Method and apparatus for variably controlling the temperature in a selective deposition modeling environment
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a temperature and a surface;
detecting the temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and
forcing a gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is variably controlled based on the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
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Abstract
A method, system and apparatus for variably controlling the temperature in a selective deposition modeling environment. The temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object is detected. A gas is forced onto a surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object. The forced gas has a characteristic, such as temperature and quantity, that is variably controlled based on the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
175 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
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forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a temperature and a surface; detecting the temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and forcing a gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is variably controlled based on the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
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forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein each of the formed portions of the three-dimensional object has a geometry and a surface; and forcing a gas flow in a flow rate onto the surface of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas flow having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas flow is variably controlled based on the geometry of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
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forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface; and forcing the gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, wherein the gas has a quantity and a temperature, and wherein the quantity of gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined quantity of gas value, and wherein the temperature of the gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined temperature of gas value. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
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forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature; detecting the temperature of the build environment; and forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the build environment.
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29. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
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forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein the three-dimensional object has a temperature, and wherein the portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature; detecting the temperature of the build environment; detecting the temperature of a formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the build environment and the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
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30. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
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forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein the dispensing head has a dispensing rate; detecting the temperature of a build environment, wherein the build environment houses the formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and modifying the dispensing rate using a minimum layer per second (MLS) technique, wherein the MLS technique incorporates the detected temperature of the build environment.
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31. A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
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forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface; forcing a quantity of gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and selecting a thickness and a vertical accumulation rate of the flowable material, wherein the thickness is based on the forced quantity of gas, and wherein the vertical accumulation rate is greater than 1.5 mils/15 seconds.
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32. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a temperature and a surface; means for detecting the temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and means for forcing a gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is variably controlled based on the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
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33. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein each of the formed portions of the three-dimensional object has a geometry and a surface; and means for forcing a gas onto the surface of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is variably controlled based on the geometry of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
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34. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface; and means for forcing the gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, wherein the gas has a quantity and a temperature, and wherein the quantity of gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined quantity of gas value, and wherein the temperature of the gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined temperature of gas value.
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35. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature; means for detecting the temperature of the build environment; and means for forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the build environment.
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36. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein the three-dimensional object has a temperature, and wherein a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature; means for detecting the temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and means for forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
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37. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein the dispensing head has a dispensing rate; means for detecting the temperature of a build environment, wherein the build environment houses the formed portion of the three-dimensional object; and means for modifying the dispensing rate using a minimum layer per second (MLS) technique, wherein the MLS technique incorporates the detected temperature of the build environment.
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38. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein the formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface; means for forcing a quantity of gas onto the surface of the formed portion of a three-dimensional object; and means for selecting a thickness and a vertical accumulation rate of the flowable material, wherein the thickness is based on the forced quantity of gas, and wherein the vertical accumulation rate is greater than 1.5 mils/15 seconds.
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Specification