Device for producing three-dimensional models

• US 9,925,721 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• 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:
  US14/547,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• 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 method for 3D printing comprising the steps of:

i) depositing a build layer including one or more build materials on a build platform, wherein the build materials includes a particulate material and the build layer has a height;

ii) lowering the build platform; and

iii) repeating steps i) and ii) to print a 3D object;

wherein the step of lowering the build platform includes a step of vertically driving one or more Z-axis drive units connected to a horizontal drive component for moving the horizontal drive component in a vertical direction;

wherein a horizontal guide component is supported by the horizontal drive component, positioned above the horizontal drive component, and is vertically displaced by the moving of the horizontal drive component;

wherein the guide component is free to move horizontally relative to horizontal drive component; and

wherein the build platform is the horizontal guide component or the build platform is supported by the horizontal guide component and connected to the horizontal guide component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vertical increment is generally equal to the height of the build layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the horizontal guide component is a guide plate, and the horizontal drive component is a drive plate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the guide plate is connected to one or more guide elements that are capable of moving only in a generally vertical direction so that the guide plate does not move rotationally or axially in the horizontal plane.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the drive plate has one or more openings for the one or more guide elements, wherein the openings are sufficiently large to allow for horizontal movement of the drive plate without contacting the guide elements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more guide elements inhibits rotation of the build platform.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more guide elements inhibit horizontal translational motion of the build platform.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vertical increment is 20 μ

m to 500 μ

m.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the drive plate is moved by a plurality of the z-axis drive units.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the z-axis drive units are driven by a common motor.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein each z-axis drive unit includes a drive spindle and a spindle nut.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the guide plate and the drive plate are connected by axial bearings so that substantially no play between the guide plate and the drive plate occurs in the vertical direction and substantially no horizontal forces can be transmitted between the guide plate and the drive plate.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the build platform is supported by the guide plate and connected to the guide plate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the guide platform and the build platform are connected via a switchable clamping system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein during the build of the object, the guide plate and the build platform do not move relative to each other.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the z-axis drive units are mounted on a common frame.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes moving the horizontal drive component relative to the horizontal guide component in a horizontal direction during the step of lowering the build platform.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes moving the horizontal drive component relative to the horizontal guide component in a translational horizontal direction during the step of lowering the build platform.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes rotating the horizontal drive component relative to the horizontal guide component in a horizontal direction during the step of lowering the build platform.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the horizontal guide component is a guide plate, and the horizontal drive component is a drive plate, the drive plate has one or more openings for the one or more guide elements, wherein the openings are sufficiently large to allow for horizontal movement of the drive plate without contacting the guide elements.