Device for producing three-demensional models

• US 8,956,144 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Inventors: Grasegger, Josef, Hartmann, Andreas Dominik
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBITAILLE, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US13/576,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 425/385
• US Class Current: 425/385
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/232 for motion along the axis orthogonal to 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: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for manufacture of three-dimensional models by means of a 3D printing process, whereby the build material is deposited on a build platform in layers and the build platform is moveable in the Z-direction and one or several drive units and one or several guide elements is/are provided to move the build platform. In so doing, drive units and guiding elements are arranged in such a way that a movement of the drive units is decoupled from the movement of the guiding elements.

Claims

1. A device for manufacture of three-dimensional models by means of a 3D printing process comprising:

a) a build platform so that build material is deposited on the build platform in layers and wherein the build platform is moveable in a Z-direction, and

b) one or several drive units and one or several guide elements is/are provided to move the build platform,

wherein the one or several drive units and one or several guide elements are arranged so that movement of the one or several drive units is/are decoupled transversely with respect to the drive direction from movement of the one or several guide elements.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least two drive units are provided.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the one or several drive units include at least one spindle drive unit.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the one or several drive unit(s) is/are arranged under the build platform.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the one or several drive units include at least one spindle drive unit.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the one or several drive units are arranged under the build platform, and the guide elements move in the vertical direction.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the one or several drive units engage with the build platform above a compensation platform.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the compensation platform engages with the build platform via a lift platform, wherein the compensation platform and the lift platform are connected with axial bearings so that substantially no play occurs in the vertical direction and substantially no forces can be transmitted in the horizontal plane.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the lift platform engages the build platform via a switchable damping system so that the build platform can be moved along the Z-direction.

10. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one spindle drive unit includes a spindle nut so that axial play and radial play is reduced.

11. The device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one spindle drive unit includes a spindle nut that is driven by a belt.

12. A device for manufacture of three-dimensional models by means of a 3D printing process comprising:

a) a build platform so that build material is deposited on the build platform in layers and wherein the build platform is moveable in a Z-direction,

b) one or several drive units,

c) one or several guide elements capable of moving in the vertical direction and generally free of translational movement in a horizontal direction,

d) a first platform driven vertically by the one or several drive units, wherein the first platform is capable of moving horizontally relative to the one or several guide elements; and

e) a second platform positioned above the first platform, vertically supported by the first platform and connected to the one or several guiding elements, wherein the first platform is capable of moving horizontally relative to the second platform;

wherein the build platform is connected to the second platform;

wherein the one or several drive units and one or several guide elements are arranged so that transvers movement of the one or several drive units is/are decoupled from the one or several guide elements.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first platform has an opening for one of the guiding elements to extend through the first platform without contacting the first platform, wherein the opening is sufficiently large for horizontal movement of the first platform relative to the guiding element.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the build platform is attached to the second platform, the one or several drive units includes several drive spindles that control the vertical position of both the second platform and the build platform, and the one or several guiding elements control the x and y positioning of the second platform and the build platform.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the guiding element inhibits rotations of the build platform and the second platform in the horizontal plane.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the second platform moves vertically without any horizontal errors induced by the movement and inaccuracies of the spindles.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the device includes several of the drive units that are driven by a common motor.

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the first platform is a compensation platform, the one or several drive unit(s) include spindles that directly supports the compensation platform and does not directly support the build platform, the build platform is above a compensation platform, and the compensation platform an move freely in the horizontal plane in contrast to the build platform.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the first platform is a drive plate, the second platform is a guidance plate and the drive plate is connected to a guidance plate via compensation bearings.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the guidance plate is connected to the build platform via switchable connections and the one or several drive units include a drive spindle and the drive spindle is driven by a spindle drive.