Selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects and supports

• US 6,660,209 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Smalley, Dennis R., Hull, Charles W., Lockard, Michael S., Leyden, Richard N., Merot, Christian M., Kerekes, Thomas A., Bedal, Bryan J. L., Fedchenko, Richard P., Pang, Thomas H., Almquist, Thomas A., That, Dinh Ton, Thayer, Jeffrey S., Earl, Jocelyn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US09/924,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 264/40.1, 264/308, 264/401, 264/408, 425/135, 425/174.4, 425/375, 347/1, 347/20, 347/44, 347/54, 347/85, 347/88, 347/89, 700/119, 700/120
• US Class Current: 264/401
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/12 Spreading-out the material on a substrate , e.g. on the surface of a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

A variety of support structures and build styles for use in Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing systems are described wherein particular emphasis is given to Thermal Stereolithography, Fused Deposition Modeling, and Selective Deposition Modeling systems, and wherein a 3D modeling system is presented which uses multijet dispensing and a single material for both object and support formation.

Claims

1. A method of forming a three-dimensional object in successive layers in accord with data defining the object, wherein each layer is formed by the steps of:

moving a print head in a scan direction, the print head having a plurality of orifices extending at al angle to the scan direction;

selectively depositing a radiation-curable, flowable material from said orifices while moving said print head in the scan direction along a scan path; and

exposing the selectively deposited material of the layer to radiation to cure the material.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the material is a photopolymer.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the photopolymer material being ultra-violet curable and the radiation being ultra-violet (UV) radiation.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the photopolymer including a photoinitiator.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the material further comprises a combination of a radiation curable material and a wax material.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the radiation curable material being a photopolymer.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the photopolymer including a photoinitiator.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising using a solvent.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

detecting optically any misfiring orifices.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

calibrating the plurality of orifices.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of calibrating the orifices comprises:

depositing a layer by selectively dispensing build material from all of the dispensing orifices;

detecting optically any misfiring orifices; and

compensating for any misfiring orifices detected.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein a test pattern is formed when depositing the layer in the calibration step.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of compensating for any misfiring orifices comprises:

putting the misfiring orifices through a reactivation routine.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of compensating for any misfiring orifices is accomplished by overprinting.

29. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

compensating for any misfiring orifices when forming each layer to achieve a uniform thickness for each layer.

9. A method of forming a three dimensional object in successive layers in accord with data defining the object, wherein each layer is formed by the steps of:

moving a print head in a scan direction, the print bead having a plurality of orifices extending at angle to the scan direction;

selectively depositing a flowable build material from the orifices while moving said print head in the scan direction along a scan path, the build material being one selected from the group consisting of a photopolymer, a thermal polymer, an epoxy, and a combination of one of a photopolymer, a thermal polymer, an epoxy and a wax; and

exposing the selectively deposited material of the layer to radiation to cure the material.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising using a photopolymer, the photopolymer being curable by ultra-violet radiation.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising the photopolymer including a photoinitiator.

12. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object in successive layers in accordance with data defining the object, comprising:

a print head mounted on the apparatus,

means for moving the print head in a scan direction mounted on the apparatus,

the print head having a plurality of orifices extending in a direction angled to the scan direction and being selectively activatable in accord with data supplied to the print head relating to the formation of each layer, and

a source of flowable material connected to the print head for selective deposition from the orifices thereof onto an object building platform, the flowable material further being a radiation-curable material.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising means for supplying radiation to cure each layer of selectively-deposited, radiation-curable material.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the flowable material is a photopolymer.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the flowable material comprises a photoinitiator.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the means for supplying radiation further comprises a source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation mounted to the apparatus to cure the flowable material.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the selectively deposited flowable material is deposited on the object building platform, the print head and the platform being operable to move in an angled direction to each other.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the material further comprises a combination of a radiation curable material and a wax material.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the radiation curable material being a photopolymer.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the photopolymer further includes a photoinitiator.

21. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the flowable material further includes a solvent.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the print head moves transverse to the scan direction.