle extends over all passes of the printing system, is stationary in the indexing direction and is movable in the printing direction.

15. The method according to claim 14 comprising shifting the roller in the indexing direction after leveling a pass in a layer.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the roller extends over all printed passes of the printing system.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein at least one of a scraper configured for scraping excess building material off the roller and a trough configured for collecting the building material scraped off the roller are mounted on the printing platform.

18. The method according to claim 17 comprising:

scraping excess building material off the roller with the scraper; and

shifting the scraper in the indexing direction after leveling a pass in a layer.

19. The method according to claim 17 comprising offsetting the scraper'"'"'s position in the indexing direction for printing different layers.

23. The method according to claim 14 wherein the printing platform and the roller move together in the printing direction while dispensing the building material.

20-22. -22. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A scanning 3-D printing system comprising:

a printing platform mounted on a Y rail movable in a printing direction and in an indexing direction, the printing platform comprising a printing head configured for dispensing building material while moving in a printing direction one pass at a time, and layer by layer;

a roller configured for leveling the dispensed building material one pass at a time;

a scraper configured for scraping excess building material off the roller; and

a trough configured for collecting the building material scraped off the roller;

wherein the printing platform moves in the indexing direction along the Y rail, and wherein both the Y rail and the roller extend over all passes of the printing system and are stationary in the indexing direction.

26. The system according to claim 25 wherein at least one of the scraper and the trough are movable in the indexing direction.

27. The system according to claim 25 wherein at least one of the scraper and the trough extend over all passes of the printing system and are stationary in the indexing direction.