Chute for Laser Sintering Systems

• US 20140265045A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Cullen, David H., Hidalgo, Rafael Enrique
• Granted Patent: US 9,931,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/497
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/36 of energy beam parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/13 to preheat the material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/52 Hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/63 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• 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: B29C 64/205 Means for applying layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/218 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/236 for motion in a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/295 Heating elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/329 using hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/357 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/364 Conditioning of environment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/371 using an environment other than air, e.g. inert gas
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/00 : Use of polyethers , e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 : Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• 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: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

There is provided improved laser sintering systems that increase the powder density and reduce anomalies of the powder layers that are sintered, that measure the laser power within the build chamber for automatic calibration during a build process, that deposit powder into the build chamber through a chute to minimize dusting, and that scrubs the air and cools the radiant heaters with recirculated scrubbed air. The improvements enable the laser sintering systems to make parts that are of higher and more consistent quality, precision, and strength, while enabling the user of the laser sintering systems to reuse greater proportions of previously used but unsintered powder.

Claims

1. A laser sintering system for fabricating three dimensional objects based upon design data and from a sinterable powder, the laser sintering system comprising:

a hopper for supplying the sinterable powder to a build chamber of the laser sintering system;

a powder distribution device for distributing the sinterable powder in a layer on a part bed; and

a chute extending from the hopper toward the surface the sinterable powder is deposited upon, wherein the chute is between the powder distribution device and the part bed.

2. A laser sintering system according to claim 1, wherein the chute is movable by movement of the powder distribution device.

3. A laser sintering system according to claim 1, wherein the chute further comprises a chute heater for preheating sinterable powder within the chute.

4. A laser sintering system according to claim 1, wherein the chute is rotatable.

5. A laser sintering system according to claim 1, wherein the powder distribution device comprises a counter-rotating roller.

6. A laser sintering system according to claim 5 further comprising a roller heater for heating a surface of the roller.

7. A laser sintering system according to claim 1, wherein the powder distribution device includes a roller assembly with a portion adapted to move the chute when the powder distribution device moves.

8. A laser sintering system according to claim 1 further comprising a laser power measurement device capable of measuring a laser beam within the build chamber.

9. A laser sintering system according to claim 1 further comprising a scrubber and a heater bracket for supporting at least one heater, wherein exhaust air from the scrubber is supplied to the build chamber through the heater bracket.

10. A method for laser sintering a three dimensional objects based upon design data and from a sinterable powder, the method comprising:

depositing sinterable powder between a powder distribution device and a part bed, wherein the sinterable powder is deposited through a chute that is between the powder distribution device and the part bed; and

distributing the sinterable powder on the part bed to form a layer of sinterable powder.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein depositing sinterable powder through the chute comprises heating the sinterable powder within the chute prior to depositing the sinterable powder.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the sinterable powder is heated within the chute by a heater element on the chute.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the sinterable powder is heated within the chute by radiant heat from radiant heaters.

14. A method according to claim 10 further comprising preheating the powder distribution device with at least one heater element on the chute.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein distributing the sinterable powder comprises moving the chute out of the way of the powder distribution device.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising returning the powder distribution device to a home position and moving the chute to be between the powder distribution device and the part bed.