Apparatuses, systems and methods for three-dimensional printing

• US 9,399,256 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Inventors: Buller, Benyamin, Milshtein, Erel, Chua, Thai Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Geoffrey S
• Application Number:
  US14/744,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20150367446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/20 Direct sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/30 Process control
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/32 of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/47 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/50 Treatment of workpieces or articles during build-up, e.g. treatments applied to fused layers during build-up
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/52 Hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/57 Metering means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/60 Planarisation devices; Compression devices
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2003/1054 by microwave
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2003/248 Thermal after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2201/20 Use of vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2202/01 Use of vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2202/05 Use of magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 : Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/003 : Apparatus, e.g. furnaces in general F27B
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 : Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/105 : by using electric current other than for infrared radiant energy, laser radiation or plasma B22F3/11 takes precedence; by ultrasonic bonding B22F3/115 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/24 : After-treatment of workpieces or articles B22F3/1146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/00 : Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting wherein at least one part is obtained by sintering or compression application of coating layers by use of metal powders, see C23C
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/006 : Control circuits therefor circuits for plasma torches H05H1/36
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/027 : Welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/002 : Devices involving relative movement between electronbeam and workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0026 : Auxiliary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 : welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0093 : characterised by the properties of the materials to be welded
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/02 : Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 : Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/52 : Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0853 : Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least in two axial directions, e.g. in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1224 : in vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/123 : in an atmosphere of particular gases
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/144 : the fluid stream containing particles, e.g. powder
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/16 : Removal of by-products, e.g. particles or vapours produced during treatment of a workpiece by a fluid stream B23K26/142
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/22 : Spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/32 : taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 : Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/346 : in combination with welding or cutting covered by groups B23K5/00 - B23K25/00, e.g. in combination with resistance welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/70 : Auxiliary operations or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/702 : Auxiliary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 : Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0072 : Product control or inspection
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0081 : Process control
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 : using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• 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 64/171 : specially adapted for manufacturing multiple 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/188 : involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/194 : during lay-up
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/214 : Doctor blades
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 : Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/255 : Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/264 : Arrangements for irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/268 : using laser beams; using electron beams [EB]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 : Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 : Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 : Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• 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: B33Y 70/00 : Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6026 : Computer aided shaping, e.g. rapid prototyping
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/522 : Graphite C04B35/536 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/5626 : based on tungsten carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/565 : based on silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/64 : Burning or sintering processes C04B33/32 takes precedence ; powder metallurgy B22F
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/00 : Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys cast-iron alloys C22C37/00
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/02 : containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/44 : with molybdenum or tungsten
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/58 : with more than 1.5% by weight of manganese
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/68 : for monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/80 : Apparatus for specific applications stoves or ranges F24C7/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/20 : Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) objects, 3D printing processes, as well as methods, apparatuses and systems for the production of a 3D object. Methods, apparatuses and systems of the present disclosure may reduce or eliminate the need for auxiliary supports. The present disclosure provides three dimensional (3D) objects printed utilizing the printing processes, methods, apparatuses and systems described herein.

Claims

1. A method for generating a three-dimensional object suspended in a powder bed, comprising:

(a) providing the powder bed in an enclosure, wherein the powder bed comprises individual particles formed of a material selected from the group consisting of an elemental metal, metal alloy, ceramic, and an allotrope of elemental carbon;

(b) transforming at least a portion of the powder bed into a transformed material; and

(c) hardening the transformed material to form a hardened material as part of the three-dimensional object, which three-dimensional object comprises one or more layers of hardened material and is suspended in the powder bed during formation, wherein all layers of hardened material have a radius of curvature of at least about 5 centimeters up to substantially flat, and wherein the powder bed is devoid of a supporting scaffold substantially enclosing the three-dimensional object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises hardening the transformed material to form a plurality of layers of hardened material as part of the three-dimensional object, each of which has a radius of curvature of from at least about 5 centimeters up to substantially flat.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein all layers of hardened material have a radius of curvature of at least about 10 centimeters up to substantially flat.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers of hardened material are devoid of at least two metals that form in (b) a eutectic alloy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers of hardened material comprise at most an elemental metal that is of a single elemental metal composition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers of hardened material comprise a metal alloy that is of a single metal alloy composition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers of hardened material are of a single material composition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a fundamental length scale of the three-dimensional object is about 120 micrometers or more.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object is not supported by auxiliary support in the powder bed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object is devoid of auxiliary support.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object comprises an auxiliary support feature that is suspended in the powder bed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers of hardened material are devoid of at least a first metal and a second metal that are capable of forming a eutectic metal alloy together.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more layers of hardened material are devoid of a metal alloy that is formed in (b) from at least a first metal and a second metal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein upon formation of the hardened material, the powder bed comprises individual particles that are flowable.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual particles are formed of the elemental metal or metal alloy.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the powder bed is provided adjacent to a base that is positioned within the enclosure, and wherein upon formation of the hardened material, the three-dimensional object is not connected to the base.

17. A system for generating a three-dimensional object suspended in a powder bed, comprising:

an enclosure that accommodates the powder bed, wherein the powder bed comprises individual particles formed of a material selected from the group consisting of an elemental metal, metal alloy, ceramic, and an allotrope of elemental carbon;

an energy source that provides an energy beam to at least a portion of the powder bed; and

a controller operatively coupled to the energy source and programmed to (i) receive instructions to generate at least a portion of the three-dimensional object and (ii) direct the energy beam along a predetermined path in accordance with the instructions to transform the at least a portion of the powder bed to a transformed material that hardens to form a hardened material as part of the three-dimensional object, which three-dimensional object comprises one or more layers of hardened material and is suspended in the powder bed during formation,

wherein all layers of hardened material have a radius of curvature of at least about 5 centimeters up to substantially flat, and

wherein upon formation of the hardened material, the powder bed is devoid of a supporting scaffold substantially enclosing the three-dimensional object.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the powder bed is disposed adjacent to a base that is positioned within the enclosure, and wherein upon formation of the hardened material, the three-dimensional object is not connected to the base.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the three-dimensional object is devoid of auxiliary support.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more layers of hardened material are devoid of at least two metals that form a eutectic alloy.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the energy beam comprises an electromagnetic energy beam or a charged particle beam.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising a heat sink for removing heat from the powder bed, wherein the heat sink is disposed within the enclosure, and wherein upon formation of the hardened material, at least about 30 percent of the heat removal occurs from the top surface of the powder bed using the heat sink.