Solid freeform fabrication of structurally engineered multifunctional devices
First Claim
1. A selective laser sintering method for producing a heterogeneous product in which a model of said heterogeneous product is generated using a computer and said model is processed using an electronic processing device to obtain a plurality of cross-sectional layer representations of said model, said method comprising:
- positioning an array of tapered delivery nozzles adjacent to a material deposition bed wherein said tapered delivery nozzles have a half angle less than 10.2 degrees;
filling said array of tapered delivery nozzles with different materials, said materials differing in at least one of composition and deposition properties using at least one hopper, said filling step comprised of disposing said different materials within a funnel of said hopper such that said materials pass though an aperture, said materials further passing through an elongated portion of a standpipe connected to said aperture and coming to rest within another portion of said standpipe; and
injecting a fluid through an aeration part located proximate said another portion to selectively cause said materials to exit said hopper through a terminal portion;
directing said nozzle array to various positions relative to said deposition bed;
disposing said materials simultaneously upon said deposition bed at said various positions;
consolidating said deposited materials with a laser source to form a consolidated cross-sectional layer; and
micromachining said consolidated cross-sectional layer with a pulsed laser source to form each of said plurality of cross-sectional layer representations of said model.
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Abstract
A selective laser sintering technique and system are provided for producing a heterogeneous product. The selective laser sintering technique and system is generally comprised of generating a computer model of the product and processing the model to obtain numerous cross-sectional representations of the model. The cross-sectional representations are manufactured layer by layer to create the product. Specifically, numerous different powders having a variety of properties are placed within nozzles positioned above a deposition bed using a hopper. Using the computer model as a guide, the different powders are placed at different positions on the deposition bed to form each layer of the device. The deposited powders are consolidated, micromachined, and milled using one or more lasers to create the product. Using this selective laser sintering technique a wide variety of heterogenous products may be produced, such as the following: 1) bio-implants, 2) small scale energy production, storage and conversion devices, 3) devices that exploit anomalous material behavior, and 4) nanocomposites.
40 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A selective laser sintering method for producing a heterogeneous product in which a model of said heterogeneous product is generated using a computer and said model is processed using an electronic processing device to obtain a plurality of cross-sectional layer representations of said model, said method comprising:
- positioning an array of tapered delivery nozzles adjacent to a material deposition bed wherein said tapered delivery nozzles have a half angle less than 10.2 degrees;
filling said array of tapered delivery nozzles with different materials, said materials differing in at least one of composition and deposition properties using at least one hopper, said filling step comprised of disposing said different materials within a funnel of said hopper such that said materials pass though an aperture, said materials further passing through an elongated portion of a standpipe connected to said aperture and coming to rest within another portion of said standpipe; and
injecting a fluid through an aeration part located proximate said another portion to selectively cause said materials to exit said hopper through a terminal portion;
directing said nozzle array to various positions relative to said deposition bed;
disposing said materials simultaneously upon said deposition bed at said various positions;
consolidating said deposited materials with a laser source to form a consolidated cross-sectional layer; and
micromachining said consolidated cross-sectional layer with a pulsed laser source to form each of said plurality of cross-sectional layer representations of said model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- positioning an array of tapered delivery nozzles adjacent to a material deposition bed wherein said tapered delivery nozzles have a half angle less than 10.2 degrees;
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15. A selective laser sintering method for producing a heterogeneous product in which a model of said heterogenous product is generated using a computer and said model is processed using an electronic processing device to obtain a plurality of cross-sectional layer representations of said model, said method comprising:
- positioning an array of tapered delivery nozzles adjacent to a material deposition bed, wherein said tapered delivery nozzles have a half angle less than 10.2 degrees;
filling said nozzle array with different materials, said materials differing in at least one composition and deposition properties; and
wherein said filling said tapered delivery nozzles with said materials using at least one hopper, said filling step comprised of disposing said materials within a funnel of said hopper such that said materials pass through an aperture within said funnel, said materials further passing through an elongated portion of a standpipe connected to said aperture and coming to rest within an angled portion of said standpipe; and
injecting a fluid through an aeration part located proximate said angled portion to selectively cause said materials to exit said hopper though a terminal portion at a controlled rate;
directing said tapered delivery nozzles to various positions relative to said deposition bed and disposing said materials simultaneously upon said deposition bed at said various positions to form each of said plurality of cross-sectional layer representations of said model;
consolidating said materials disposed upon said deposition bed; and
micromachining at least one of said consolidated cross-sectional layer representations with a pulsed laser source to form said heterogeneous product, wherein said consolidation and micromachining steps are performed using a closed-loop laser spot temperature control system that modulates laser power based on feedback from an in-situ emissivity measuring pyrometer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- positioning an array of tapered delivery nozzles adjacent to a material deposition bed, wherein said tapered delivery nozzles have a half angle less than 10.2 degrees;
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22. A selective laser sintering apparatus for producing a heterogenous product using a computer to generate a model of said heterogenous product and an electronic processing device to obtain a plurality of cross-sectional layer representations of said model, said system apparatus comprising:
- an array of tapered delivery nozzles;
a deposition bed located adjacent said tapered delivery nozzles; and
a control device adapted to direct said array of tapered delivery nozzles to different positions relative to said deposition bed and controlling a deposit of materials simultaneously from said tapered delivery nozzles to said different positions upon said deposition bed;
wherein said tapered delivery nozzles have a half angle less than 10.2 degrees;
a hopper for filling said tapered delivery nozzles with said materials, said hopper comprised of;
a funnel;
a disk bonded within said funnel, said disk having numerous pores, said pores sized to permit passage of gas while restricting passage of said materials and an aperture; and
at least one aeration part positioned below said disk and a closed-loop laser spot temperature control system that modulates laser power based on feedback from an in-situ emissivity measuring pyrometer operable to consolidate and micromachine said deposit of materials. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
- an array of tapered delivery nozzles;
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35. A device for filling tapered nozzles of a selective laser sintering system with materials, said device comprising:
- a hopper for filling said tapered nozzles with said materials, said hopper comprised of;
a funnel having an aperture;
a disk bonded within said funnel, said disk having numerous pores, said cores sized to permit passage of gas while restricting passage of said materials;
a standpipe extending from said funnel and communicating with said aperture;
a stop valve disposed along said standpipe; and
an aeration portion disposed proximate said stop valve, said funnel is arranged to fill an array of tapered nozzles, said tapered nozzles having a half angle less than 10.2 degrees and vibrational forces are applied to at least one of said standpipe and to said nozzle to assist in movement of said materials though said device. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
- a hopper for filling said tapered nozzles with said materials, said hopper comprised of;
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46. A device for filling tapered nozzles of a selective laser sintering system with materials, said device comprising:
- a plurality of hoppers for filling said tapered nozzles with said materials, each of said plurality of hoppers comprised of;
a funnel having an aperture;
a disk bonded within said funnel, said disk having numerous pores, said pores sized to permit passage of gas while restricting passage of said materials a standpipe extending from said funnel and communicating with said aperture;
a stop valve disposed along said standpipe; and
an aeration portion disposed proximate said stop valve, wherein each said funnel fills a respective one of said tapered nozzles, said tapered nozzles having a half angle less than 10.2 degrees and wherein vibrational forces are applied to at least one of said standpipe and to said tapered nozzles to assist in movement of said materials though said device.
- a plurality of hoppers for filling said tapered nozzles with said materials, each of said plurality of hoppers comprised of;
Specification