Three-dimensional structured printing

• US 7,767,132 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Huntsman Advanced Materials Americas, Inc.
• Inventors: Patel, Ranjana, Rhodes, Michael, Powell, Jeremy, Zhao, Yong, Peace, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni; Leo B
• Application Number:
  US12/044,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20080157436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 264/113, 264/460, 264/463
• US Class Current: 264/460
• 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: B29K 2105/162 Nanoparticles
• 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 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials

Abstract

A process for forming a three-dimensional article in sequential layers in accordance with a digital model of the article. The process comprises the steps of defining a layer of powder material, applying a liquid reagent to the powder layer in a pattern corresponding to the digital model, and repeating these steps to form successive layers. The powder comprises a first reactive component and the liquid includes a second active component capable of reacting with the first reactive component so that the article is built up in layers.

Claims

1. A process for forming a three-dimensional article in sequential cross-sectional layers in accordance with a model of the article, the process comprising the steps of:

(i) defining a layer of powder material comprising a first reactive component;

(ii) applying to the layer in a pattern corresponding to a respective cross-sectional layer of the model a liquid reagent comprising a second reactive component wherein the second reactive component includes an oxetane and a photoinitiator;

(iii) irradiating the layer with electromagnetic radiation to cause the first reactive component to chemically react with itself or with the second reactive component to form a new chemical component and optionally to cause the second reactive component to cure and fill in gaps between the powder; and

(iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) to form successive layers;

and wherein substantially void-free regions are formed in the article where the liquid reagent has been applied to the powder.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid reagent additionally comprises a viscosity lowering diluent.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the model is a digital model.

4. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the article is irradiated, pixel by pixel, line by line or layer by layer, either randomly or clustered.

5. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the article is irradiated after several layers have been formed.

6. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the article is irradiated after all the layers have been formed.

7. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the irradiating step employs UV radiation.

8. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid reagent is applied through a plurality of nozzles.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the nozzles form part of an inkjet printer or a device including a set of nozzles equivalent to an inkjet print head.

10. A process as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nozzles operate on a piezo inkjet system.

11. A process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the size of the nozzle openings is in the range 0.01 to 100 μ

m and/or the size of the applied droplets is in the range 0.1 to 200 μ

m.

12. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first reactive component comprises a reactive organic or organometallic polymer, oligomer or monomer and the second reactive component further comprises a curable resin.

13. A process as claimed in claim 12, wherein the powder material further contains an organic or inorganic filler, a pigment, nanoparticles, a dye and/or a surfactant.

14. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the viscosity of the liquid reagent is 2-30 cps at room temperature.

15. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the diluent is reactive.

16. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the applied powder layer is in the range of 1.0 to 30 μ

m.

17. A process for forming a three-dimensional article in sequential cross-sectional layers in accordance with a model of the article, the process comprising the steps of:

(i) defining a layer of powder material comprising a first reactive component;

(ii) applying to the layer in a pattern corresponding to a respective cross-sectional layer of the model a liquid reagent comprising a second reactive component and colloidal or nano-particles of ceramics, organic micro-particles, metals and alloys wherein the second reactive component includes an oxetane and a photoinitiator;

(iii) irradiating the layer with electromagnetic radiation to cause the first reactive component to chemically react with itself or with the second reactive component to form a new chemical component and optionally to cause the second reactive component to cure and fill in gaps between the powder; and

(iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) to form successive layers; and

wherein substantially void-free regions are formed in the article where the liquid reagent has been applied to the powder.

18. A process as claimed in claim 17, wherein the liquid reagent additionally comprises a viscosity lowering diluent.

19. A process as claimed in claim 17, wherein the viscosity of the liquid reagent is 2-20 cps at room temperature.

20. A process as claimed in claim 17, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of TV light, microwave radiation, visible light, and laser beam.