Apparatus and method for three dimensional model printing

• US 6,259,962 B1
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Objet Geometries
• Inventors: Gothait, Hanan
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US09/259,323
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 700/98, 700/120, 700/103, 700/118, 700/119, 700/182, 156/158, 425/379.1
• US Class Current: 700/119
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/188 involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• 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 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling

Abstract

Apparatus and a method for three-dimensional printing of a three-dimensional model is provided. The apparatus includes a printing head having a plurality of nozzles, a dispenser connected to the printing head for selectively dispensing interface material in layers and curing means for optionally curing each of the layers deposited. The depth of each deposited layer is controllable by selectively adjusting the output from each of the plurality of nozzles.

Claims

1. A method for three-dimensional printing of a three-dimensional model utilizing a printing head having a plurality of nozzles along a longitudinal axis, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the printing head to a first pre-selected position;

selectively dispensing interface material in a first layer from said printing head;

re-positioning said printing head to compensate for blocked nozzles to a subsequent position, said subsequent position being offset a distance of at least one nozzle along said longitudinal axis from said first pre-selected position and being a vertical distance above said first layer, said vertical distance being equal to the thickness of a subsequent layer of dispensing material;

repeating said step of selective dispensing in the subsequent layer; and

repeating said steps of re-positioning and selective dispensing in the subsequent layer until the three-dimensional model is completed.

2. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of:

selectively adjusting the output from each of said plurality of ink-jet nozzles during each dispensing step to control the amount of said interface material dispensed from each of said plurality of nozzles, thereby to control the thickness of each layer.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said interface material is a photopolymer material and further comprising the step of curing said deposited layers by the application of ultra-violet radiation of infra red radiation.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

calibrating said plurality of nozzles.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said step of calibrating comprises the steps of:

depositing a single layer by selectively dispensing interface material from all of said plurality of nozzles;

comparing the height of the deposit from each of said plurality of nozzles with a reference level;

calculating the variation from said reference level; and

adjusting the dispensing of said interface material from each of said plurality of nozzles.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

compensating for a variation in the thickness of each layer prior to depositing the subsequent layer.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step of compensating comprises the steps of:

comparing the height of the last deposited layer with a reference level;

calculating the variation from said reference level;

adjusting the dispensing of said interface material from each of said plurality of nozzles.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said step of comparing comprises the step of:

building up a reference wall by selectively dispensing interface material from all of said plurality of nozzles, said reference wall comprising a plurality of reference layers, each of said plurality of reference layers being deposited in the process of depositing said corresponding model layers.