Additive manufacturing device for manufacturing a three dimensional object

• US 20180200948A1
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Admatec Europe B.V. (Nano Dimension Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Admatec Europe B.V. (Nano Dimension Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kuijpers, Petrus Adrianus Johannes Maria, van Antwerpen, Marijn Adrianus Johannes
• Granted Patent: US 11,141,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/129 characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/321 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/357 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/364 Conditioning of environment
• 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

Abstract

Additive manufacturing device for manufacturing a three dimensional object, having a foil substrate (2) and a resin depositor (4) for depositing a layer of curable resin (6) on a first side (2a) of the foil substrate (2), wherein the resin depositor (4) comprises an input side resin storage unit (5). A radiation source (10) is present for radiation curing the resin layer (6) on the first side (2a) of the foil substrate (2), wherein a cured resin layer (6) represents a cross sectional slice of a three dimensional object (12). A stage (9) is configured to hold a stacked arrangement of one or more cured resin layers representing at least in part the three dimensional object (12), and a positioning system is provided for relative positioning the foil substrate (2) and the stage (9). A resin conditioning unit (16) is provided upstream from the input resin storage unit (5).

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing device for manufacturing a three dimensional object, comprising

a foil substrate and a resin depositor for depositing a layer of curable resin on a first side of the foil substrate, the foil substrate being supported by a support plate;

a radiation source for radiation curing the resin layer on the first side of the foil substrate, wherein a cured resin layer represents a cross sectional slice of a three dimensional object;

a stage configured to hold a stacked arrangement of one or more cured resin layers representing at least in part the three dimensional object;

a positioning system for relative positioning the foil substrate and the stage;

wherein the resin depositor comprises an input side resin storage unit, the additive manufacturing device further comprising;

a resin collection unit arranged to collect unused curable resin from the substrate, and

a resin conditioning unit upstream from the input side resin storage unit, wherein the resin conditioning unit is in communication with the resin collection unit and the input side resin storage unit.

2. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin collection unit comprises a scraper.

3. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin collection unit comprises a suction aperture, the scraper has a curvature, and the suction aperture is located centrally with respect to the curvature of the scraper.

4. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin depositor further comprises a variable height blade for providing the layer of curable resin on the foil substrate.

5. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source comprises a single projector.

6. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, further comprising a foil flattening device for keeping the foil substrate flat onto the support plate.

7. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin conditioning unit further comprises a pump unit in communication with the input side resin storage unit.

8. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin conditioning unit further comprises a filter unit.

9. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 8, wherein the filter unit has a filter aperture size which is smaller than a thickness of the layer of curable resin.

10. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin conditioning unit further comprises a resin temperature control system.

11. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin conditioning unit further comprises a resin viscosity control system.

12. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin conditioning unit further comprises a resin humidity control system.

13. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the resin conditioning unit further comprises a resin ingredient control system.

14. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, further comprising a non-invasive health monitoring unit in operational communication with the resin conditioning unit.

15. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 1, wherein the foil substrate comprises a foil substrate marking, and the additive manufacturing device further comprising a foil substrate control unit.

16. The additive manufacturing device according to claim 8, wherein the filter unit has a filter aperture size which is less than 50 μ

m.