Three-dimensional printing system and equipment assembly

• US 8,888,480 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aprecia Pharmaceuticals Company
• Original Assignee: Aprecia Pharmaceuticals Company
• Inventors: Yoo, Jaedeok, Bradbury, Thomas J, Bebb, Thomas J, Iskra, James, Surprenant, Henry L, West, Thomas G
• Primary Examiner(s): Sole, Joseph S Del
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sultana, Nahida
• Application Number:
  US14/016,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20140065194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 264/308, 264/113, 264/401, 425/375, 425/174.4, 425/193
• US Class Current: 425/375
• 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 64/165 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 64/176 Sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/236 for motion in a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing system and equipment assembly for the manufacture of three-dimensionally printed articles is provided. The equipment assembly includes a three-dimensional printing build system, an optional liquid removal system and an optional harvester system. The build system includes a conveyor, plural build modules and at least one build station having a powder-layering system and a printing system. The equipment assembly can be used to manufacture pharmaceutical, medical, and non-pharmaceutical/non-medical objects. It can be used to prepare single or multiple articles.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional printing equipment assembly comprising:

a) a three-dimensional printing build system comprising;

a conveyor system adapted to conduct plural build modules;

the plural build modules engaged with the conveyor system, wherein the plural build modules are adapted to receive and temporarily retain powder from a powder layering system; and

at least one build station comprising;

     1) at least one powder layering system adapted to form incremental powder layers within the plural build modules; and

     2) at least one printing system adapted to apply a liquid according to a predetermined pattern to incremental powder layers within the plural build modules;

wherein the conveyor system comprises plural attachments adapted to removeably retain the plural build modules, and the attachment comprises at least one metal link with cam followers or comprises wheels, plates and/or bearings attached to a build module and mounted on a rail system upon which the build module is conducted, and the conveyor system repeatedly transports the plural build modules from the at least one powder layering system to the at least one printing system to form a three-dimensionally printed bed comprising one or more three-dimensionally printed articles in the plural build modules; and

the equipment assembly excludes a printing system adapted to apply liquid to the powder according to a polar coordinate algorithm.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the conveyor system further comprises positioning-controller;

at least one build module comprises an incrementally height adjustable platform, an optional build plate disposed above the platform, and one or more sidewalls defining a cavity within which the platform the optional build plate can be disposed; and

the at least one build station comprises;

     1) at least one powder layering system adapted to form incremental powder layers within the cavity of build modules and comprising at least one powder fill head, at least one powder spreader and at least one powder reservoir; and

     2) at least one printing system adapted to apply a liquid according to a predetermined pattern to incremental powder layers within build modules and comprising at least one liquid feed system and at least one print head adapted to deposit liquid according to a predetermined pattern onto incremental layers of powder in a build module;

whereby the three-dimensional printing build system forms a three-dimensionally printed bed comprising one or more three-dimensionally printed articles, and optionally loose powder that has not been printed upon; and

the assembly further comprises

at least one harvesting system adapted to separate loose powder from one or more three-dimensionally printed articles in a three-dimensionally printed bed; and

optionally, at least one liquid removal system adapted to remove liquid from one or more incremental powder layers onto which the liquid has been applied and/or from the three-dimensionally printed bed, wherein the liquid removal system is adapted to process two or more build modules at a time.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein:

a) at least one liquid removal system is present;

b) the equipment assembly further comprises at least one packaging system adapted to package one or more three-dimensionally printed articles;

c) the printing is done using Cartesian coordinate-based printing;

d) the equipment assembly further comprises a powder recovery system for recovering, and optionally recycling, unprinted powder;

e) the equipment assembly further comprises a liquid detector; and

/or f) the equipment assembly further comprises at least one inspection system.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein:

a) a liquid detector detects the presence of liquid in one or more printed incremental layers and/or in one or more printed articles;

b) an inspection system is a printed powder inspection system that determines the integrity of printing in one or more printed incremental layers and/or one or more printed articles and/or determines whether or not powder was properly applied in one or more incremental layers;

c) an inspection system is a printed article inspection system that determines whether or not one or more printed articles have the correct size, shape, weight, appearance, density, content and/or color;

d) an inspection system is a liquid application inspection system that monitors droplets of liquid applied by the print head to powder; and

/or e) an inspection system comprises one or more cameras.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein:

a) determining the integrity of printing comprises at least one of determining whether or not liquid has been correctly applied to one or more incremental layers according to one or more predetermined patterns and/or determining whether or not liquid has been correctly applied to one or more incremental layers according to a predetermined amount; and

/or b) a camera is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of a visible wavelength camera, an UV wavelength camera, a near infrared wavelength camera, an x-ray camera and an infrared wavelength camera.

6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a bed transfer system adapted to transfer three-dimensionally printed beds, one or more at a time, away from the three-dimensional printing build system to one or more liquid removal systems and/or one or more harvesting systems, wherein the printed beds are with or without their corresponding build plates and/or build modules.

7. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one liquid removal system adapted to receive one or more three-dimensionally printed beds and to remove liquid from one or more powder layers onto which the liquid has been applied and/or from the three-dimensionally printed bed.

8. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a dedusting system adapted to remove loose particles from printed articles that have been harvested from a printed powder bed.

9. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a build plate loading system adapted to place one or more build plates on the height adjustable platform(s) of the one or more build modules.

10. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising one or more powder recovery systems adapted to collect powder from the one or more systems of the equipment assembly and return it to a powder reservoir.

11. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a control system comprising one or more computerized controllers, one or more computers, and one or more user interfaces for one or more computers.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) wherein at least one of the build modules comprises an incrementally height adjustable platform adapted to receive and temporarily retain at least one incremental layer or plural stacked incremental layers of powder;

b) wherein at least one of the build modules a body comprising an upper surface with a cavity, a height adjustable build platform disposed within the cavity, height adjuster engaged with the body and the platform, and engagement mechanism;

c) plural build modules are removably engaged with the conveyor system;

d) wherein at least one of the build module comprises one or more sidewalls surrounding the build plate and being adapted to retain powder on the height adjustable platform;

e) at least one of the build modules further comprises a removable build plate disposed below the upper surface of the build module; and

/or f) at least one of the build modules is removably engaged with the conveyor system.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) the conveyor system conducts the plural build modules along a planar circuitous path, a horizontal circuitous path, a vertical circuitous path, or a combination thereof; and

/or b) the conveyor system is adapted to transport plural build modules along a path in a counterclockwise direction or clockwise direction.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) the conveyor system comprises plural conveyor systems, at least one drive motor, at least one positioning controller, and a path along which plural build modules are conducted; and

/or b) the conveyor system further comprises one or more positioning-controllers.

15. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) the at least one build station is incrementally height adjustable with respect to the build modules, whereby the vertical space between the build module and the build station can be adjusted by one or more increments; and

/or b) the at least one build station is vertically fixed with respect to the build modules and a build platform within a build module is vertically height adjustable with respect to the build module so that the vertical distance between the build station and the build module remains the same during a print lap or print cycle.

16. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) the at least one powder layering system comprises at least one powder fill head;

or b) at least one powder layering system comprises at least one powder fill head, at least one powder reservoir and at least one powder feeder tube adapted to transfer powder from the powder reservoir to the powder fill head.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein:

a) the at least one powder fill head is stationary, meaning it does not move, either longitudinally or transversely with respect to the plane of the upper surface of a build module, when applying an incremental layer of powder onto the build module;

b) at least one powder fill head comprises at least one powder fill head body, at least one powder spreader, and at least one powder-height controller; and

/or c) the powder fill head comprises a hopper or chute.

18. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) the at least one printing system is adapted to deposit liquid to the powder according to a Cartesian coordinate algorithm;

b) the at least one printing system comprises at least one print head adapted to deposit liquid onto an incremental layer of powder in a build station and at least one liquid feed system; and

/or c) the at least one printing system is adapted to apply liquid as a three-dimensional pattern of droplets or as plural two-dimensional patterns of droplets defining one or more articles.

19. The assembly of claim 1, wherein both the at least one print head and the at least one powder fill head are stationary during formation of a printed incremental layer, meaning they do not move, either longitudinally or transversely with respect to the plane of the upper surface of a build module, when applying an incremental layer of powder onto the build module.

20. The assembly of claim 2, wherein both the at least one print head and the at least one powder fill head are stationary during formation of a printed incremental layer, meaning they do not move, either longitudinally or transversely with respect to the plane of the upper surface of a build module, when applying an incremental layer of powder onto the build module.

21. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising one or more harvesting systems adapted to separate loose powder from the one or more three-dimensionally printed articles in a three-dimensionally printed bed.

22. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) the assembly excludes an equipment assembly wherein the at least one print head moves laterally or transversely or is not stationary, with respect to a build module, while applying liquid to an incremental powder layer; and

/or b) the assembly excludes an equipment assembly wherein the at least one powder fill head moves laterally or transversely or is not stationary, with respect to a build module, while depositing an incremental powder layer.

23. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the conveyor system comprises positioning-controller and plural build module engagements;

a build module comprises an incrementally height adjustable platform, an optional build plate disposed above the platform, and one or more sidewalls defining a cavity within which the platform the optional build plate can be disposed; and

the at least one build station comprises;

     1) at least one powder layering system adapted to form incremental powder layers within the cavity of build modules and comprising at least one powder fill head, at least one powder spreader and at least one powder reservoir; and

     2) at least one printing system adapted to apply a liquid according to a predetermined pattern to incremental powder layers within build modules and comprising at least one liquid feed system and at least one print head adapted to deposit liquid according to a predetermined pattern onto incremental layers of powder in a build module;

the at least one printing system employs Cartesian coordinate-based printing and not a radial or polar coordinate printing, and

the conveyor system conducts the plural build modules along a planar circuitous path; and

wherein;

a) the at least one build station is incrementally height adjustable with respect to the build modules, whereby the vertical space between the build module and the build station can be adjusted by one or more increments; and

/or b) the build station is vertically fixed with respect to the build modules and a build platform within a build module is vertically height adjustable with respect to the build module so that the vertical distance between the build station and the build module remains the same during a print lap or print cycle;

whereby the three-dimensional printing build system forms a three-dimensionally printed bed comprising one or more three-dimensionally printed articles, and optionally loose powder that has not been printed upon; and

wherein

the assembly further comprises;

at least one bed transfer system adapted to transfer three-dimensionally printed beds, one or more at a time, away from the three-dimensional printing build system, wherein the printed beds are with or without their corresponding build plates and/or build modules

at least one liquid removal system adapted to remove liquid from one or more incremental powder layers onto which the liquid has been applied and/or from the three-dimensionally printed bed; and

at least one harvesting system adapted to separate loose powder from one or more three-dimensionally printed articles in a three-dimensionally printed bed.

24. The assembly of claim 23 further comprising one or more of:

a) at least one dedusting system adapted to remove loose particles from printed articles that have been harvested from a printed powder bed;

b) at least one powder recovery system for recovering, and optionally recycling, unprinted powder;

c) at lease one inspection system;

d) at least one control system comprising one or more computerized controllers, one or more computers, and one or more user interfaces for one or more computers; and

/or

e) at least one build plate loading system adapted to place one or more build plates on the height adjustable platform(s) of the one or more build modules.