Method and device for production of a three-dimensional article

• US 7,767,130 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet Technology GMBH (Voxeljet AG)
• Inventors: Ederer, Ingo, Stephan, Michael, Gudrun, Janke, Dreher, Stefan, Voit, Brigitte, Elsner, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole; Joseph S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robitaille; John P
• Application Number:
  US11/569,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20080233302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 264/308, 264/113
• US Class Current: 264/308
• 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: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/16 Braille printing typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for production of a three-dimensional article from a material, by means of layered application. According to the invention, a dropwise application is carried out, whereby drops of reaction components are ejected by a nozzle arrangement (3) and applied to a base reaction component (2), arranged on a substrate (1). The material for the three-dimensional article is formed in layers, with reaction of the base reaction component (2) with reaction components on contact, whereby the material is formed on a reaction of the base reaction component with one of the reaction components to give a material with one material property and on another reaction of the base reaction component with another of the reaction components to give a material with another material property. On production of the three-dimensional article, an article section is produced in which a gradual transition between the one material property and the other material property is generated.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional item using a layer by layer application onto a building platform comprising:

a. applying a drop by drop application from a jet assembly;

b. creating a first material property by reacting a first reaction component and a basic component;

c. creating a second material property by chemically reacting a second different reaction component and the basic component; and

d. repeating steps a, b, and c several times to form the three-dimensional item;

wherein the three-dimensional item has a first end comprised predominately of the first material property, a second end comprised predominately of the second different material property, and an intermediate area in-between the first end and the second end containing both the first material property and the second different material property so that a gradual transition between the first end and the second end is made.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic component is exposed to the first reaction component and the second different reaction component during creation of the intermediate area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the drops of the basic component and drops of the first reaction component and the second different reaction component are exposed to one another in flight.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic component is coated by drops of the first reaction component and the second different reaction component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate area is one layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate area includes multiple layers.

7. The method of claim 1, further including the step of setting a drop volume for the first reaction component or the second different reaction component, for drop by drop application, that creates the first end, the second end, and the intermediate area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a chemical composition of either the first reaction component or the second different reaction component is set when parameters for the first end, the second end, and the intermediate area are being set.

9. The method of claim 1, further including the step of setting a time delay for expelling drops of either the first reaction component or the second different reaction component, wherein the time delay is set when parameters for the first end, the second end, and the intermediate area are being set.

10. The method of claim 1, further including the step of setting a power for expelling drops of either the first reaction component or the second different reaction component, wherein the power is set when parameters for the first end, the second end, and the intermediate area are being set.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic component and the first reaction component form a fixed crosslinked plastic upon reaction, and the basic component and the second reaction component form a fixed crosslinked plastic upon reaction.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fixed crosslinked plastic is formed by a polyaddition reaction.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the basic component further includes at least one material or blend selected from the group of divergent organic polyisocyanate, modified organic polyisocyanate, or polyisocanate prepolymers.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic component and either the first reaction component or the second different reaction component has a viscosity between about 0.5 and about 50 mPa·

s and a surface energy between about 20 and about 70 mN/m at a predetermined dosing temperature.

15. A method for the production of a three dimensional article from a material, the method comprising:

a. ejecting a plurality of base component drops from a first nozzle onto a construction platform in a predetermined pattern that includes at least two hydrogen atoms reactive against isocyanates;

b. ejecting a plurality of initial reaction component drops with a second nozzle unto the base component drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;

c. ejecting a plurality of different initial reaction component drops with a third nozzle unto at least the base component drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;

d. repeating steps a through c for producing individual layers until the three dimensional article is complete; and

e. controlling temperature and volume of the base component drops, the initial reaction component drops, and the different initial reaction component drops;

wherein the base component drops, initial reaction component drops, and different initial reaction component drops are ejected in a predetermined volume;

wherein a first material property is produced when the initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;

wherein a second material property is produced when the different initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;

wherein the three dimensional article has a first end comprised of the first material property and a second end comprised of the second material property and an intermediate area between the first end and the second end that has a gradual transition between the first material and the second material; and

wherein the complete three dimensional article includes crosslinked plastics being formed with the aid of a polyaddition reaction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the basic component drops are comprised at least partially of a filler material selected from glass fiber, glass micro-balls, carbon fiber, clay, talc, mineral, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of varying the volume of the initial reaction component drops and the different initial reaction component drops released from the first nozzle and the second nozzle based upon the thickness of the previous individual layer until the three dimensional article is complete.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the nozzles have a temperature between 50°

C. and 90°

C.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of setting a temperature and humidity, wherein the construction of the three dimensional article is performed in a controllable atmosphere.

20. A method for producing a three dimensional article comprising:

a. ejecting a plurality of base component drops, with a predetermined volume, from a first nozzle unto a construction platform in a predetermined pattern that includes at least two hydrogen atoms reactive against isocyanates;

b. ejecting a plurality of initial reaction component drops, with a predetermined volume, with a second nozzle unto the first drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;

c. ejecting a plurality of different initial reaction component drops, with a predetermined volume, with a third nozzle unto at least the first drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;

d. repeating steps a through c for producing individual layers until the three dimensional article is complete;

e. applying a predetermined pressure to the first nozzle, the second nozzle, and the third nozzle at predetermined times;

f. controlling the volume of the base component drops, the initial reaction component drops, and the different initial reaction component drops;

g. controlling temperature of the first nozzle, second nozzle, and third nozzle, wherein the temperature of the first nozzle, second nozzle, and third nozzle are between 50°

C. and 90°

C.;

h. controlling the construction atmosphere around the construction platform, wherein the temperature and humidity are controlled; and

i. varying the volume of the initial reaction component drops and the different initial reaction component drops released from the first nozzle and the second nozzle based upon the thickness of the previous individual layer until the three dimensional article is complete;

wherein a first material property is produced when the initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;

wherein a second material property is produced when the different initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;

wherein the three dimensional article has a first end comprised of the first material property and a second end comprised of the second material property and an intermediate area between the first end and the second end that has a gradual transition between the first material property and the second material property; and

wherein the complete three dimensional article includes a crosslinked polymeric structure.