Method and device for producing a shaped body

• US 6,403,002 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Buss Muller Technology GmbH
• Inventors: van der Geest, Adrianus Franciscus
• Primary Examiner(s): Vargot, Mathieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/423,756
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 264/109, 264/122, 264/123, 264/128, 264/113, 264/301, 264/308, 264/121, 264/489, 264/492, 264/493, 156/284, 156/305
• US Class Current: 264/113
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/023 Half-products, e.g. films, plates
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/34 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• 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

Abstract

Method for producing a shaped body, which method comprises the following steps; (1) applying a layer of pulverulent material to a surface, (2) patternwise applying at least one liquid to the layer of pulverulent material, forming a layer of patternwise bound-together pulverulent material, (3) repeating steps (1) and (2) a predefined number of times, so that a number of successive layers of patternwise bound-together powder, is formed, the successive layers of bound-together pulverulent material together forming the shaped body, and (4) removing the unbound powder, in which the liquid comprises water and the pulverulent material comprises at least one component which forms a binder after contact with water in step (2).

Claims

1. Method for producing a shaped body, which method comprises the following steps:

(1) applying a layer of pulverulent material to a surface,

(2) patternwise applying at least one liquid to the layer of pulverulent material, forming a layer of patternwise bound-together pulverulent material,

(3) repeating steps (1) and (2) a predefined number of times, so that a number of successive layers of patternwise bound-together powder, is formed, the successive layers of bound-together powder material together forming the shaped body, and

(4) removing the unbound powder, characterized in that, the liquid comprises water and the pulverulent material comprises at least one component which forms a binder after contact with water in step (2), and in that drying is carried out after each execution of step (1) and/or (2) or after every two or more executions of step (1) and/or (2), and in that drying is carried out by placing a heated plate on or just above the layer of pulverulent material which was applied last immediately after step (1) and before step (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, drying is carried out after every two to six executions of step (1) and/or (2).

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the water is applied in the form of one or more fine jets of droplets.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that, the water is applied in the form of a plurality of fine jets of droplets, the water in different jets being of different colours.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the component of the pulverulent material which forms a binder with water is polyvinyl alcohol, (carboxy)methylcellulose, gelatine and/or dextrin.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the pulverulent material in addition to the component which forms the binder comprises a filler.

7. Method according to claim 1 claims, characterized in that, the pulverulent material in addition to the component which forms a binder comprises a secondary binder.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that, the secondary binder comprises a thermosetting material or a thermoplastic material.

9. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the combination of unbound powder and shaped body is subjected to a drying treatment before removing the unbound powder in step (4).