Method and device for the production of a three-dimensional multi-material component by means of ink-jet-type printing

• US 7,747,341 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Universite de Limoges
• Original Assignee: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique
• Inventors: Dubois, Martine, Oudjedi, Maksoud, Noguera, Remi, Chartier, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman; Sean P
• Application Number:
  US10/569,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20080192074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,142 Days
• Field of Search: 700 28- 31, 700/49, 700/98, 700118-120, 700/163, 700/171, 700/173, 700/175, 700182-184, 700/186, 700/193, 700/208, 347/5, 347 6- 9, 347/14, 347/17, 347/20, 347/22, 347/23, 347/33, 347/34, 347/49, 347/84, 347/102
• US Class Current: 700/119
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/013 Inkjet printing, e.g. for printing insulating material or resist
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1476 Same or similar kind of process performed in phases, e.g. coarse patterning followed by fine patterning
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/125 by ink-jet printing

Abstract

Producing a three-dimensional multi-material component whereby successive layers of at least one material are printed by a drop ink-jet-type printer including cutting a representation of the multi-material component into remarkable objects; cutting the representation of the component into print layers, as a function of the remarkable objects; for each print layer, establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories; for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory, establishing an assembly of printing parameters which are dependent on the nature of the deposited materials and the deposition conditions thereof; and establishing a rule for the spatial and temporal sequencing of the print path of the print layers and of the discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, the relative three-dimensional arrangement thereof and the characteristics of the printing device.

Claims

1. A method for producing a three-dimensional multi-material component by the ink-jet-type printing of droplets of at least one material in successive layers, comprising the steps of:

(1) cutting up a representation of the multi-material component into characteristic objects;

(2) slicing the representation of the component into print layers as a function of said characteristic objects;

(3) establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories for each print layer;

(4) establishing a set of printing parameters as a function of the nature of the materials deposited and the deposition conditions thereof for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory; and

(5) establishing a spatial and temporal sequencing law for a print path for said print layers and for said discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, arranging the objects in a three-dimensional arrangement and the characteristics of the printer, in order to optimise the process of depositing each print layer,

wherein the slicing of the representation of the multi-material composite consists in maximizing the quantity of materials deposited per print layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the printing parameters is the size and shape of the ejected material droplets, said method consisting in controlling the size and the shape of each droplet of materials to be ejected, as a function of the nature of the materials, the deposition conditions thereof and predetermined print layer thicknesses.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the printing parameters is the temperature of the materials prior to ejection, said method consisting in controlling the temperature of these materials prior to ejection of each droplet, as a function of the nature of these materials and the type of ejection means.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the printing parameters is the storage state of the materials, said method consisting in controlling the material state characteristics by controlling the temperature, controlling the pressure and controlling the state of dispersion of the stored materials as a function of their nature in order to optimise the material storage conditions.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the printing parameters is the state of the printing environment, said method consisting in controlling the characteristics of the environment in which the multi-material component is produced as a function of the nature of the deposited materials.

6. A method for producing a three-dimensional multi-material component by the ink-jet-type printing of droplets of at least one material in successive layers, comprising the steps of:

cutting up a representation of the multi-material component into characteristic objects;

slicing the representation of the component into print layers as a function of said characteristic objects;

establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories for each print layer;

establishing a set of printing parameters as a function of the nature of the materials deposited and the deposition conditions thereof for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory;

establishing a spatial and temporal sequencing law for a print path for said print layers and for said discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, arranging the objects in a three-dimensional arrangement and the characteristics of the printer, in order to optimise the process of depositing each print layer;

determining a first modulation of discrete spatial print path trajectories for each print layer;

determining at least one predetermined direction of discrete spatial print path trajectory for each print layer; and

determining a second modulation of the discrete spatial print path trajectory from a current layer to the following layer for two successive print layers of the same object, said second modulation depending on the number of constituent layers to be deposited for said object in order to optimise the cohesion of the final structure of said multi-material component.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first modulation consists in determining a second discrete spatial trajectory by a spatial shift of the ejection step of a first discrete spatial trajectory.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said second modulation of the discrete spatial print path trajectory is a modulation of the print path direction defined for each print layer of the object relative to an orthogonal reference frame, each print layer being allocated a specific direction which differs from a preceding print layer to the following print layer of the object.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein, for a successive ejection of at least one droplet of material at a predetermined ejection step, said second modulation consists of an amplitude and/or spatial shift modulation of said ejection step from a preceding print layer to the following print layer of the object.

10. A method for producing a three-dimensional multi-material component by the ink-jet-type printing of droplets of at least one material in successive layers, comprising the steps of:

(1) cutting up a representation of the multi-material component into characteristic objects;

(2) slicing the representation of the component into print layers as a function of said characteristic objects;

(3) establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories for each print layer;

(4) establishing a set of printing parameters as a function of the nature of the materials deposited and the deposition conditions thereof for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory; and

(5) establishing a spatial and temporal sequencing law for a print path for said print layers and for said discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, arranging the objects in a three-dimensional arrangement and the characteristics of the printer, in order to optimise the process of depositing each print layer,

wherein the spatial and temporal sequencing law for print path of the print layers and the discrete spatial trajectories comprises a plurality of printing instructions and of successive cleanings of the ejection system.

11. A method for producing a three-dimensional multi-material component by the ink-jet-type printing of droplets of at least one material in successive layers, comprising the steps of:

(1) cutting up a representation of the multi-material component into characteristic objects;

(2) slicing the representation of the component into print layers as a function of said characteristic objects;

(3) establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories for each print layer;

(4) establishing a set of printing parameters as a function of the nature of the materials deposited and the deposition conditions thereof for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory; and

(5) establishing a spatial and temporal sequencing law for a print path for said print layers and for said discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, arranging the objects in a three-dimensional arrangement and the characteristics of the printer, in order to optimise the process of depositing each print layer,

wherein one of the printing parameters is the ejection distance orthogonal to the deposition surface, said method consisting in regulating said ejection distance around nominal values, the nominal values being determined so as to optimise the deposition of the materials on the deposition surface.

12. A method for producing a three-dimensional multi-material component by the ink-jet-type printing of droplets of at least one material in successive layers, comprising the steps of:

(1) cutting up a representation of the multi-material component into characteristic objects;

(2) slicing the representation of the component into print layers as a function of said characteristic objects;

(3) establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories for each print layer;

(4) establishing a set of printing parameters as a function of the nature of the materials deposited and the deposition conditions thereof for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory; and

(5) establishing a spatial and temporal sequencing law for a print path for said print layers and for said discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, arranging the objects in a three-dimensional arrangement and the characteristics of the printer, in order to optimise the process of depositing each print layer,

wherein one of the printing parameters is the degree of obstruction of the ejection system, said method consisting in cleaning the ejection system once the degree of obstruction exceeds a predetermined obstruction threshold value.

13. A method for producing a three-dimensional multi-material component by the ink-jet-type printing of droplets of at least one material in successive layers, comprising the steps of:

(1) cutting up a representation of the multi-material component into characteristic objects;

(2) slicing the representation of the component into print layers as a function of said characteristic objects;

(3) establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories for each print layer;

(4) establishing a set of printing parameters as a function of the nature of the materials deposited and the deposition conditions thereof for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory; and

(5) establishing a spatial and temporal sequencing law for a print path for said print layers and for said discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, arranging the objects in a three-dimensional arrangement and the characteristics of the printer, in order to optimise the process of depositing each print layer,

wherein one of the printing parameters is the power and wavelength of a radiation applied to the deposited materials as a function of the nature of the deposited materials.