3D infiltration method

• US 9,943,981 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Inventors: Gnther, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Theisen, Mary Lynn F
• Application Number:
  US15/100,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20160303762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/10 Sintering only
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/02 relating to soldering or welding dip or wave soldering in the manufacture of printed circuits H05K3/34
• 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 11/04 for coating or applying engobing layersglazing, engobing C04B
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 11/045 by dipping
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 11/048 by spraying or projecting
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 11/24 for curing, setting or hardening processes for influencing or modifying the setting or hardening ability of mortars, concrete or artificial stone compositions, in general C04B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/44 for treating with gases or degassing, e.g. for de-aerating treating with hot gases or vapour B28B7/42
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/465 Applying setting liquid to dry mixtures
• 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 64/188 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: 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 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/12 Metallic interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/121 based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/124 based on copper
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/125 based on noble metals, e.g. silver
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/366 : Aluminium nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/402 : Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/407 : Copper
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/026 : consisting of metals or metal salts
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4545 : applied as a powdery material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing three-dimensional molded parts in two method steps and infiltrating the molded part, as well as a material system.

Claims

1. A method for producing one or more three-dimensional components by means of a layering technique comprising the steps of:

applying material layers of the three-dimensional component(s) over a build platform;

at least partially solidifying a first portion of the material layers, wherein the first portion at least partially has pores, and a second portion of the material layers is unbound;

separating the second portion from the three-dimensional component(s); and

contacting the three-dimensional component(s) with a water-containing medium, wherein a particulate material is used to build the material layers, the particulate material including a build material which binds or solidifies due to the introduction of the water-containing medium.

2. A part produced according to the method of claim 1.

3. A method for producing one or more three-dimensional components by means of a layering technique comprising the steps of:

applying material layers of the three-dimensional component(s) over a build platform;

at least partially solidifying a first portion of the material layers, wherein the first portion at least partially has pores, and a second portion of the material layers is unbound;

separating the second portion from the three-dimensional component(s); and

contacting the three-dimensional component(s) with a water-containing medium, wherein a particulate material is used to build the material layers, the particulate material including a build material which binds or solidifies due to the introduction of the water-containing medium;

wherein the step of contacting includes a series of consecutive steps using different materials which are suitable for solidifying the particulate material and/or essentially filling out the pores.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the particulate material used to build the material layers includes a hydraulically binding material.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the method includes a step of treating the one or more component(s) with another material or material mixture, the step including essentially filling out the pores.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the method includes a step of age-hardening for at least 12 hours after the step of solidifying and before the step of contacting.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein a portion of the hydraulically binding material in the three-dimensional component(s) is unbound after the step of removing and prior to the step of contacting.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more component are brushed or sprayed with the water-containing medium or dipped in the water-containing medium.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method comprises a step of treating the one or more components with heat and/or an air exchange after the step of contacting.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the method comprises a step of subjecting the one or more components to gassing with CO₂.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein

the particulate material used to build the material layers is a hydraulically binding material;

the method includes a step of treating the one or more components with another material or material mixture, the step including essentially filling out the pores; and

the method includes a step of age-hardening for at least 12 hours after the step of solidifying and before the step of contacting.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein

a portion of the hydraulically binding material in the one or more component(s) is unbound after the step of removing and prior to the step of contacting

the one or more components are brushed or sprayed with the water-containing medium or dipped in the water-containing medium, and/or additionally treated with heat and/or an air exchange after the contacting step.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes the step of treating with the air exchange;

and includes the subjecting the one or more components to gassing with CO₂.

14. A material system, for producing a three-dimensional part by means of a layering technique, comprising:

a first component being a hydraulically hardening material, and

a second component being or containing an aqueous solution-containing material, which is hardened by the discharge of water;

wherein the material system includes sand or artificial sands;

a powdered material; and

a polymer dispersion.

15. The material system of claim 14, wherein the a hydraulically hardening material is a cement or a gypsum.

16. The material system of claim 15, wherein the material system includes

i) hollow glass balls;

or

ii) a powdery material selected from a sand, a silica sand, a stone dust, a sodium silicate, a potassium silicate, and a lithium silicate.

17. A method for producing one or more three-dimensional components by means of a layering technique comprising the steps of:

applying material layers of the three-dimensional component(s) over a build platform;

at least partially solidifying a first portion of the material layers, wherein the solidified areas at least partially have pores, and a second portion of the material layers is unbound;

separating the second portion from the three-dimensional component(s); and

contacting the three-dimensional component(s) with a water-containing medium, wherein a particulate material is used to build the material layers, the particulate material including a build material which binds or solidifies due to the introduction of the water-containing medium;

wherein the particulate material used to build the material layers includes a hydraulically binding material;

wherein

the hydraulically binding material includes a cement or a gypsum;

the water-containing medium is a water glass or a water-based plastic dispersion;

the water-containing medium coats the one or more components on the outside; and

the water-containing medium contains additional components including a polymer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein

the water-containing medium is an aqueous solution of sodium silicate, potassium silicate or lithium silicate;

and

the water-containing medium coats the surfaces of the pores.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein

the water-containing medium essentially fills out the pores;

the quantity of the water-containing medium is selected in such a way that it is sufficient to essentially completely bind and solidify the particulate material used to build the material layers; and

the particulate material is essentially no longer water-soluble after the binding.

20. A method for producing one or more three-dimensional components by means of a layering technique comprising the steps of:

layering a powder build material containing a hydraulic binder to form a layer;

selectively solidifying at least a portion of the layer by applying water to the portion in a quantity insufficient to completely bind the hydraulic binder so that the portion of the layer has unbound hydraulic binder,

repeating the layering and selectively solidifying steps until a partially bound product is formed,

removing unsolidified powder from the product and then contacting the partially bound product with a water containing medium to react with the unbound hydraulic binder in the partially bound product.