High-resolution rapid manufacturing

• US 7,502,023 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Zinniel, Robert L., Batchelder, John Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phu K
• Application Number:
  US11/805,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 264/308, 264/340, 264/401, 264/219, 700/119, 700/129
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/188 involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• 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 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention is a method for forming an object, the method comprising jetting a first material to form a plurality of layers that define a support structure increment, and extruding a second material to form a layer of the object. The layer of the object substantially conforms to an interior surface of the support structure increment.

Claims

1. A system for forming a three-dimensional object, the system comprising:

a first deposition head configured to deposit a first material at a first resolution to form a plurality of layers of a support structure;

a second deposition head configured to deposit a second material at a second resolution to form a layer of the three-dimensional object, the first resolution being at least four times higher than the second resolution at least along a vertical axis; and

a build chamber configured to maintain a temperature that allows the layer of the three-dimensional object to substantially conform to the plurality of layers of the support structure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a planarizer configured to planarize at least a portion of the support structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first deposition head comprises an array of jets that spans at least a portion of a work space of the build chamber.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second deposition head comprises at least one extrusion tip.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resolution is at least ten times higher than the second resolution at least along the vertical axis.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the temperature ranges from about a creep-relaxation temperature of the second material to about the glass transition temperature of the second material.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first material is selected from the group consisting of solvent-dispersed materials, ultraviolet-curable materials, and combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second material is selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, polycarbonate, polysulfone, and combinations thereof.

9. A system for building a three-dimensional object, the system comprising:

a jetting head comprising at least one jet configured to deposit a first material at a first resolution to form a support structure;

an extrusion head comprising an extrusion tip configured to deposit a second material at a second resolution to form the three-dimensional object, the first resolution being at least four times higher than the second resolution at least along a vertical axis; and

a build chamber configured to maintain a temperature ranging from about a creep-relaxation temperature of the second material to about the glass transition temperature of the second material.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a planarizer configured to planarize at least a portion of the support structure.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the jetting head and the extrusion head are configured to deposit the first material and the second material in an interspersed manner.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one jet comprises an array of jets that spans at least a portion of a work space of the build chamber.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a means for shielding the jetting head from heat.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the extrusion head further comprises a second extrusion tip configured to deposit a third material at a third resolution, wherein the third resolution is lower than the first resolution and higher than the second resolution at least along the vertical axis.

15. A method for forming a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

depositing a first material at a first resolution to form a plurality of layers of a support structure by at least one controller-operated deposition head; and

depositing second material at a second resolution to form a layer of the three-dimensional object by said at least one controller-operated deposition head, the first resolution being at least four times higher than the second resolution at least along a vertical axis, wherein the layer of the three-dimensional object conforms to the plurality of layers of the support structure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein depositing the first material comprises jetting the first material from a jetting head.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein depositing the second material comprises extruding the second material from an extrusion head.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming the layer of the three-dimensional object in an environment maintained at a temperature ranging from about a solidification temperature of the second material to about a glass transition temperature of the second material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the temperature ranges from about a creep-relaxation temperature of the second material to about the glass transition temperature of the second material.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising planarizing at least a portion of the support structure.