SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATES FOR ADDITIVE FABRICATION

• US 20170197363A1
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Formlabs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Formlabs Incorporated
• Inventors: FRANTZDALE, BEN
• Granted Patent: US 10,675,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/236 for motion in a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/255 Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/128 in the form of a mat
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 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

Abstract

According to some aspects, a method of additive fabrication is provided wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed on a build platform, the method comprising forming a layer of material in contact with a substrate and further in contact with either a previously formed layer of material or the build platform, the substrate being an actinically transparent, flexible, composite material, and subsequent to the forming of the layer of the material, actively separating the layer of material from the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of additive fabrication wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed on a build platform, the method comprising:

forming a layer of material in contact with a substrate and further in contact with either a previously formed layer of material or the build platform, the substrate being an actinically transparent, flexible, composite material; and

subsequent to the forming of the layer of the material, actively separating the layer of material from the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises a plurality of materials, each material of the plurality of materials having substantially the same index of refraction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the composite material comprises a first material embedded in a second material, and a layer of a third material laminated over the first and second material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises fibers of a first material embedded in a second material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fibers are non-woven fiberglass.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second material is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the fibers are predominantly aligned along a first axis that is parallel to a surface of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer of material is formed by curing a liquid photopolymer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness of between 50 μ

m and 200 μ

m.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is suspended over an opening opposing the build platform.

11. An additive fabrication device, the device comprising:

a build platform coupled to one or more actuators configured to move the build platform in a vertical direction, the build platform having a build surface that is planar in a horizontal direction;

a vessel having an interior surface of which at least a portion is formed from an actinically transparent, flexible, composite material; and

a source of actinic radiation arranged to direct actinic radiation through the composite material onto the build surface.

12. The additive fabrication device of claim 11, further comprising one or more actuators configured to move the vessel in the horizontal direction.

13. The additive fabrication device of claim 11, further comprising a wiper configured to move across an exterior surface of the vessel whilst contacting the exterior surface, the exterior surface being opposed to the interior surface.

14. The additive fabrication device of claim 11, wherein the composite material comprises a plurality of materials, each material of the plurality of materials having substantially the same index of refraction.

15. The additive fabrication device of claim 11, wherein the vessel is coupled to one or more actuators configured to move the vessel in the horizontal direction.

16. The additive fabrication device of claim 11, wherein the composite material comprises fibers of a first material embedded in a second material.

17. The additive fabrication device of claim 16, wherein the fibers are non-woven fiberglass.

18. The additive fabrication device of claim 16, wherein the second material is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

19. The additive fabrication device of claim 11, wherein the composite material has a thickness of between 50 μ

m and 200 μ

m.

20. The additive fabrication device of claim 11, wherein the composite material is suspended over an opening opposing the build platform.