Printing system with self-purge, sediment prevention and fumes removal arrangements
First Claim
1. A 3D printing system for manufacturing an object using a materials blend including metal particles, the system comprising:
- a housing for supporting a print head having a plurality of nozzles located in a nozzle area;
a printing substrate located in a printing area for supporting an object to be printed in a multi-layers buildup process when a printing liquid including solvent and metal particles is expelled from the nozzles toward the printing substrate;
a heat source configured to heat the printing substrate to generate fumes from the solvent of the printing fluid deposited on the printing substrate; and
a fumes management system configured to remove from the printing area at least a portion of the generated fumes, wherein the fumes management system includes an auxiliary suction system configured to control a ratio of fumes being evacuated to fumes being accumulated on the nozzle area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A printing head assembly with integrated purge mechanism is disclosed. The printing head assembly comprises: (a) a liquid dispensing head comprising one or more dispensing nozzles enclosed in a nozzle plate, driven by at least first and second pressures, and (b) a shielding mask including an opening in front of the one or more nozzles, wherein the opening being configured such that when printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the first pressure, the liquid being dispensed in pulses through the opening in the shielding mask, and (ii) when purge printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the second pressure, the liquid being drawn to a capillary gap formed between the shielding mask and the nozzle plate thereby removing the purge printing liquid from the nearby nozzles.
43 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A 3D printing system for manufacturing an object using a materials blend including metal particles, the system comprising:
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a housing for supporting a print head having a plurality of nozzles located in a nozzle area; a printing substrate located in a printing area for supporting an object to be printed in a multi-layers buildup process when a printing liquid including solvent and metal particles is expelled from the nozzles toward the printing substrate; a heat source configured to heat the printing substrate to generate fumes from the solvent of the printing fluid deposited on the printing substrate; and a fumes management system configured to remove from the printing area at least a portion of the generated fumes, wherein the fumes management system includes an auxiliary suction system configured to control a ratio of fumes being evacuated to fumes being accumulated on the nozzle area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A 3D printing method for manufacturing an object using a materials blend including metal particles, the method comprising:
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supporting a print head having a plurality of nozzles located in a nozzle area; supporting an object to be printed in a multi-layers buildup process when a printing liquid including solvent and metal particles is expelled from the nozzles toward a printing substrate located in a printing area; heating the printing substrate to generate fumes from the solvent of the printing fluid deposited on the printing substrate; using an auxiliary suction system to remove from the printing area at least a portion of the generated fumes; and maintaining a vapor level in the nozzle area at a predefined level. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification