Adept three-dimensional printing

• US 9,662,840 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Velo3D, Inc.
• Inventors: Buller, Benyamin, Lappas, Tasso, Levin, Evgeni
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US15/339,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20170129184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 211 Days
• Field of Search: 264 401, 264308, 264401, 264408, 264497
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/32 of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/36 of energy beam parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/366 Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/38 to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/80 Data acquisition or data processing
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/85 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/41 characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/45 Two or more
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/49 Scanners
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/02 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 Build-up welding
• 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 17/0081 Process control
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2071/025 Quenching, i.e. rapid cooling of an object
• 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 64/268 : using laser beams; using electron beams [EB]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• 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 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/04 : by powder metallurgy C22C1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 33/02 : by powder metallurgy working metallic powder B22F
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 : Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 : 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 : Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 : Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable medium. The disclosure delineates real time manipulation of three-dimensional printing to reduce deformation. The present disclosure further provides 3D object formed using the methods, apparatuses, and systems.

Claims

1. A method for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:

(a) altering a three-dimensional model of a requested three-dimensional object to form an altered model, which altering comprises a structural alteration, wherein at least a first derivative of the difference between (i) the altered model and (ii) the three-dimensional model of the requested three-dimensional object, is continuous; and

(b) transforming at least a portion of a material bed with an energy beam according to the altered model, wherein the three-dimensional object is substantially similar to the requested three-dimensional object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein substantially similar is relative to the intended purpose of the three-dimensional object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least the first derivative is a plurality of derivatives.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of derivatives comprises the first three derivatives.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising after (a) and before (b), generating a printing instruction using the altered model.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein transforming in (b) is according to the printing instruction.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein generating the printing instruction comprises using a simulation comprising thermal, mechanical, geometric, or material properties of the three-dimensional object or a portion thereof.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein generating the printing instruction comprises using a geometric information deriving from a previously formed portion of the three-dimensional object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the geometric information comprises a local thickness below a given layer, local build angle, proximity to an edge on a given layer, or proximity to layer boundary.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein generating the printing instruction comprises dynamically adjusting the altered model in real time during the transforming in (b).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein dynamically adjusting comprises using a closed loop control.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein dynamically adjusting comprises using a real time measurement from one or more sensors.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein generating the printing instruction comprises using geometric properties of the requested three-dimensional object.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the simulation is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of the three-dimensional object.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the altered model is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of at least one of:

the three-dimensional object, a layer within the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a path of the energy beam during formation of the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a hatch line during formation of the three-dimensional object, and dwell time of the energy beam forming a melt pool during formation of the three-dimensional object.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the altered model is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of at least one of:

the three-dimensional object, a layer within the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a path of the energy beam during formation of the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a hatch line during formation of the three-dimensional object, and dwell time of the energy beam forming a melt pool during formation of the three-dimensional object.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the simulation is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of at least one:

3D object, a layer within the 3D object, dwell time of the energy beam along a path of the energy beam during formation of the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a hatch line during formation of the three-dimensional object, and dwell time of the energy beam forming a melt pool during formation of the three-dimensional object.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises using a controller that includes a programmable circuit.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises sensing with a temperature sensor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the temperature sensor comprises an optical sensor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the optical sensor comprises a fiber optic sensor.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises sensing with a photo detector.

23. The method of claim 10, wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises sensing with fiber optic sensors.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object comprises an average deviation value from a predetermined dimension of the requested three-dimensional object of at most about 100 micrometers.

25. The method of claim 3, wherein the derivatives of the plurality of derivatives are continuous.

26. The method of claim 7, wherein the simulation comprises a deviation in shape from a model of the requested three-dimensional object.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the deviation in shape is a corrective deviation that at least in part compensates for deformation during formation of the three-dimensional object.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the deformation is an accumulated deformation during formation of the three-dimensional object.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the deviation in shape excludes inserting kinks in the three-dimensional object.