Apparatus for printing of three-dimensional objects

• US 8,636,494 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Gothait, Hanan, Zeytoun, Igal
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hohenbrink, Jr., Lawrence D
• Application Number:
  US13/159,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20110241240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 425/375, 425/143, 425/144, 425/145, 425/174.4, 264/308, 264/34, 264/113, 264/402, 700/299, 700/300
• US Class Current: 425/143
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92209 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92704 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/005 Compensating volume or shape change during moulding, in general
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/02 for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/48 Compensating volume change, e.g. retraction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/92 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/129 characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• 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 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/10 Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/20 : Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/16 : Braille printing typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32

Abstract

An apparatus to help control the quality of printed three-dimensional objects is provided. The apparatus may include a printing head to print a three-dimensional object and a printing tray having defined surface characteristics serving to control adherence of the object being printed to the printing tray and/or prevent deformations in the printed object.

Claims

1. A printing system for forming three dimensional objects, the system comprising:

a printing tray;

a printing head that deposits material onto the printing tray to form a three-dimensional object; and

a temperature control unit located inside the printing tray to control the temperature of the printing tray.

2. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit includes a heating source.

3. The printing system of claim 2, wherein the temperature control unit includes a temperature-sensing unit.

4. The printing system of claim 3, further comprising a controller to operate the heating source according to reading received from the temperature-sensing unit.

5. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising cooling tunnels located inside the printing tray.

6. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit includes a cooling source.

7. The printing system of claim 6, wherein said temperature control unit includes a temperature-sensing unit.

8. The printing system of claim 7, further comprising a controller to operate the cooling source according to reading received from the temperature-sensing unit.

9. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit is to heat the printing tray to substantially the glass transition temperature of a deposited material.

10. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising a blowing unit to cool the three dimensional object being formed.

11. The printing system of claim 1, wherein said temperature control unit is to control the temperature of deposited material during the printing process.

12. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit is to control the temperature of the printing tray so as to minimize or prevent deformations of the three dimensional object during forming of the three dimensional object.

13. The printing system of claim 2, wherein the printing tray is heated to increase adherence of the three dimensional object being printed to the printing tray.

14. A method for forming three dimensional objects, the method comprising:

depositing a material with a printing head onto a printing tray, in layers, to form a three-dimensional object; and

controlling the temperature of the printing tray using a temperature control unit located inside the printing tray.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the temperature comprises heating the printing tray to a selected temperature during formation of the three dimensional object by a heating source located inside the printing tray.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein heating comprises heating the printing tray to substantially the glass transition temperature of the deposited material.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

after formation of the three dimensional object, cooling the printing tray by streaming water in cooling tunnels located inside the printing tray.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the temperature of the printing tray comprises operating a heating source according to reading received from a temperature sensor.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the printing tray is heated to minimize or prevent deformations of said three dimensional object during formation of the three dimensional object.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the printing tray is heated to increase adherence of the three dimensional object being printed to the printing tray.