Apparatus, systems and methods for use in three-dimensional printing

• US 7,073,442 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Theken Spine LLC (Orthofix Medical Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AFBS, Inc.
• Inventors: Gaylo, Christopher M., Materna, Peter A., Fedor, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yan, Ren
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crenshaw, Marvin P.
• Application Number:
  US10/189,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20040118309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 101/480, 101/35, 101/487, 101/483, 101/484, 165/209, 165/296, 156/578, 400/689, 400/691, 400/693, 700/120, 700/187, 756/273.3, 454/49, 454/56
• US Class Current: 101/480
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/22 Direct deposition of molten metal
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/32 of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/77 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/10 Auxiliary heating means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/224 for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/226 for rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/55 Two or more means for feeding material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/63 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/70 Gas flow means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/84 Parallel processing within single device
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0822 using IR radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3494 using vibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0288 Controlling heating or curing of polymers during moulding, e.g. by measuring temperatures or properties of the polymer and regulating the process controlling or regulating chemical, physical or physico- chemical processes in general B01J19/0006
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/46 Heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/34 Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means B29C43/085 takes precedence
• 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: 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 50/00 : Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 : Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for use in three-dimensional printing are shown and described. Various embodiments of the invention allow for more precise and controlled delivery of heat to achieve interlayer drying; isolation of the working region from the outside for reasons of cleanliness and in connection with the vapors of organic solvents; better control of the temperature of the working region; better accuracy in the flowrates of binder fluid dispensed; matching of delivered flowrates for multiple dispensers; verification of delivered flowrate or drops; provision for easier changeover of the machine from one powder to another; cleanability; and other needs.

Claims

1. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a ventilation system configured to introduce into the enclosure a gas whose composition is different from the composition of air, further comprising a sensor for measuring the concentration of selected organic solvent vapors within the enclosure; and

means for generating a warning based on a measured concentration of the selected organic solvent vapor.

2. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a ventilation system configured to introduce into the enclosure a gas whose composition is different from the composition of air, further comprising a sensor for measuring the concentration of selected organic solvent vapors within the enclosure; and

means for adjusting the operation of the three-dimensional printing machine in response to a measured concentration of the selected organic solvent vapor.

3. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

a ventilation system configured to introduce into the enclosure a gas whose composition is different from the composition of air, further comprising a sensor for measuring the concentration of selected organic solvent vapors within the enclosure, wherein the gas flows at a rate sufficient to maintain the concentration of a selected organic solvent vapor below a flammable limit or an explosive limit.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the ventilation system is configured to introduce an inert gas or a gas having an oxygen content lower than the oxygen content of air suitably to substantially reduce a danger of fire or explosion due to organic solvent vapor.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the selected organic solvent comprises at least one of ethanol, other alcohols, acetone and chloroform.

6. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a ventilation system;

means for adjusting the ventilation system based on a concentration of a vapor of a selected organic solvent, wherein the means for adjusting comprises a sensor suitable to measure the concentration of the selected organic solvent vapor within the enclosure; and

means for generating a warning based on the measured concentration of the selected organic solvent vapor.

7. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a ventilation system;

means for adjusting the ventilation system based on a concentration of a vapor of a selected organic solvent; and

means for adjusting operation of the three-dimensional printing machine in response to the concentration of the selected organic solvent vapor.

8. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a ventilation system; and

means for adjusting the ventilation system based on a concentration of a vapor of a selected organic solvent,

wherein the ventilation system causes flow of gas at a rate sufficient to maintain the concentration of the selected organic solvent vapor below a flammable limit or an explosive limit.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising an adsorber configured to remove the organic solvent vapors or other undesirable substances from the gas.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a condenser configured to condense the organic solvent vapors.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the selected organic solvent vapor comprises a vapor of at least one of ethanol, other alcohols, acetone and chloroform.

12. A system for isolating a three-dimensional printing machine, the system comprising:

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

means for causing shutdown of at least a portion of the three-dimensional printing machine based on a measured concentration of a vapor of a selected organic solvent.

13. A three-dimensional printing system, the system comprising:

a three-dimensional printing machine which dispenses a liquid comprising an organic solvent;

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a sensor suitable for measuring the concentration of a vapor of an organic solvent within the enclosure; and

means for adjusting the operation of the three-dimensional printing machine based on the measured concentration of the vapor of the organic solvent.

14. A three-dimensional printing system, the system comprising:

a three-dimensional printing machine which dispenses a liquid comprising an organic solvent;

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a sensor suitable for measuring the concentration of a vapor of an organic solvent within the enclosure; and

means for causing a shutdown of at least some portion of the three-dimensional printing machine based on the measured concentration of the vapor of the organic solvent.

15. A three-dimensional printing system, the system comprising:

a three-dimensional printing machine which dispenses a liquid comprising an organic solvent;

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

a sensor suitable for measuring the concentration of a vapor of an organic solvent within the enclosure; and

means for creating a warning based on the measured concentration of the vapor of the organic solvent.

16. A three-dimensional printing system, the system comprising:

a three-dimensional printing machine which dispenses a liquid comprising an organic solvent;

an enclosure configured to extend substantially about the three-dimensional printing machine, separating the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment; and

means for causing shutdown of at least a portion of the three-dimensional printing machine based on a measured concentration of a vapor of a selected organic solvent.

17. A method for ventilating a three-dimensional printing machine, comprising:

receiving gas from an enclosure configured to extend substantially about a three-dimensional printing machine, so as to separate the three-dimensional printing machine and its immediate surroundings from an exterior environment;

removing an organic solvent vapor from the gas;

returning at least a portion of the received gas back into the enclosure;

measuring the concentration of the organic solvent vapor within the enclosure; and

causing at least a portion of the three-dimensional printing machine to shut down based on the measured concentration of the organic solvent vapor.