REINFORCED FUSED-DEPOSITION MODELING

• US 20170087768A1
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arevo Inc.
• Inventors: Bheda, Hemant
• Granted Patent: US 10,011,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/10 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• 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 64/307 Handling of material to be used in additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/321 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/336 of two or more materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing an object includes an extrusion head having an extrusion needle for extruding thermoplastic material associated with one or more fiber strands. The apparatus may further include a turn-table, a more robotic arm for moving the extrusion head and needle, thermoplastic filament and fiber strand spools and thermoplastic filament and fiber strands. A controller is provided for directing the robotic arm, extrusion head and the turn-table. Further, a method for manufacturing an object includes generating a design for the object that substantially satisfies desired structural properties of the object and generating a sequence for extruding one or more beads of thermoplastic material to manufacture the object according to the design, in which the one or more beads of thermoplastic material are associated with one or more fiber strands. The one or more beads of thermoplastic material and the associated one or more fiber strands are then extruded according to the sequence.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A method for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:

(a) directing a first fiber from a first spool and a second fiber from a second spool to an opening, wherein said first fiber comprises a thermoplastic material;

(b) upon directing said first fiber and said second fiber to said opening, using a heater to subject said first fiber to heating to generate a plurality of beads comprising said thermoplastic material; and

(c) sequentially providing individual beads of said plurality of beads adjacent to a platform in accordance with a computer design of said three-dimensional object, which plurality of beads adjacent to said platform is reinforced by said second fiber, thereby forming said three-dimensional object.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein each of said plurality of beads comprises a material included in said second fiber.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said individual beads include strands of said first or second fiber that have a maximum length that is less than twice a minimum dimension of said individual beads.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said individual beads include strands formed of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of glass, carbon, aramid, cotton, and wool.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein said thermoplastic material is part of a thermoplastic filament.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said thermoplastic filament comprises a tow of fiber strands, a yarn of fiber strands, a braid of fiber strands, or a bundle of fiber strands.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein said individual beads include strands from said second fiber, which strands do not include said thermoplastic material.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein said individual beads include strands from said second fiber, which strands include said thermoplastic material.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein said individual beads include strands of different length, different material, or different modulus.

45. The method of claim 36, wherein said individual beads include different bundles of fiber strands from said first fiber or second fiber.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein (c) comprises combining fiber strands from said second fiber with said thermoplastic material.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein said computer design comprises a model said three-dimensional object and structural properties of said three-dimensional object.

48. The method of claim 36, wherein said platform comprises a drive mechanism for moving said platform.

49. The method of claim 36, wherein said platform is a turntable.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein (c) comprises using a positioning assembly to provide said individual beads of said plurality of beads adjacent to said platform.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said positioning assembly comprises a robot arm.

52. The method of claim 40, wherein said opening is part of a nozzle, and wherein (c) comprises sequentially providing said individual beads of said plurality of beads through said nozzle.

53. The method of claim 40, wherein said second fiber comprises one or more strands, which one or more strands are directed to said opening and associated with said plurality of beads.

54. The method of claim 40, wherein said second fiber comprises carbon.

55. A system for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a first spool comprising a first fiber, wherein said first fiber comprises a thermoplastic material;

a second spool comprising a second fiber;

a heater configured to subject said first fiber to heating to generate a plurality of beads comprising said thermoplastic material;

a platform adjacent to which said three-dimensional object is formed; and

a controller operatively coupled to said heater, wherein said controller (i) directs said first fiber from said first spool and said second fiber from said second spool to an opening, (ii) uses said heater to subject said first fiber of heating to generate a plurality of beads, and (iii) sequentially provides individual beads of said plurality of beads adjacent to said platform in accordance with a computer design of said three-dimensional object, which plurality of beads adjacent to said platform is reinforced by said second fiber, thereby forming said three-dimensional object.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said computer design comprises a model said three-dimensional object and structural properties of said three-dimensional object.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein said platform comprises a drive mechanism for moving said platform.

58. The system of claim 55, further comprising a positioning assembly that provides said individual beads of said plurality of beads adjacent to said platform.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein said positioning assembly comprises a robot arm.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein said positioning assembly operates along six or seven axes.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein said positioning assembly is capable of depositing a bead of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material in a helix.

62. The system of claim 55, wherein said opening is part of a nozzle, and wherein said controller sequentially provides said individual beads of said plurality of beads through said nozzle.

63. The system of claim 55, wherein said second fiber comprises one or more strands, which one or more strands are directed to said opening and associated with said plurality of beads.

64. The system of claim 55, wherein said controller controls a rate at which said first fiber and said second fiber are directed to said opening.

65. The system of claim 55, wherein said second fiber comprises carbon.