Compositions and methods for use in three dimensional model printing

• US 7,300,619 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Objet Geometries
• Inventors: Kritchman, Eliahu M., Cohen, Avi, Napadensky, Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman; Susan W
• Application Number:
  US10/725,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20040187714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 430/269, 264/401, 427/466
• US Class Current: 264/401
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/448 destructible B29C33/52 takes precedence; in particular used in injection moulding B29C45/4457
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/005 Compensating volume or shape change during moulding, in general
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/48 Compensating volume change, e.g. retraction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/10 Processes of additive manufacturing
• 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: B29C 67/24 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/16 Braille printing typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32

Abstract

A pseudo composite material, may include, inter alia, a first phase and a second phase, wherein each phase may include, inter alia, an organic compound, wherein each phase comprising a multiplicity of construction layers, wherein the layers were deposited by ink-jet printing, wherein the pseudo composite material exhibits non-homogeneous three-dimensional structure. A method is disclosed for the preparation of a pseudo composite material. An apparatus is disclosed for printing a pseudo composite material. Furthermore, there is disclosed a method for printing a three-dimensional object using various suitable materials.

Claims

1. A method for the preparation of a multi-phase composite material, the method comprising:

generating data from a CAD system and a system controller for predetermined combinations of at least two compositions, each having different properties;

dispensing, according to the data generated said at least two compositions having different properties, each composition being dispensed from a different dispenser via ink jet nozzles;

selectively adjusting the output from said inkjet nozzles according to the data generated to control the properties of different combinations of said compositions so as to provide two or more different phases or regions of the multi-phase composite material that are structurally different, chemically different or have different properties; and

curing or solidifying the dispensed compositions to obtain said multi-phase composite material having properties that vary along an axis of the multi-phase composite material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said compositions comprises a curable component.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said curable component is electron beam curable, electromagnetic radiation curable, thermo-curable or any combination thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said phases is a continuous phase.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said phases is a non-continuous phase.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of said multi-phase composite material are selected from the group consisting of isotropic properties, anisotropic properties and a combination thereof.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said properties are mechanical, thermo-mechanical, optical, acoustic, electrical properties or any combination thereof.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said mechanical properties comprise mechanical strength, the mechanical strength along one axis of the multi-phase composite material being different to the mechanical strength along another axis of said multi-phase composite material.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said mechanical properties comprise elasticity, the elasticity along one axis of the multi-phase composite material being different to the elasticity along another axis of said multi-phase composite material.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein each said phase comprises a multiplicity of layers.

11. A method for the preparation of a multi-phase composite material, the method comprising:

generating data from a CAD system and a system controller for predetermined combinations of at least two compositions, each having different properties;

dispensing according to the data generated said at least two compositions having different properties, each composition being dispensed from a different dispenser via ink jet nozzles;

selectively adjusting the output from said inkjet nozzles according to the data generated to control the properties of different combinations of said compositions so as to provide two or more different phases or regions of the multi-phase composite material that are structurally different, chemically different or have different properties; and

curing or solidifying the dispensed compositions to obtain said multi-phase composite material having one or more of said properties which change along a gradient, said property gradually increasing along an axis of said composite material.