3-D color model making apparatus and process

• US 6,165,406 A
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nanotek Instruments Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nanotek Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Jang, Bor Z., Huang, Wen C., Jang, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US09/321,278
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 264/308, 264/401, 425/145, 425/375, 347/1, 700/119
• US Class Current: 264/308
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0021 Multi-coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49015 Wire, strang laying, deposit fluid, welding, adhesive, hardening, solidification, fuse
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49039 Build layer of different, weaker material between support and prototype

Abstract

A freeform fabrication process and apparatus for making a colorful 3-D object. The process includes (1) operating a multiple-channel droplet deposition device for supplying and, on demand, ejecting droplets of multiple liquid compositions containing a solidifiable baseline body-building material and different colorants; (2) providing a support platform a distance from this deposition device to receive the droplets therefrom; and (3) during the droplet ejecting process, moving the deposition device and the platform relative to one another in an X-Y plane and in a Z direction orthogonal to the X-Y plane so that the droplets are deposited to form multiple layers to build a colorful 3-D object. These steps are executed under the control of a computer system by taking additional steps of (4) creating a geometry and color pattern of the object on a computer with the geometry including a plurality of color-coded segments defining the object; (5) generating programmed signals corresponding to each of the segments in a predetermined sequence; and (6) moving the deposition device and the platform relative to each other in response to these programmed signals. Preferably, the system is also operated to generate a support structure for any un-supported feature of the object.

Claims

1. Apparatus for making a multi-color three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis, comprising:

a droplet deposition device comprising;

a multiplicity of flow channels;

at least one of said channels containing a solidifiable liquid composition as a body-building baseline material for said object and at least one of said channels containing a colorant;

each channel having on one side a discharge orifice of a predetermined size;

a multiplicity of liquid reservoirs;

each of said reservoirs having on one side a pipe means in fluid flow communication with one of said channels at another side of said channel remote from said orifice;

actuator means located in control relation to each of said channels for actuating ejection of droplets through said discharge orifice;

an object-supporting platform disposed underneath and at a predetermined initial distance from said discharge orifices to receive liquid droplets therefrom;

motion means coupled to said platform and said deposition device for moving said deposition device and said platform relative to one another in a plane defined by first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane to deposit said droplets into a three-dimensional object;

a computer-aided design computer and supporting software programs operative to create a three-dimensional geometry and color pattern data of a desired object, to convert said geometry into a plurality of segments defining the object with each segment coded with a color, and to generate programmed signals corresponding to each of said segments in a predetermined sequence; and

a three-dimensional motion controller electronically linked to said motion means and operative to actuate said motion means in response to said programmed signals for each of said segments received from said computer.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said droplet deposition device comprises an ink jet printhead with thermally activated actuator means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said droplet deposition device comprises an ink jet printhead with piezo-electric activated actuator means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supporting software programs comprise:

means for evaluating the data files representing the geometry of said object to locate any un-supported feature of the object;

means, responsive to the evaluating means locating an un-supported feature, for defining a support structure for said un-supported feature;

means for creating a plurality of segments defining said support structure; and

means for generating programmed signals required by said droplet deposition device to fabricate said support structure.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a separate fabrication tool and wherein said supporting software programs comprise:

means for evaluating the data files representing the image of said object to locate any un-supported feature of said object;

means, responsive to the evaluating means locating an un-supported feature, for defining a support structure for the un-supported feature;

means for creating a plurality of segments defining said support structure; and

means for generating programmed signals required by said separate fabrication tool to fabricate said support structure.

6. Apparatus for making a multi-color three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis, comprising:

a plurality of droplet deposition devices;

each of said devices having at least a channel being supplied with a liquid composition from a liquid reservoir through a pipe means, actuator means in control relation to said channel for droplet ejection, and a discharge orifice at one end of said channel to eject liquid droplets therethrough;

at least one of said liquid compositions containing a solidifiable body-building baseline material for said object and at least one of said liquid compositions containing a colorant;

an object-supporting platform disposed underneath and at a predetermined initial distance from said discharge orifices to receive liquid droplets therefrom;

motion means coupled to said object platform and said deposition devices for moving said deposition devices and said object platform relative to one another in a plane defined by first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane to deposit said liquid droplets for forming a three-dimensional object;

a computer-aided design computer and supporting software programs operative to create a three-dimensional geometry and color pattern data of a desired object, to convert said geometry into a plurality of segments defining the object with each segment being coded with a color, and to generate programmed signals corresponding to each of said segments in a predetermined sequence; and

a three-dimensional motion controller electronically linked to said motion means and operative to actuate said motion means in response to said programmed signals for each said segment received from said computer.

7. Apparatus asset forth in claim 6, wherein said supporting software programs comprise:

means for evaluating the data files representing the image of said object to locate any un-supported feature of the object;

means, responsive to the evaluating means locating an un-supported feature, for defining a support structure for said un-supported feature;

means for creating a plurality of segments defining said support structure; and

means for generating programmed signals required by said droplet deposition device to fabricate said support structure.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a separate fabrication tool and wherein said supporting software programs comprise:

means for evaluating the data files representing the image of said object to locate any un-supported feature of said object;

means, responsive to the evaluating means locating an un-supported feature, for defining a support structure for the un-supported feature;

means for creating a plurality of segments defining said support structure; and

means for generating programmed signals required by said separate fabrication tool to fabricate said support structure.

9. A solid freeform fabrication process for making a colorful three-dimensional object comprising the steps of:

creating a geometry and color pattern of an object on a computer with said geometry including a plurality of segments defining the object;

each of said segments being coded with a color;

generating programmed signals corresponding to each of said segments in a predetermined sequence;

operating, in response to said programmed signals, a multiple-channel droplet deposition device for supplying desired multiple liquid compositions and ejecting said liquid compositions in the form of droplets on demand;

at least one of said liquid compositions containing a solidifiable baseline body-building material and at least two of said liquid compositions containing different colorants;

providing an object-supporting platform disposed underneath and at a predetermined initial distance from said droplet deposition device to receive said droplets therefrom;

during said droplet ejecting process and in response to said programmed signals, moving said deposition device and said object platform relative to one another in a plane defined by a first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane to form a first layer of said droplet compositions on said platform;

moving said deposition device and said platform away from one another in said third direction by a predetermined layer thickness;

after the portion of said first layer adjacent to said deposition device has solidified, dispensing a second layer of said droplet compositions onto said first layer while simultaneously moving said platform and said deposition device relative to one another in a direction parallel to said plane, whereby said second layer solidifies and adheres to said first layer;

operating additional steps of forming multiple layers of said droplet compositions on top of one another by repeated ejecting and depositing of said droplet compositions from said deposition device as said platform and said deposition device are moved relative to one another in said direction parallel to said plane, with said deposition device and said platform being moved away from one another in said third direction by a predetermined layer thickness after each preceding layer has been formed and with the depositing of each successive layer being controlled to take place after said materials in the preceding layer immediately adjacent said deposition device have substantially solidified to form a colorful three-dimensional object.

10. A process as set forth in claim 9, wherein said moving step includes the step of moving said deposition device and said platform relative to one another in a direction parallel to said plane according to a first predetermined pattern to form an outer boundary from at least one of said droplet compositions containing desired colorants on said platform, said outer boundary defining an exterior surface of said object.

11. A process as set forth in claim 10, wherein said outer boundary defines an interior space in said object, and said moving step further includes the step of moving said deposition device and said platform relative to one another in one direction parallel to said plane according to at least one other predetermined pattern to fill said interior space with at least one of said droplet compositions.

12. A process as set forth in claim 11, wherein said program signals determine said movement of said deposition device and said platform relative to one another in said first predetermined pattern and said at least one other predetermined pattern.

13. A process as set forth in claim 9, comprising additional steps of

evaluating the geometry data files representing said object to locate any un-supported feature of the object, defining a support structure for the un-supported feature and creating a plurality of segments defining said support structure;

generating program signals corresponding to each of the segments for said object and each of the segments for said support structure in a predetermined sequence;

providing at least two colorant-containing liquid compositions for said object and one liquid composition for said support structure;

feeding said compositions to at least one droplet deposition device and operating said at least one deposition device to eject droplets of said compositions onto an object-supporting platform; and

during said ejection step, moving said deposition device and said object-supporting platform in response to said programmed signals relative to one another in a plane defined by first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane in a predetermined sequence of movements such that said compositions are deposited in free space as a plurality of segments sequentially formed so that the last deposited segment overlies at least a portion of the preceding segment in contact therewith to thereby form said support structure and said three-dimensional object.

19. A process as set forth in claim 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18 wherein at least one liquid composition contains white colorant.

20. A process as set forth in claim 19, wherein at least a second liquid composition contains yellow, a third composition contains magenta, a fourth composition contains cyan, and a fifth composition contains black colorant.

14. A solid freeform fabrication process for making a colorful three-dimensional object comprising the steps of:

creating a geometry and color pattern of an object on a computer with said geometry including a plurality of segments defining the object;

each of said segments being coded with a color;

generating programmed signals corresponding to each of said segments in a predetermined sequence;

operating, in response to said programmed signals, a plurality of droplet deposition devices for supplying desired multiple liquid compositions and ejecting droplets of said liquid compositions;

each of said devices having at least a channel being supplied at one end with a liquid composition from a liquid reservoir through a pipe means, actuator means in control relation to said channel for droplet ejection, and a discharge orifice at another end of said channel to eject liquid droplets therethrough;

at least one of said liquid compositions containing a solidifiable body-building baseline material for said object and at least one of said liquid compositions containing a colorant;

providing an object-supporting platform disposed underneath and at a predetermined initial distance said droplet deposition device to receive said droplets therefrom;

during said droplet ejecting process and in response to said programmed signals, moving said deposition devices and said object platform relative to one another in a plane defined by a first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane to form a first layer of said droplet compositions on said platform;

moving said deposition devices and said platform away from one another in said third direction by a predetermined layer thickness;

after the portion of said first layer adjacent to said deposition devices has solidified, dispensing a second layer of said droplet compositions onto said first layer while simultaneously moving said platform and said deposition devices relative to one another in a direction parallel to said plane, whereby said second layer solidifies and adheres to said first layer;

operating additional steps of forming multiple layers of said droplet compositions on top of one another by repeated ejecting and depositing of said droplet compositions from said deposition devices as said platform and said deposition devices are moved relative to one another in said direction parallel to said plane, with said deposition devices and said platform being moved away from one another in said third direction by a predetermined layer thickness after each preceding layer has been formed and with the depositing of each successive layer being controlled to take place after said materials in the preceding layer immediately adjacent said deposition device have substantially solidified to form a colorful three-dimensional object.

15. A process as set forth in claim 14, wherein said moving step includes the step of moving said deposition device and said platform relative to one another in a direction parallel to said plane according to a first predetermined pattern to form an outer boundary from at least one of said droplet compositions containing desired colorants on said platform, said outer boundary defining an exterior surface of said object.

16. A process as set forth in claim 15, wherein said outer boundary defines an interior space in said object, and said moving step further includes the step of moving said deposition devices and said platform relative to one another in one direction parallel to said plane according to at least one other predetermined pattern to fill said interior space with at least one of said droplet materials.

17. A process as set forth in claim 16, wherein said program signals determine the movement of said deposition devices and said platform relative to one another in said first predetermined pattern and said at least one other predetermined pattern.

18. A process for making a colorful three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of

creating a geometry and color pattern of said three-dimensional object on a computer, said geometry including a plurality of segments defining said object;

each of said segments being coded with a color;

evaluating the geometry data files representing said object to locate any un-supported feature of the object, defining a support structure for the un-supported feature, and creating a plurality of segments defining said support structure;

generating program signals corresponding to each of said segments for both said object and said support structure in a predetermined sequence;

providing at least two colorant-containing compositions for said object and one composition for said support structure;

feeding said compositions to at least two droplet deposition devices and operating said deposition devices to eject droplets of said compositions onto an object-supporting platform;

during said ejection step, moving said deposition devices and said object-supporting platform in response to said programmed signals relative to one another in a plane defined by first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane in a predetermined sequence of movements such that said compositions are deposited in free space as a plurality of segments sequentially formed so that the last deposited segment overlies at least a portion of the preceding segment in contact therewith to thereby form said support structure and said three-dimensional object of multi-colors.

21. Apparatus for making a multi-color three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis, comprising:

a computer-aided design computer and supporting software programs operative to create a three-dimensional geometry and color pattern of a desired object, to convert said geometry into a plurality of segments defining the object with each segment coded with a color, and to generate programmed signals corresponding to each of said segments in a predetermined sequence;

a two-dimensional color printing device for providing color inks on demand comprising;

a print head comprising a multiplicity of flow channels each having on first side a discharge orifice of a predetermined size;

a multiplicity of liquid reservoirs each having on one side a pipe means in fluid flow communication with one of said channels at a second side of said channel distal from said orifice;

actuator means located in control relation to each of said channels for actuating ejection of droplets through said discharge orifice;

a cartridge for carrying said print head and being provided with first motion means to move in a first direction, also referred to as X direction;

an object-supporting platform at a predetermined initial distance from said discharge orifices of said print head to receive liquid droplets therefrom;

at least one additional droplet dispensing device at another predetermined distance from said platform for depositing droplets of a baseline body-building liquid composition material thereto;

second motion means coupled to said platform and said droplet dispensing device for moving said dispensing device and said platform relative to one another in an X-Y plane defined by said X direction and a second or Y direction and in a third or Z direction orthogonal to said X-Y plane to deposit said droplets into a three-dimensional object; and

a three-dimensional motion controller electronically linked to said computer and said first and second motion means and operative to actuate said motion means in response to said programmed signals for each of said segments received from said computer;

said droplet dispensing device providing a bulk of the materials needed to build the body of said object and said 2-D printing device delivering desired inks to desired locations of said object layer by layer.

22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein at least one liquid reservoir contains yellow ink, one contains cyan ink, one contains magenta ink, and one contains black ink and wherein said baseline body-building material contains a white colorant.

23. Apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein at least one liquid reservoir contains yellow ink, one contains cyan ink, one contains magenta ink, and one contains black ink and wherein said baseline body-building material is substantially transparent.

24. A method for making a multi-color 3-D object on a layer-by-layer basis, comprising:

(a) providing a computer and supporting software programs operative to create a three-dimensional geometry and a color pattern of a desired object and to convert said geometry and color pattern data into programmed signals in a predetermined sequence;

(b) providing an object-supporting platform with a generally flat surface;

(c) responsive to said programmed signals, operating at least one droplet dispensing device for depositing droplets of a baseline body-building material to build a first portion of a first layer of the object onto said flat surface of the platform;

(d) further responsive to said programmed signals, operating a 2-D color printing device for depositing desired color inks onto said first portion;

(e) repeating (c) and (d) to complete the formation of the first layer; and

(f) repeating (c), (d), and (e) to build multiple layers of said object to form a multi-color 3-D object.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said 2-D color printer provides desired yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks on demand and wherein said body-building material comprises a white colorant.

26. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said 2-D color printer provides desired yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks on demand and wherein said body-building material is substantially optically transparent.

27. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein, for each of said multiple layers, step (c) is operated to complete the formation of said individual layer before step (d) is operated to deposit a color pattern on said individual layer.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27, wherein inks are deposited substantially near the exterior surface only of said object.

29. A method as set forth in claim 27, wherein said 2-D color printer is piezo-electrically activated.

30. A method as set forth in claim 27, wherein said 2-D color printer is thermally activated.

31. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said software programs are operated to identify un-supported features of said object and to generate data files for needed support structures and wherein said layer building procedures include steps of building layers for said support structures.