Method of incremental object fabrication
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object or part comprising the steps of:
- determining dimensional boundaries of the part within a computer CAD/CAM system, the dimensional boundaries including x, y, and z dimensions;
providing a reference surface;
a) forming a first incremental layer of mold material on the reference surface, the incremental layer being selectively interrupted to define at least one dimensional boundary of the part;
thenb) forming a first incremental layer of part material upon at least the interruption in the first incremental layer of mold material;
thenc) selectively finishing the incremental layers of mold and part material to form a second reference surface generally parallel to the first reference surface;
d) forming a second incremental layer of mold material upon portions of the first layers of mold and part material, the second incremental layer being selectively interrupted to define another at least one dimension of the part;
thene) forming a second incremental layer of part material upon portions of the first layers of mold and part material; and
repeating steps a) through e) to form a plurality of layers of mold and part material until all dimensional boundaries are defined and the part is fully fabricated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An incremental object or part fabrication method includes the step of determining the dimensional boundaries of the part, the dimensional boundaries including x, y, and z dimensions. A reference surface is provided and a first incremental layer of mold material is formed on the reference surface. The first incremental layer of mold material is selectively interrupted to define at least one dimensional boundary of the part. A first incremental layer of part material is formed upon at least the reference surface, wherein a second reference surface is defined by the first incremental layers of mold and part material. The steps of forming incremental layers of mold and part material are repeated until the object is fully fabricated and all dimensional boundaries are defined.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object or part comprising the steps of:
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determining dimensional boundaries of the part within a computer CAD/CAM system, the dimensional boundaries including x, y, and z dimensions; providing a reference surface; a) forming a first incremental layer of mold material on the reference surface, the incremental layer being selectively interrupted to define at least one dimensional boundary of the part;
thenb) forming a first incremental layer of part material upon at least the interruption in the first incremental layer of mold material;
thenc) selectively finishing the incremental layers of mold and part material to form a second reference surface generally parallel to the first reference surface; d) forming a second incremental layer of mold material upon portions of the first layers of mold and part material, the second incremental layer being selectively interrupted to define another at least one dimension of the part;
thene) forming a second incremental layer of part material upon portions of the first layers of mold and part material; and repeating steps a) through e) to form a plurality of layers of mold and part material until all dimensional boundaries are defined and the part is fully fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object or part comprising the steps of:
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determining dimensional boundaries of the part within a computer CAD/CAM system, the dimensional boundaries including x, y, and z dimensions; providing a build datum surface; a) forming an incremental mold layer of polymeric material on the build datum surface by selectively solidifying mold material to define at least x and y dimensions of the part; b) forming an incremental part layer of metallic material upon the mold layer, wherein the part layer assumes the at least x and y dimensions of the part; c) finishing selected incremental mold and part layers to define a reference surface parallel to the build datum; and repeating steps a) through c) until all of the x, y, and z dimensions of the part are defined and the part is fully fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object or part comprising the steps of:
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employing a computer CAD/CAM system to determine dimensional boundaries of the part, the dimensional boundaries including at least x, y, and z dimensions; a) employing a stereolithography apparatus to form a first incremental layer of UV-cured polymer mold material upon a build datum surface, the first incremental layer of mold material being selectively interrupted to define at least one of the dimensional boundaries of the part; b) electroforming a first incremental layer of metallic material upon at least the interruption in the first incremental layer of mold material, wherein the first incremental layer of metallic material conforms to the at least one dimensional boundary of the part; c) finishing the first incremental layers of mold and metallic materials to define a new reference surface parallel to the build datum surface; and repeating steps a)-c) until the all dimensional boundaries of the part are defined and the part is fully fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification