Method for constructing patterns in a layered manner

• US 7,531,117 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exone GMBH (Desktop Metal, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Höchsmann, Rainer, Ingo Ederer
• Inventors: Ederer, Ingo, Höchsmann, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Theisen; Mary Lynn F
• Application Number:
  US10/516,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20050167872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,184 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/113
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 23/00 Tools; Devices not mentioned before for moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/10 Cores; Manufacture or installation of cores breaker cores B22C9/084
• 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: B29C 67/246 Moulding high reactive monomers or prepolymers, e.g. by reaction injection moulding [RIM], liquid injection moulding [LIM] casting monomers B29C39/006, mixing construction B29B7/74
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/16 Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A process to produce models in layers is described, whereby a first material and then selectively a second material is applied in layers on a building platform and these two application stages are repeated until a desired pattern is achieved. The two materials form a solid if a suitable mixture ratio is used and the first material is a material mixture. The material mixture is at least partially prepared prior to each application stage.

Claims

1. A method for producing models in layers, comprising:

(a) applying a first material in a layer on a building platform wherein the first material comprises a particulate material and a first reactive component;

(b) selectively applying a second material to the first layer via a droplet production technique, wherein the second material comprises a second reactive component and a non-reacting carrying agent and calculating a quantity x_t of the non-reactive carrier agent to be used in the second material based upon the formula

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first material is prepared continually.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first material is prepared in batches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second reactive component is an binder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) are repeated before the curing step is complete.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first material remains porous during preparation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively applying step comprises applying the second material using a droplet producing technique.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second material comprises a carrying agent.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the curing step comprises forming a chemical bond between the first and second materials.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the curing step comprises forming a physical bond between the first and second materials.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material comprises a moulding sand chosen from the group including quartz sands, zircon sands, olivine sands, chamotte sands, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material comprises a polystyrene powder, a polyamide powder, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first reactive component comprises furan resin, polyurethane resin, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the model comprises a mould for a non-ferrous casting.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the model comprises an investment pattern for a non-ferrous casting.

16. A method for producing models in layers, comprising:

(a) applying a first material mixture in a layer on a building platform wherein the first material mixture comprises a quartz sand and a epoxy resin, wherein the epoxy resin is present between about 0.6 and 1.8% of the total weight of in the first material mixture;

(b) selectively applying a second material mixture to the first layer via a droplet production technique, wherein the second material comprises a second reactive component and a non-reacting carrying agent, wherein a quantity x_t of non-reactive carrier agent to be used in the second material is calculating based upon the formula