Methods and compositions for three-dimensional printing of solid objects

• US 7,550,518 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Z CORPORATION (A Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: DiCologero, Matthew J., Tarkanian, Michael, Uy, Evert F., Bredt, James F., Williams, Derek X., Anderson, Timothy, Clark, Sarah L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDERS, KRIELLION ANTIONETTE
• Application Number:
  US11/068,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 106/162.9, 106/204.1, 106/287.1, 264/123, 264/128, 264/113, 264/109, 264/122, 523/160, 523/161
• US Class Current: 523/160
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• 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 67/24 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/08 Polymers of acrylic acid esters, e.g. PMA, i.e. polymethylacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0097 Glues or adhesives, e.g. hot melts or thermofusible adhesives
• 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: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/00 Inks

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing materials system and method can produce both appearance models and small numbers of functional parts in an office environment. The method can include building cross-sectional portions of a three-dimensional article, and assembling the individual cross-sectional areas in a layer-wise fashion to form a final article. The individual cross-sectional areas can be built by using an ink-jet printhead to deliver an aqueous solvent or binder to an adhesive particulate mixture, causing the particles of the mixture to adhere together, and to previous cross-sectional areas. The binder can include at least one of nonaqueous organic monomeric compound, anionically ionizable polymer, cationic polymer, polymer, waterborne colloid, or inorganic solute.

Claims

1. A method for forming a solid object by three-dimensional printing, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a chemical composition comprising a solvent including a nonaqueous organic monomeric compound selected from the group consisting of a silane, a vinyl monomer, an acrylic monomer, a methacrylate monomer, and combinations thereof; and

depositing the chemical composition through a piezoelectric printhead onto a particulate material,

wherein the chemical composition selectively adheres the particulate material to form the solid object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent is curable by ultraviolet radiation, in combination with a photoinitiator, to form the solid object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material comprises a resin and the composition comprises a solvent for the resin.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material comprises a filler.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the particulate material comprises a printing aid.

2. A method for forming a solid object by three-dimensional printing, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a chemical composition comprising a solvent; and

depositing the chemical composition through an electromechanical printhead onto a particulate material,

wherein the chemical composition selectively adheres the particulate material to form the solid object and the solvent comprises a mixed vinyl-silane monomer.

7. A method for forming a solid object by three-dimensional printing, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a chemical composition comprising;

an adhesive; and

a fluid; and

depositing the chemical composition through a piezoelectric printhead onto a particulate material

wherein the chemical composition selectively adheres the particulate material to form the solid object and the adhesive comprises an inorganic solute selected from the group consisting of sodium silicate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium hydrogen pyrophosphate, sodium tetraborate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate, sodium chloride, ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate, ammonium chloride, calcium formate, and combinations thereof.