METAL PRINTER WITH VIBRATING ULTRASOUND NOZZLE

• US 20170173692A1
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Desktop Metal, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Desktop Metal, Inc.
• Inventors: Mykulowycz, Nicholas, Shim, Joseph Yosup, Gibson, Michael Andrew, Myerberg, Jonah Samuel, Fulop, Ric, Schroers, Jan, Hart, Anastasios John, Fontana, Richard Remo, Chin, Ricardo, Schuh, Christopher Allan, Sachs, Emanuel Michael, Verminski, Matthew David, Chiang, Yet-Ming
• Application Number:
  US15/382,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20170173692A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/14 by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/31 Calibration of process steps or apparatus settings, e.g. before or during manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/13 to preheat the material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/38 Housings, e.g. machine housings
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2003/247 Removing material: carving, cleaning, grinding, hobbing, honing, lapping, polishing, milling, shaving, skiving, turning the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/11 temperature, temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/115 by spraying molten metal, i.e. spray sintering, spray casting
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/24 After-treatment of workpieces or articles B22F3/1146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/007 Transformation of amorphous into microcrystalline state
• 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 64/393 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 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/16 Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2505/00 : Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as filler
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2509/08 : Glass
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

In an aspect, a printer fabricates an object from a computerized model using a fused filament fabrication process and a metallic build material. An ultrasonic vibrator is incorporated into the printer to improve the printing process, e.g., by disrupting a passivation layer on the deposited material to improve interlayer bonding, and to prevent adhesion of the metallic build material to a nozzle and other printer components.

Claims

1. A printer for three-dimensional fabrication of metallic objects, the printer comprising:

a reservoir to receive a metallic build material from a source, the metallic build material having a working temperature range between a solid and a liquid state where the metallic build material exhibits plastic properties suitable for extrusion;

a heating system operable to heat the metallic build material within the reservoir to a temperature within the working temperature range;

a nozzle including an opening that provides a path for the metallic build material;

a drive system operable to mechanically engage the metallic build material in solid form below the working temperature range and advance the metallic build material from the source into the reservoir with sufficient force to extrude the metallic build material, while at a temperature within the working temperature range, through the opening in the nozzle; and

an ultrasonic vibrator coupled to the nozzle and positioned to convey ultrasonic energy to the metallic build material where the metallic build material extrudes through the opening in the nozzle.

2. The printer of claim 1 further comprising a controller that operates the ultrasonic vibrator with sufficient energy to ultrasonically bond an extrudate of the metallic build material exiting the extruder to an object formed of one or more previously deposited layers of the metallic build material on a build plate.

3. The printer of claim 1 further comprising a controller that operates the ultrasonic vibrator with sufficient energy to interrupt a passivation layer on a receiving surface of a previously deposited layer of the metallic build material.

4. The printer of claim 1 further comprising a controller that operates the ultrasonic vibrator with sufficient energy to augment thermal energy provided by the heating system to maintain the metallic build material at the temperature within the working temperature range within the reservoir.

5. The printer of claim 1 further comprising a controller that operates the ultrasonic vibrator with sufficient energy to reduce adhesion of the metallic build material to the nozzle and an interior of the reservoir.

6. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor for monitoring a suitability of a receiving surface of a previously deposited layer of the metallic build material for additional build material; and

a controller configured to dynamically control operation of the ultrasonic vibrator in response to a signal from the sensor.

7. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor for measuring a force applied to the metallic build material by the drive system; and

a controller for increasing ultrasonic energy applied by the ultrasonic vibrator to the reservoir in response to a signal from the sensor indicative of an increase in the force applied by the drive system.

8. The printer of claim 1 wherein the metallic build material includes a bulk metallic glass, the printer further comprising a controller coupled to the ultrasonic vibrator, the controller configured to operate the ultrasonic vibrator with sufficient energy to liquefy the bulk metallic glass at a layer between an object fabricated with the bulk metallic glass from the nozzle and a support structure for the object fabricated with the bulk metallic glass.

9. The printer of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical decoupler interposed between the ultrasonic vibrator and one or more other components of the printer to decouple ultrasound energy from the ultrasonic vibrator from the one or more other components.

10. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor for measuring a quality of a bond between adjacent layers of the metallic build material based on electrical resistance between the adjacent layers; and

a controller configured to increase an application of ultrasound energy in response to a signal from the sensor indicating that the quality of the bond is poor.

11. The printer of claim 1 wherein the metallic build material includes a bulk metallic glass.

12. The printer of claim 11 wherein the working temperature range includes a range of temperatures above a glass transition temperature for the bulk metallic glass and below a melting temperature for the bulk metallic glass.

13. The printer of claim 1 wherein the metallic build material includes a non-eutectic composition of eutectic systems that are not at a eutectic composition.

14. The printer of claim 13 wherein the working temperature range includes a range of temperatures above a eutectic temperature for the non-eutectic composition and below a melting point for each component species of the non-eutectic composition.

15. The printer of claim 1 wherein the metallic build material includes a metallic base that melts at a first temperature and a high-temperature inert second phase in particle form that remains inert up to at least a second temperature greater than the first temperature.

16. The printer of claim 15 wherein the working temperature range includes a range of temperatures above a melting point for the metallic base.

17. The printer of claim 1 wherein the printer comprises a fused filament fabrication additive manufacturing system.

18. The printer of claim 17 further comprising a build plate and a robotic system, the robotic system configured to move the nozzle in a three-dimensional path relative to the build plate in order to fabricate an object from the metallic build material on the build plate according to a computerized model of the object.

19. The printer of claim 18 further comprising a controller configured by computer executable code to control the heating system, the drive system, and the robotic system to fabricate the object on the build plate from the metallic build material.

20. The printer of claim 18 further comprising a build chamber housing at least the build plate and the nozzle, the build chamber maintaining a build environment suitable for fabricating an object on the build plate from the metallic build material.

21-30. -30. (canceled)