Method and apparatus for high speed electron beam rapid prototyping

• US 6,537,052 B1
• Filed: 08/23/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Energetics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Richard J. Adler
• Inventors: Adler, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbaugh, Jan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, EMMANUEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/379,224
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 425/174.4, 425/174, 264/308, 264/401, 264/485
• US Class Current: 425/174.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0877 using electron radiation, e.g. beta-rays
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0002 monomers or prepolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor

Abstract

An electron beam as a curing technique with dynamic beam control technology in order to produce arbitrarily shaped parts. The result of this is equipment which can create prototypes and parts rapidly without additional tooling. The electron beam from a low divergence gun is accelerated towards uncured monomer in vacuum. Deflection of the beam combined with a grid which is used to turn the beam on and off, creates a two dimensional curing path with a depth of approximately five (5) thousandths of inch. Successive layers of this type, built up as monomer is added, creates a three dimensional pattern. The layers can either be of uniform thickness, or can be varied in thickness by varying the energy of the beam.

Claims

1. A rapid prototyping apparatus for solidifying a substance for fabricating three dimensional objects, the apparatus comprising:

at least one electron beam;

a means to focus said at least one electron beam;

a means to electromagnetically steer said focused at least one electron beam onto said substance to be solidified;

a control means to control said at least one electron beam wherein said electron beam comprises variable voltages for variable cure thicknesses of said substance to be solidified and to control said means to electromagnetically steer said focused at least one electron beam during a curing operation; and

a vacuum chamber for said substance to be solidified.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said at least one electron beam comprises a continuous electron beam.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said at least one electron beam comprises a pulsed electron beam.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means to focus said at least one electron beam comprises an adjustable focus lens.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means to electromagnetically steer said focused at least one electron beam onto said substance to be solidified comprises an electric deflection apparatus.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said electric deflection apparatus comprises at least one deflection plate.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means to electromagnetically steer said focused at least one electron beam onto said substance to be solidified comprises a magnetic deflection apparatus.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said magnetic deflection apparatus comprises at least one field coil.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means to control said at least one electron beam comprises a computer and said means to electromagnetically steer said focused at least one electron beam control comprises said computer.

10. The invention of claim 1 wherein said substance to be solidified is introduced from a bottom of said vacuum chamber.

11. The invention of claim 1 wherein said vacuum chamber comprises differential pumping to maintain a low vacuum in an electron gun when said substance to be solidified has a high vapor pressure.

12. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a load lock apparatus for increasing the speed at which parts may be introduced into said rapid prototyping apparatus.

13. The invention of claim 1 wherein said variable voltages comprise a range between 50 kV to 200 kV.