Method and apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object
First Claim
1. A method of producing a three-dimensional object layer by layer on a support using a powdery material which can be solidified by irradiation with electromagnetic radiation, said method comprising carrying out the following steps for each layer:
- applying a layer of said material to said support or to a preceding layer;
wiping said layer by moving a wiper member across said support to obtain a predetermined thickness of said material,vibrating said wiper member while moving it across said support to accelerate the formation of said layer having said predetermined thickness and to enhance surface smoothness and compactness of said layer,striking said layer with a beam of electromagnetic radiation at those portions of said layer which correspond to said object, thereby fusing said material at said portions of said layer,whereby said step of applying comprises charging a predetermined amount of said material into a container, said container carrying said wiper member, moving said container across said support and vibrating said container while moving it for simultaneously applying and wiping said material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a method and an apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects by layerwise solidification of a material the problem is encountered that, in particular when using powdery or pasty material, a material layer having an exactly adjusted thickness can not be generated in a sufficiently fast manner. In order to solve this problem, it is proposed to scrape the material by means of a vibrating wiper member (21, 22) when applying the material or to provide a movable container (13) used for applying the material with such wiper members (21, 22) at the lower side thereof.
-
Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A method of producing a three-dimensional object layer by layer on a support using a powdery material which can be solidified by irradiation with electromagnetic radiation, said method comprising carrying out the following steps for each layer:
-
applying a layer of said material to said support or to a preceding layer; wiping said layer by moving a wiper member across said support to obtain a predetermined thickness of said material, vibrating said wiper member while moving it across said support to accelerate the formation of said layer having said predetermined thickness and to enhance surface smoothness and compactness of said layer, striking said layer with a beam of electromagnetic radiation at those portions of said layer which correspond to said object, thereby fusing said material at said portions of said layer, whereby said step of applying comprises charging a predetermined amount of said material into a container, said container carrying said wiper member, moving said container across said support and vibrating said container while moving it for simultaneously applying and wiping said material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of producing a three-dimensional object layer by layer on a support using a material which can be solidified by irradiating with electromagnetic radiation, said method comprising carrying out the following steps for each layer:
-
applying a layer of said material to said support or to a preceding layer, wiping said layer by moving a wiper member across said support to obtain a predetermined thickness of said material, vibrating said wiper member while moving it across said support by subjecting said wiper member to a vibration in a direction transverse to said wiping direction and parallel to said support or said layer so as to accelerate the formation of said layer having said predetermined thickness and to enhance surface smoothness and compactness of said layer, striking said layer with a beam of electromagnetic radiation at those portions of said layer which correspond to said object, thereby fusing said material at said portions of said layer. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
-
11. Apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object layer by layer using a powdery material which can be solidified by irradiating it with electromagnetic radiation, said apparatus comprising:
-
a support means, means for applying a layer of said material to said support means, scanning means for irradiating said layer at those portions thereof corresponding to said object, said applying means comprising a container means disposed above said support means, said container means receiving said material and having a lower side facing said support means, drive means for moving said container means across said support means substantially parallel thereto, wiper means for smoothing said layer to a predetermined thickness, said wiper means being disposed at said lower side of said container means and being fastened to said container means, and vibrating means for vibrating said container means when moving said container means across said support means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. Apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object layer by layer using a material which can be solidified by irradiating it with electromagnetic radiation, said apparatus comprising:
-
a support means, means for applying a layer of said material to said support means, scanning means for irradiating said layer at those portions thereof corresponding to said object, said applying means comprising a container means disposed above said support means, said container means receiving said material and having a lower side facing said support means, drive means for moving said container means across said support means substantially parallel thereto said drive means comprising means for moving said container means into an end position after applying and wiping said material, wiper means smoothing said layer to a predetermined thickness, said wiper means being disposed at said lower side of said container means and being fastened to said container means, and vibrating means for vibrating said container means when moving said container means across said support means, and reservoir means for said material and feeding means for feeding a predetermined amount of said material from said reservoir means into said container means, if said container means is in said end position. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification