Freeform fabrication method using extrusion of non-cross-linking reactive prepolymers
First Claim
1. A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional object from a design created on a computer, comprising:
- (a) providing a support member by which said object is supported while being constructed;
(b) operating a dispensing head having at least a dispensing nozzle for dispensing continuous strands of a material composition in a fluent state at a first temperature onto said support member, said material composition comprising a reactive prepolymer with a melting point above 23°
C. and said first temperature being greater than said melting point;
(c) operating material treatment means disposed a distance from said dispensed strands of material composition for causing said material composition to rapidly achieve a rigid state in which said material composition is substantially solidified and built up in a form of said three-dimensional object, said material treatment means comprising means for converting said reactive prepolymer to a thermoplastic resin; and
(d) operating control means for generating control signals in response to coordinates of said design of said object and controlling the position of said dispensing head relative to said support member in response to said control signals to control dispensing of said material composition for constructing said object.
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Abstract
An extrusion-based freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional object from a design created on a computer, including (a) providing a support member; (b) operating a dispensing head having at least one dispensing nozzle with a discharge orifice for dispensing continuous strands of a material composition in a fluent state at a first temperature onto the support member, the material composition including a reactive prepolymer with a melting point above 23° C. and the first temperature being greater than the prepolymer melting point; (c) operating material treatment devices for causing the dispensed strands of material composition to rapidly achieve a rigid state in which the material composition is substantially solidified to build up the 3-D object, the material treatment devices also working to convert the reactive prepolymer to a higher molecular weight thermoplastic resin; and (d) operating control devices for generating control signals in response to coordinates of the object design to control the movement of the dispensing nozzle relative to the support member and for controlling the strand dispensing of the material composition to construct the 3-D object.
242 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional object from a design created on a computer, comprising:
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(a) providing a support member by which said object is supported while being constructed;
(b) operating a dispensing head having at least a dispensing nozzle for dispensing continuous strands of a material composition in a fluent state at a first temperature onto said support member, said material composition comprising a reactive prepolymer with a melting point above 23°
C. and said first temperature being greater than said melting point;
(c) operating material treatment means disposed a distance from said dispensed strands of material composition for causing said material composition to rapidly achieve a rigid state in which said material composition is substantially solidified and built up in a form of said three-dimensional object, said material treatment means comprising means for converting said reactive prepolymer to a thermoplastic resin; and
(d) operating control means for generating control signals in response to coordinates of said design of said object and controlling the position of said dispensing head relative to said support member in response to said control signals to control dispensing of said material composition for constructing said object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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17. A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional object comprising:
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(a) providing at least one material composition in a fluent state, said composition comprising a reactive prepolymer;
(b) feeding said at least one material composition to a dispensing head having at least one dispensing nozzle with at least one discharge orifice of a predetermined size;
(c) dispensing continuous strands of said at least one material composition from said at least one dispensing nozzle onto a support member disposed at a predetermined initial distance from said dispensing nozzle;
(d) operating material treatment means for further extending the chain length of said prepolymer in said dispensed strands to obtain a higher molecular weight thermoplastic resin; and
(e) during said dispensing step, moving said at least one dispensing nozzle and said support member relative to one another in a plane defined by first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane to form said at least one material composition into a three-dimensional shape of said object.
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Specification