Method for three-dimensional modeling

• US 7,314,591 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Priedeman, William R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni; Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US10/187,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20030004600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 264/308
• US Class Current: 264/308
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2071/022 Annealing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/005 Using a particular environment, e.g. sterile fluids other than air
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/64 Silicone
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/42 Removing articles from moulds, cores or other substrates B29C33/444 and B29C37/0017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• 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 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• 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 71/02 Thermal after-treatment B29C71/0063 and B29C71/0072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2079/085 Thermoplastic polyimides, e.g. polyesterimides, PEI, i.e. polyetherimides, or polyamideimides; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/06 PSU, i.e. polysulfones; PES, i.e. polyethersulfones or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0058 Liquid or visquous
• 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 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2650/40 : containing ketone groups, e.g. polyarylethylketones, PEEK or PEK
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/16 : to hydroxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0016 : Plasticisers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/02 : Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/00 : Compositions of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain of polyacetals C08L59/00; of epoxy resins C08L63/00; of polythioether-ethers C08L81/02; of polyether-sulfones C08L81/06; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 81/06 : Polysulfones; Polyethersulfones
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 : Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49019 : Machine 3-D slices, to build 3-D model, stratified object manufacturing SOM
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A three-dimensional model and its support structure are built by fused deposition modeling techniques, wherein a thermoplastic material containing silicone is used to form the support structure and/or the model. The thermoplastic material containing silicone exhibits good thermal stability, and resists build-up in the nozzle of an extrusion head or jetting head of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus. The silicone contained in a support material acts as a release agent to facilitate removal of the support structure from the model after its completion.

Claims

1. An additive-process method for building a three-dimensional model comprising:

providing a solid feedstock of a first thermoplastic material to at least one extrusion head;

melting the solid feedstock of the first thermoplastic material in the at least one extrusion head;

depositing layers of the first thermoplastic material from the at least one extrusion head into a heated build chamber to form the three-dimensional model;

providing a solid feedstock of a second thermoplastic material to the at least one extrusion head;

melting the solid feedstock of the second thermoplastic material in the at least one extrusion head; and

depositing layers of the second thermoplastic material into the heated build chamber to form a support structure for the three-dimensional model, wherein the second thermoplastic material contains between about 0.5 and 10 weight percent of a silicone release agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second thermoplastic material contains less than about 2 weight percent of the silicone release agent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second thermoplastic material contains greater than about 1 weight percent of the silicone release agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second thermoplastic material further comprises a base polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfones, polyetherimides, polyphenylsulfones, polyphenylenes, polycarbonates, high-impact polystyrenes, polysulfones, polystyrenes, acrylics, amorphous polyamides, polyesters, nylons, PEEK, PEAK and ABS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second thermoplastic material has a heat deflection temperature of greater than about 220°

C.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second thermoplastic material has a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 gms/10 mm. under a 1.2 kg load at a temperature of up to 450°

C., and a tensile strength of between about 5,000 psi and 12,000 psi.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second thermoplastic material further comprises a base polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfones, polyphenylsulfones and polyetherimides.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicone release agent has a viscosity on the order of about 10⁴-10 centistokes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicone release agent is hydroxy-terminated polysiloxane.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second thermoplastic material has a heat deflection temperature of greater than about 40°

C., a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 gins/10 mm. under a 1.2 kg load at a temperature of up to 450°

C., and a tensile strength of between about 3,000 psi and 12,000 psi.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the build chamber has a temperature of between about 180°

C. and 250°

C.

12. An additive-process method for building a three-dimensional model and a support structure therefor, the method comprising:

feeding a modeling material in a solid state to a deposition modeling system;

melting the modeling material in the deposition modeling system;

depositing layers of the melted modeling material into a heated build chamber of the deposition modeling system to form the three-dimensional model;

feeding a support material in a solid state to the deposition modeling system, wherein the support material comprises a thermoplastic composition containing between about 1-10 weight percent of a silicone release agent;

melting the support material in the deposition modeling system;

depositing layers of the melted support material into the heated build chamber to form the support structure; and

separating the support structure from the three-dimensional object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic composition further comprises a base polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfones, polyetherimides, polyphenylsulfones, polyphenylenes, polycarbonates, high-impact polystyrenes, polysulfones, polystyrenes, acrylics, amorphous polyamides, polyesters, nylons, PEEK, PEAK and ABS.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the support material has a heat deflection temperature of greater than about 220°

C.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the support material has a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 gins/10 mm. under a 1.2 kg load at a temperature of up to 450°

C., and a tensile strength of between about 5,000 psi and 12,000 psi.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the thermoplastic composition further comprises a base polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfones, polyphenylsulfones and polyetherimides.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the base polymer is polyethersulfone and wherein the support material further comprises high-impact polystyrene.

18. The method of claims 16 or 17, wherein the modeling material comprises as a major component a polyphenylsulfone resin.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the silicone release agent has a viscosity on the order of about 10⁴-10⁵ centistokes.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the silicone release agent is hydroxy-terminated polysiloxane.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the support material has a heat deflection temperature of greater than about 40°

C., a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 gms/10 mm. under a 1.2 kg load at a temperature of up to 450°

C., and a tensile strength of between about 3,000 psi and 12,000 psi.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the build chamber has a temperature of between about 180°

C. and 250°

C.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic composition further comprises between about 60-99 weight percent polyethersulfone and the modeling material comprises as a major component a polyphenylsulfone resin.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic composition further comprises between about 90-95 weight percent of a polyethersulfone base polymer, and wherein the modeling material comprises as a major component a polyphenylsulfone resin.