Method for constructing patterns in a layered manner

• US 7,955,537 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exone GMBH (Desktop Metal, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet Technology GMBH (Voxeljet AG)
• Inventors: Ederer, Ingo, Höchsmann, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Theisen; Mary Lynn F
• Application Number:
  US12/463,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20090261497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/113
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 23/00 Tools; Devices not mentioned before for moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/10 Cores; Manufacture or installation of cores breaker cores B22C9/084
• 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 67/246 Moulding high reactive monomers or prepolymers, e.g. by reaction injection moulding [RIM], liquid injection moulding [LIM] casting monomers B29C39/006, mixing construction B29B7/74
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/16 Fillers
• 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: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A process to produce models in layers is described, whereby a first material and then selectively a second material is applied in layers on a building platform and these two application stages are repeated until a desired pattern is achieved. The two materials form a solid if a suitable mixture ratio is used and the first material is a material mixture. The material mixture is at least partially prepared prior to each application stage.

Claims

1. A process for producing patterns in layers on a building platform, comprising:

providing a first particulate material;

providing a first reactive component;

mixing the first particulate material and the first reactive component as needed during the producing process to form a first material mixture, wherein a residual porosity remains in the first material mixture;

applying the first material mixture to the building platform;

providing a second material, the second material comprising a reactive component, wherein the second material comprises a furan resin and/or a phenol resin and is applied by a droplet production technique;

applying the second material selectively onto the first material mix creating a layer and thus causing a chemical reaction that beings to solidify the combination of the first material mixture and the second material wherein processing times of the material mixtures are kept short so that any slightly volatile ingredients in the second material are retained;

repeating the applying steps within a time period before the chemical reaction completely solidifies the previous layer;

repeating the above steps until a pattern is produced; and

evaporating the residual slightly volatile ingredients;

wherein the first reactive component includes a carrying agent and volatilization of the entire carrying agent occurs prior to being used as a casting mold.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the first particulate material is quartz sand, silicate sand, chromite sand, zircon sand, olivine sand, chamotte sand, corundum sand, carbon sand, or any combination thereof.

3. The process according to claim 1, further including a step of adjusting addition of a curing agent for each layer.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the second material further comprises a reactive component, and a non-reactive carrying agent, wherein the non-reactive carrying agent reduces a viscosity of the second material mixture.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the drop diameter of the second material is within a range of 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m.

6. The process according to claim 2, wherein the reactive component allows for the chemical reaction to occur at room temperature.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the carrying agent acts as a wetting agent, wetting the first material mixture.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the carrying agent is ethanol.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the first reactive component is an acid.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction takes place at room temperature.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the evaporating occurs in an oven at over 80°

C.

12. The process according to claim 3, further including the step of reducing a viscosity of a curing agent with ethanol.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the first particulate material is made up of a polystyrene powder, a polyamide powder, or other polymer particulate materials, or a mixture of these powders.

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the layer is 0.15 to 0.3 mm in thickness.

15. A process for producing patterns in layers on a building platform, comprising:

providing a first particulate material;

providing a first reactive component, wherein the first reactive material is a furan resin and/or a phenol resin;

mixing the first particulate material and the first reactive component as needed during the producing process to form a first material mixture, wherein a residual porosity remains in the first material mixture;

applying the first material mixture to the building platform;

providing a second material, the second material comprising a reactive component;

applying the second material selectively onto the first material mix creating a layer and thus causing a chemical reaction that beings to solidify the combination of the first material mixture and the second material;

repeating the applying steps within a time period before the chemical reaction completely solidifies the previous layer; and

repeating the above steps until a pattern is produced,

wherein processing times of the material mixtures are kept short so that any slightly volatile ingredients in a binding agent are retained.

16. The process according to claim 15, wherein the second material is applied by a droplet production technique.

17. The process according to claim 15, wherein the second component includes a carrying agent and volatilization of the entire carrying agent occurs prior to being used in a casting step.

18. The process according to claim 15, further including the step of evaporating any residual slightly volatile ingredients in an oven.