Method of three-dimensional rapid prototyping through controlled layerwise deposition/extraction and apparatus therefor
First Claim
1. A method of automated layerwise fabrication of a three-dimensional part from a computer model, through controlled deposition and extraction of materials, that comprises, producing a three-dimensional computer model representation of the part and, by software, slicing the representation into a plurality of successive layers corresponding to layers of predetermined thickness(es) of the part;
- generating sequences of part and complementary support material(s) contours corresponding to each layer;
depositing material(s) for one or more of said contours onto a work surface within a processing enclosure;
material(s) processing said deposited contour(s) in order to achieve prespecified material properties for part and complementary contours;
removing portions of said material(s) from said part and complementary contour(s) under the control of the computer model representation corresponding thereto;
repeating the depositing, processing, and removing as necessary under the control of the computer model corresponding to the layer to complete an aggregate layer comprising part material contours within prespecified geometric and material property tolerances and complementary material(s) elsewhere on the aggregate layer;
completing the computer model layer by further processing said aggregate layer to ensure thickness tolerances and selective binding to the next aggregate layer;
repealing said controlled layer creation steps to build the entire part surrounded by the complementary material/s; and
removing said complementary material/s to obtain the fabricated part.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of rapid prototyping through controlled layerwise deposition and extraction involving the precision control of material subtractive or removal processes in conjunction with material additive processes wherein each layer is formed by selectively depositing and removing portions of the layers in accordance with corresponding software slices of a computer model of the prototype part, and with complementary support material included in the layers and ultimately removed when the complete part has been fabricated.
335 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of automated layerwise fabrication of a three-dimensional part from a computer model, through controlled deposition and extraction of materials, that comprises, producing a three-dimensional computer model representation of the part and, by software, slicing the representation into a plurality of successive layers corresponding to layers of predetermined thickness(es) of the part;
- generating sequences of part and complementary support material(s) contours corresponding to each layer;
depositing material(s) for one or more of said contours onto a work surface within a processing enclosure;
material(s) processing said deposited contour(s) in order to achieve prespecified material properties for part and complementary contours;
removing portions of said material(s) from said part and complementary contour(s) under the control of the computer model representation corresponding thereto;
repeating the depositing, processing, and removing as necessary under the control of the computer model corresponding to the layer to complete an aggregate layer comprising part material contours within prespecified geometric and material property tolerances and complementary material(s) elsewhere on the aggregate layer;
completing the computer model layer by further processing said aggregate layer to ensure thickness tolerances and selective binding to the next aggregate layer;
repealing said controlled layer creation steps to build the entire part surrounded by the complementary material/s; and
removing said complementary material/s to obtain the fabricated part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
- generating sequences of part and complementary support material(s) contours corresponding to each layer;
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36. Apparatus for automated layerwise fabrication of a three-dimensional part from a computer model, through controlled deposition and extraction of materials having, in combination, means for producing a three-dimensional computer model representation of the part and, by software, slicing representation into a plurality of successive layers corresponding to layers of predetermined thickness(es) of the part;
- means for generating sequences of part and complementary support material(s) contours corresponding to each layer;
means for depositing material(s) for one or more of said contours onto a work surface within a processing enclosure;
means for materials(s) processing said deposited contour(s) in order to achieve prespecified material properties for part and complementary contours;
means for removing portions of said material(s) from said part and complimentary contour(s) under the control of the computer model representation corresponding thereto;
means for repeating the depositing, processing, and removing as necessary under the control of the computer model corresponding to the layer to complete an aggregate layer comprising part material contours with prespecified geometric and material property tolerances and complementary material(s) elsewhere on the aggregate layer;
means for completing the computer model layering by further processing said aggregate layer to ensure thickness tolerances and selective binding to the next aggregate layer to build the entire part surrounded by the complementary material(s); and
means for removing said complementary material(s) to obtain the fabricated part.
- means for generating sequences of part and complementary support material(s) contours corresponding to each layer;
Specification