BUILD PLATFORM LEVELING WITH TACTILE FEEDBACK

• US 20130327917A1
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MakerBot Industries, LLC (Ultimaker BV)
• Original Assignee: MakerBot Industries, LLC (Ultimaker BV)
• Inventors: Steiner, Robert J., Douglas, Ariel
• Granted Patent: US 9,481,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/649
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/314 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• 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: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1224 Client or server resources management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics

Abstract

A three-dimensional printer uses leveling screws with tactile feedback to assist a user in properly orienting a build platform within a working volume.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a build platform having a top surface facing a working volume of a three-dimensional printer and a bottom surface opposing the top surface;

a base plate in a fixed relationship to a component of the three-dimensional printer, the base plate having a hole therethrough and a number of contact points positioned radially about the hole of the base plate;

a threaded rod extending from the bottom surface of the build platform through the hole in the base plate;

a spring between the build platform and the base plate; and

a thumbscrew coupled to the threaded rod below the base plate, the thumbscrew having a top surface facing the base plate and a second number of contact points arranged radially about a center of the thumbscrew and positioned to mechanically engage the contact points of the base plate.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the spring is shaped and sized to bias the build platform away from the base plate.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the spring is shaped and sized to bias the build platform toward the base plate.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the spring includes a coil spring captively retained by the threaded rod between the build platform and the base plate.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the base plate is in a fixed relationship to a z-stage positioning mechanism of the three-dimensional printer.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the base plate is in a fixed relationship to an x-y-stage positioning mechanism of the three-dimensional printer.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the threaded rod is threadably coupled to the build platform and coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the thumbscrew.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the threaded rod is threadably coupled to the thumbscrew and coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the build platform.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the number of contact points of the base plate include a number of radially extending ridges on the bottom surface of the base plate.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the number of contact points of the base plate includes eight ridges evenly radially spaced about the hole.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the number of contact points of the base plate includes recessed grooves.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the second number of contact points of the thumbscrew include a number of radially extending ridges on the top of the thumbscrew extending horizontally to a plane of the base plate.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the second number of contact points of the thumbscrew include a number of radially extending ridges on a side of the thumbscrew extending vertically to a plane of the base plate.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the second number of contact points of the thumbscrew includes eight ridges evenly radially spaced about the center of the thumbscrew.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the second number of contact points of the thumbscrew includes recessed grooves.

16. The device of claim 1 further comprising three holes in the base plate, three threaded rods, and three thumbscrews, each one of the three thumbscrews operable to adjust a height of a location on the build platform within a working volume of the three-dimensional printer.

17. The device of claim 16 further comprising a processor programmed to execute a three-point leveling program to guide a user through a build platform leveling process using the three thumbscrews.

18. The device of claim 1 further comprising four holes in the base plate, four threaded rods, and four thumbscrews, each one of the four thumbscrews operable to adjust a height of a location on the build platform within a working volume of the three-dimensional printer.

19. The device of claim 18 further comprising a processor programmed to execute a four-point leveling program to guide a user through a build platform leveling process using the four thumbscrews.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the threaded rod has a one millimeter thread pitch.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the build platform is a heated build platform.

22. The device of claim 1 further comprising a working surface to receive an object.

23. The device of claim 1 further comprising a working surface removably and replaceably attached to the build platform, the working surface adapted to receive an object fabricated by the three-dimensional printer in the working volume.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the working surface includes a moving conveyor.

25. The device of claim 1 wherein the number of contact points of the base plate and the second number of contact points of the thumbscrew cooperatively provide eight discrete rotational positions for the thumbscrew.

26. The device of claim 1 wherein the number of contact points of the base plate and the second number of contact points of the thumbscrew cooperatively provide sixteen discrete rotational positions for the thumbscrew.

27. The device of claim 1 wherein the contact points of the base plate are on the bottom surface of the base plate.

28. The device of claim 1 wherein the contact points of the base plate are on the sides of the base plate hole.

29. A system comprising:

a three-dimensional printer having a working volume with a z-axis;

a build platform in the working volume; and

a number of leveling mechanisms, each leveling mechanism coupled to the build platform and providing manual control of a position on the z-axis of a location on the build platform within the working volume in a number of steps, the steps being repeatable steps among discrete z-axis locations, wherein the leveling mechanism provides tactile feedback to an operator of the leveling mechanism for each transition between adjacent ones of the steps.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein each leveling mechanism converts a manual rotation of a thumbscrew into a movement along the z-axis of a corresponding location of the build platform.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the thumbscrew rotates about an axis parallel to the z-axis.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the thumbscrew rotates about an axis passing through the corresponding location on the build platform.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the leveling mechanism provides audible feedback to the operator of the leveling mechanism for each transition between adjacent ones of the steps.