GAS FLOW IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

• US 20180126649A1
• Filed: 11/03/2017
• Published: 05/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Inventors: ROMANO, Richard Joseph, TRALONGO, Joe, Buller, Benyamin, Brudny, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,661,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0012 In-line filters
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 15/02 using chambers or hoods covering the area B08B15/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/04 Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action B08B9/035 takes precedence; suction cleaners A47L
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/322 of the gas flow, e.g. rate or direction
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/77 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/33 translatory in the deposition plane
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/70 Gas flow means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2201/00 Treatment under specific atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/25 Housings, e.g. machine housings
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/268 using laser beams; using electron beams [EB]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/371 using an environment other than air, e.g. inert gas
• 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: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing processes, apparatuses, software, and systems for controlling and/or treating gas borne debris in an atmosphere of a 3D printer.

Claims

1. A system for printing a three-dimensional object, the system comprising:

an energy source configured to generate an energy beam for transforming a pre-transformed material to a transformed material;

a platform configured to support the three-dimensional object during the printing; and

an enclosure configured to enclose at least a portion the platform, the enclosure comprising;

a first wall;

at least one window configured to allow the energy beam to pass therethrough; and

a recessed portion relative to the first wall, which recessed portion comprises the at least one window and a second wall that at least partially separates the recessed portion from the first wall, which at least one window and second wall define a volume of the recessed portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one window is disposed at a position to facilitate a path of the energy beam to travel therethrough, which path of the energy beam is directed toward the platform.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wall is configured to facilitate at least partial shielding of an interior surface of the window from a gas-borne material in the enclosure.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least partial shielding is during the printing.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the gas-borne material is produced during the printing.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the recessed portion comprises a window holder portion that is configured to support the at least one window.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the window holder portion is comprised in a further recessed volume.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the recessed portion comprises a plurality of window holder portions.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of window holder portions supports a plurality of windows.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a purging system configured to direct a flow of gas away from the window.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the purging system comprises one or more channels, wherein the second wall comprises the one or more channels.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of windows that include the window, wherein the plurality of windows are arranged in a non-parallel alignment with a direction of a flow of gas above the platform.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the window holder portion comprises a purging system configured to direct a flow of gas within the further recessed volume.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wall comprises sides that at least partially enclose a volume of the recessed portion.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of energy sources.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the volume is between the window and the platform.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the window comprises a material having a thermally conductivity higher than that of fused silica.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the material is substantially transparent to at least a portion of wavelengths of the energy beam.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the window comprises at least one of sapphire, crystal quartz, zinc selenide (ZnSe), magnesium fluoride (MgF₂), or calcium fluoride (CaF₂).

20. The system of claim 1, wherein window comprises a material having a thermal conductivity measurement of at least 5 Watts per meter per degrees Celsius at 300 Kelvin.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the recessed portion comprises one or more sensors configured to detect one or more input parameters within the enclosure during the printing.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a gas-borne material.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one sensor is operatively coupled to the window and/or the recessed portion.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is configured to maintain an internal atmosphere at a positive pressure.

25. A method for printing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

directing an energy beam though a window to transform a pre-transformed material to a transformed material as part of the three-dimensional object that is printed in an enclosure comprising a first wall, which window is disposed in a recessed portion relative to the first wall, which recessed portion comprises a second wall that supports the window.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising at least partially shielding the interior surface of the window from a gas-borne material, which interior surface partially defines of an interior volume of the enclosure.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the gas-borne material comprises (i) a portion of the pre-transformed material or (ii) debris associated with transforming the pre-transformed material to the transformed material.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least partial shielding comprises reducing an amount of a gas-borne material from (i) altering the energy beam, (ii) obstructing the window, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii).

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the gas-borne material is produced during the printing.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least partial shielding comprises passively shielding.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least partial shielding comprises actively shielding.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein actively shielding comprises flowing a gas through one or more channels in the second wall.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein flowing the gas is to a direction away from the window.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the flowing of the gas results in an undetectable amount of debris affecting a peak intensity of the energy beam used to transform the pre-transformed material.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the flowing of the gas results in a peak intensity of the energy beam being substantially unchanged after transformation of at least 500 layers of pre-transformed material.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the flowing of the gas results in a peak intensity of the energy beam is substantially unchanged after transformation of at least about 3.4 milliliters of pre-transformed material.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising controlling flowing of the gas using one or more controllers.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein controlling is during the printing.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein controlling comprises adjusting a velocity and/or a pressure of the flowing of the gas.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein controlling comprises using an output of one or more sensors.