APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING TANGIBLE PRODUCTS BY LAYERWISE MANUFACTURING

• US 20170050379A1
• Filed: 04/23/2015
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: Biemans, Augustinus Gerardus Maria, Houben, Ren Jos, Brouwers, Leonardus Antonius Maria, Rijfers, Andries, Feenstra, Frits Kornelis
• Granted Patent: US 10,421,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/232 for motion along the axis orthogonal to the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/379 Handling of additively manufactured objects, e.g. using robots
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 54/02 electrostatic, electric, or magnetic

Abstract

The invention relates to a production line and a method for making tangible products by layerwise manufacturing. The production line comprises a deposition head for depositing construction material layerwise on a building platform. The building platforms can move with a different speed along a conveyor. Optionally, the height of the building platforms can be adjusted.

The method is characterised in that at least two building platforms are moving with different speed.

Claims

1. Production line for layerwise manufacturing of tangible products comprising

a first and a second movable carrier, each carrier comprising

a transporter for transporting the carrier, and

a building platform for supporting a tangible product,

one or more deposition heads for depositing construction material in a deposition direction onto the first and the second building platform,

a conveyor for conveying the first and second building platform towards the deposition head and away from the deposition head repeatedly,

characterised in that

the first and the second transporter are movable at variable speed relative to each other along a trajectory of the conveyor.

2. Production line according to claim 1, further comprising height adjustment means that are configured for displacing a building platform of a carrier relative to a transporter of the carrier in a direction parallel to the deposition direction.

3. Production line according to claim 1, wherein a building platform of a carrier is movable relative to a transporter of the carrier in a plane perpendicular to the deposition direction.

4. Production line according to claim 3, wherein the building platform is rotatable in said plane.

5. Production line according to claim 3, wherein the platforms are transferable in said plane.

6. Production line according to claim 1, wherein each carrier comprises a building platform that is mounted on a arm, which arm can pivot around an axis relative to the transporter.

7. Production line according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is an endless conveyor.

8. Production line according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises banked curves.

9. Production line according to claim 1, comprising one or more handling stations for handling a tangible product, wherein the first and second transporters are movable at variable speeds relative to each other along a trajectory of the conveyor between the handling stations.

10. Production line according to claim 9, wherein the handling station comprises a cutting unit for removing material from a manufactured product on a building platform.

11. Production line according to claim 9, wherein the handling station comprises an input unit for inputting new carriers in the conveyor;

wherein the tunable height adjustment means is controlled individually for quasi-simultaneous production of different products.

12. Production line according to claim 9, wherein the handling station comprising a reader and a processing unit for controlling the processing steps of a product.

13. Production line according to claim 1, wherein the conveyer is arranged to allow conveying the building platforms along multiple trajectories.

14. Method for layerwise manufacturing of tangible products according to which a first carrier comprising a first building platform for receiving construction material is moving relative to a conveyor along a trajectory leading the first building platform along the deposition head characterised in that the first carrier is moving relative to a second carrier comprising a second building platform for receiving construction material, which second carrier is movable at variable speed relative to the conveyor along a trajectory leading the second building platform along the deposition head.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the trajectory of the first carrier is different from the trajectory of the second carrier.