METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PART USING A DEPOSITION TECHNIQUE

• US 20140322501A1
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exone GMBH (Desktop Metal, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Inventors: Ederer, Ingo, Hochsmann, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 9,403,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/206
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 1/162 use of a gaseous treating agent for hardening the binder
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 23/00 Tools; Devices not mentioned before for moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/00 Moulds or cores uniquely adapted to particular casting processes B22D; Moulding processes
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/02 Sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/10 Cores; Manufacture or installation of cores breaker cores B22C9/084
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/14 by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/60 Treatment of workpieces or articles after build-up
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/224 for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/67 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/16 for producing layered articles coating B28B11/04
• 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 71/009 using gases without chemical reaction C08J7/12 takes precedence; in combination with blow-moulding B29C49/46; surface treatment using plasma B29C59/14, ionised gas B29C59/16
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 including particulate material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a part using a deposition technique. A layered composite is built up in layers, the individual layers each containing particulate material and binding material as well as optionally, a treatment agent. The layers maintain a predetermined porosity. The layer composite is built up in the absence of hardening agent. Once construction is complete, the layer composite is hardened.

Claims

1. A method for producing a part layer-by-layer comprising the steps of:

i. depositing a first layer of particulate matter into a building box having a build platform;

ii. selectively applying a particulate binder to a predefined subarea the layer so that the layer has treated particulate matter in the predefined subarea and untreated particulate matter outside of the predefined subarea. wherein the binder is a free-flowing powder;

iii. providing support to both the treated particulate matter and the untreated particulate matter by the building box so that partial consolidation of the treated particulate matter is not required to prevent the treated particulate matter from flowing beyond the predefined subarea of the layer;

iv. repeating steps i. through iii. until the part is complete, wherein the building platform provides support for the layered composite and reduces the danger of damage to the uncured layered composite;

v. binding the particulate matter in the predefined subareas only after step iv. is complete matter particles in the predefined subareas is achieved with binder;

wherein the steps of depositing the layer of particulate material and applying the particulate binder are done in the absence of an initiator.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material includes sand.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined subarea remains untreated and is removed from the bonded part.

16. A part prepared according to claim 1, wherein the part is a metal part.

2-13. -13. (canceled)

17. A method for producing a part layer-by-layer, comprising the steps of:

i. depositing a first layer of particulate matter into a building box having building platform;

ii. selectively applying a liquid binder to a predefined subarea of the layer so that the layer has treated particulate matter in the predefined subarea and untreated particulate matter outside of the predefined subarea, wherein the binder is applied in the form of liquid drops according to an inkjet or a drop-on-demand technique;

iii. providing support to both the treated particulate matter and the untreated particulate matter by the building box so that partial consolidation of the treated particulate matter is not required to prevent the treated particulate matter from flowing beyond the predefined subarea of the layer;

iv. repeating steps i. through iii, until the part is complete;

wherein the building platform provides support for the layered composite and reduces the danger of damage to the uncured layered composite;

v. binding the particulate matter in the predefined subareas only after step iv. is complete by heating the part so that the part is bonded, wherein binding of the particulate matter particles in the predefined subareas is achieved with the binder;

wherein the steps of depositing the layer of particulate material and applying the liquid binder are done in the absence of an initiator.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the liquid binder is selectively applied using an inkjet print head.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predefined subarea remains untreated and is removed from the bonded part.

20. A method for producing a part layer-by-layer, comprising the steps of:

i. depositing a layer of material including a dry binder into a building box having a building platform;

ii. applying a treatment agent to a predefined subarea of the layer so that the treatment agent soaks into the dry binder and makes the treated binder more amenable for bonding through the application of heat compared with the untreated dry binder outside of the predefined subarea;

iii. repeating steps i. through ii. until the part is complete;

wherein the building platform provides support for the layered composite and reduces the danger of damage to the uncured layered composite;

iv. curing the treated binder in the part after step iii. is complete by heating the part so that the part is bonded; and

wherein the steps of depositing the layer of particulate material and applying the dry binder are done in the absence of an initiator; and

wherein the binder is applied as a free-flowing powder.

21. The method method of claim 20, wherein the material including the dry binder is a particulate material having a coating of the binder.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the material including the dry binder is a Croning sand.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of depositing a layer of material including a dry binder includes depositing a material including a metal powder.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the method includes a step of depositing a layer of particulate material prior to the step of depositing a layer of material including a dry binder.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the material outside of the predefined subarea remains untreated and is removed from the bonded part.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the treatment agent is a liquid.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the treatment agent lowers the melting point or range of the binder.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of curing includes heating to a temperature between the melting temperature of the untreated binder and the melting temperature of the treated binder for selectively melting the treated binder.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the treatment agent increases the chemical reactivity of the binding material.

30. A metal part produced by the method of claim 20.

31. A method for producing a part layer-by-layer, comprising the steps of:

i. depositing a first layer of particulate matter into a building box having building platform;

ii. applying a resinous binder to a predefined subarea of the layer so that the layer has treated particulate matter in the predefined subarea and untreated particulate matter outside of the predefined subarea;

iii. providing support to both the treated particulate matter and the untreated particulate matter by the building box so that partial consolidation of the treated particulate matter is not required to prevent the treated particulate matter from flowing beyond the predefined subarea of the layer;

iv. repeating steps i. through ii. for depositing additional layers over the previously deposited layer until a multi-layered part is complete; and

v. curing the resinous binder in the part after step iv. is complete by flooding or flowing a gas curing agent through the part;

wherein the steps of depositing the layer of particulate material and applying the resinous binder are done in the absence of an initiator.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the particulate matter has a particle size range from 90 μ

m to 200 μ

m; and

the gas curing agent is selected from a group that consists of carbon dioxide, dimethylethylamine, triethylamine, sulphur dioxide, methylformiate, formaldehyde-dimethylacetate, or isocyanate.