Material and method for three-dimensional modeling

• US 7,534,386 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Priedeman, William R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski; Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOEWE, ROBERT S
• Application Number:
  US11/985,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 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. A feedstock supply for use in building a three-dimensional model and a support structure using a layered-deposition modeling technique, the feedstock supply comprising:

a thermoplastic modeling material for building the three-dimensional model, the thermoplastic modeling material having a glass transition temperature greater than about 220°

C., and a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 grams/10 minutes pursuant to ASTM D1238 using a 1.2 kilogram load and a temperature of 420°

C.; and

a thermoplastic support material for building the support structure, the thermoplastic support material having a glass transition temperature that is within about 20°

C. of the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic modeling material, and a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 grams/10 minutes pursuant to ASTM D1238 using a 1.2 kilogram load and a temperature of 420°

C., wherein the thermoplastic support material comprises;

a base polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfones, polyetherimides, polyphenylsulfones, polyphenylenes, polycarbonates, polysulfones, polystyrenes, acrylics, amorphous polyamides, polyesters, nylons, polyetheretherketone, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-sytrene; and

a silicone release agent constituting about 0.5 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material;

wherein at least one of the thermoplastic modeling material and the thermoplastic support material is provided in a filament form.

2. The feedstock supply of claim 1, wherein the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic support material is within about 15°

C. of the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic modeling material.

3. The feedstock supply of claim 1, wherein the silicone release agent constitutes about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material.

4. The feedstock supply of claim 1, wherein the silicone release agent exhibits thermal stability for a time period of at least 200 hours at temperatures of up to about 225°

C.

5. The feedstock supply of claim 1, wherein the base polymer comprises polyethersulfone and polystyrene, wherein the polyethersulfone constitutes about 90 percent by weight to about 95 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material, the polystyrene constitutes about 3 percent by weight to about 8 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material, and the silicone release agent constitutes about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material.

6. A three-dimensional assembly fabricated with an extrusion apparatus using a layered-deposition modeling technique, the three-dimensional assembly comprising:

a three-dimensional model having a least one overhanging surface, wherein the three-dimensional model is formed from an extruded thermoplastic modeling material having a glass transition temperature greater than about 220°

C., and a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 grams/10 minutes pursuant to ASTM D1238 using a 1.2 kilogram load and a temperature of 420°

C.; and

a support structure configured to provide support to the at least one overhanging surface of the three-dimensional model at least during fabrication of the three-dimensional model with the extrusion apparatus, wherein the support structure is formed from a thermoplastic support material having a glass transition temperature that is within about 20°

C. of the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic modeling material, and a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 grams/10 minutes pursuant to ASTM D1238 using a 1.2 kilogram load and a temperature of 420°

C., wherein the thermoplastic support material comprises;

a base polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfones, polyetherimides, polyphenylsulfones, polyphenylenes, polycarbonates, polysulfones, polystyrenes, acrylics, amorphous polyamides, polyesters, nylons, polyetheretherketone, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-sytrene; and

a silicone release agent constituting about 0.5 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material.

7. The three-dimensional assembly of claim 6, wherein the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic support material is within about 15°

C. of the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic modeling material.

8. The three-dimensional assembly of claim 6, wherein the silicone release agent constitutes about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material.

9. The three-dimensional assembly of claim 6, wherein the silicone release agent exhibits thermal stability for a time period of at least 200 hours at temperatures of up to about 225°

C.

10. The three-dimensional assembly of claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic support material has a tensile strength ranging between about 3,000 psi and 12,000 psi.

11. The three-dimensional assembly of claim 6, wherein the base polymer comprises polyethersulfone and polystyrene, wherein the polyethersulfone constitutes about 90 percent by weight to about 95 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material, the polystyrene constitutes about 3 percent by weight to about 8 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material, and the silicone release agent constitutes about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material.

12. A feedstock supply for use in building a three-dimensional model and a support structure using a layered-deposition modeling technique, the feedstock supply comprising:

a thermoplastic modeling material for building the three-dimensional model, the thermoplastic modeling material having a glass transition temperature greater than about 220°

C., and a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 grams/10 minutes pursuant to ASTM D1238 using a 1.2 kilogram load and a temperature of 420°

C.; and

a thermoplastic support material for building the support structure, the thermoplastic support material having a glass transition temperature that is within about 20°

C. of the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic modeling material, and a melt flow in the range of about 5-30 grams/10 minutes pursuant to ASTM D1238 using a 1.2 kilogram load and a temperature of 420°

C., wherein the thermoplastic support material comprises;

a base polymer polymer comprising polyethersulfone and polystyrene, wherein the polyethersulfone constitutes about 90 percent by weight to about 95 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material, and the polystyrene constitutes about 3 percent by weight to about 8 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material; and

a silicone release agent constituting about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material.

13. The feedstock supply of claim 12, wherein the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic support material is within about 15°

C. of the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic modeling material.

14. The feedstock supply of claim 12, wherein at least one of the thermoplastic modeling material and the thermoplastic support material is provided in a filament form.

15. The feedstock supply of claim 12, wherein the silicone release agent constitutes about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of the thermoplastic support material.

16. The feedstock supply of claim 12, wherein the silicone release agent exhibits thermal stability for a time period of at least 200 hours at temperatures of up to about 225°

C.