Process and device for producing a three-dimensional object

• US 8,845,316 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Envisiontec GmbH
• Original Assignee: Envisiontec GmbH
• Inventors: Schillen, Volker, El-Siblani, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, JEREMIAH R
• Application Number:
  US12/217,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20090020901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,281 Days
• Field of Search: 425/149, 425/174.4, 425/135, 425/150
• US Class Current: 425/149
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• 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 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/88 characterised primarily by possessing specific properties, e.g. electrically conductive or locally reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/24 crosslinked or vulcanised
• 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

Abstract

A process for producing at least one three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifyable material, comprising the steps of:

• • providing an object carrier capable of carrying the object to be produced;
  • providing a material capable of solidifying when subjected to energy supply;
  • bringing a solidifyable material carrier/provider in a position to carry/provide solidifyable material at least in a building region where solidifyable material is to be solidified;
  • supplying, to the building region, energy capable of solidifying the solidifyable material; and
  • sensing, measuring and/or controlling a condition selected from the group consisting of pressure and/or strain. Alternatively or in combination, contact pressure, fluid pressure and/or material flowability can be sensed and/or adjusted.

Claims

1. A device for producing at least one three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifiable material, comprising:

a device for supply of energy to a building region, the energy supply device being capable of solidifying the solidifiable material;

an object carrier capable of carrying the object to be produced;

a solidifiable material carrier/provider being arranged to provide solidifiable material at least in the building region, wherein the building region is between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy; and

a sensor arranged to sense or measure and output a signal indicative of a condition selected from the group consisting of (i) a separation force of the object carrier from a building plane in the building region between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy, and ii) a separation force of the solidifiable material carrier/provider from the building plane between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy; and

a controller configured to initiate the building of the at least one three-dimensional object based on an initial set of build parameters, to receive the signal indicative of the condition from the at least one sensor during the building of the at least one three-dimensional object and to adjust the value of at least one build parameter included in the set of build parameters from an initial value to an adjusted value based on the received signal, wherein the at least one build parameter to be adjusted includes at least one build parameter corresponding to a distance of the object carrier from the building plane in the building region.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said solidifiable material carrier/provider is a film/foil carrier or a separation film/foil, or it is a vat or a container.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to determine, as a result of the sensing or the measurement of the sensor, whether a building process is disturbed.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the object carrier includes an object carrying and building platform arranged to move in a vertically upward direction.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device for supply of energy to the building region is capable of solidifying a photocurable resin as the solidifiable material.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the solidifiable material carrier/provider is a film that conveys solidifiable material to the building region.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the film is transparent.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the sensor is arranged to measure a separation force of an upper solidified surface of the at least one three-dimensional object from the film.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device for supply of energy to the building region is a spatial light modulator (SLM) disposed above or below the building region.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the solidifiable material carrier/provider is a film that conveys the solidifiable material to the building region, and the spatial light modulator (SLM) projects an image through the film from below into the building region.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the spatial light modulator (SLM) is a digital light projector (DLP).

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the object carrier includes an object carrying building platform arranged to move in a vertical direction,

the solidifiable material carrier/provider is a transparent film that conveys the solidifiable material to the building region,

the device for supply of energy to the building region is a spatial light modulator (SLM), or a digital light projector (DLP), disposed below the film to project an image through the film towards the building region.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the object carrier includes an object carrying building platform arranged to move in a vertical direction,

the solidifiable material carrier/provider is a transparent film that conveys the solidifiable material to the building region and,

the device for supply of energy to the building region is a spatial light modulator (SLM), or a digital light projector (DLP), disposed above the film to project an image through the film towards the building region.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the building plane is defined by a transparent material selected from the group consisting of a film/foil and a glass plate.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein building plane is defined by a resilient film/foil.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the device for producing at least one three-dimensional object further comprises a frame carrying or supporting one selected from the object carrier and the solidifiable material carrier/provider, and the sensor is located on the frame.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is located in or at the object carrier.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the sensor measures a separation force of the object carrier from the building plane.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is arranged to measure a separation force of an upper solidified surface of the at least one three-dimensional object and the solidifiable material carrier/provider.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the device for producing at least one three-dimensional object further comprises a frame carrying or supporting one selected from the object carrier and the solidifiable material carrier/provider, and the sensor is located on the frame and arranged to measure a pressure.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is located in or at the building region.

23. A device for producing at least one three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifiable material, comprising:

a device for supply of energy to a building region, the energy supply device being capable of solidifying the solidifiable material;

an object carrier capable of carrying the object to be produced;

a solidifiable material carrier/provider being arranged to provide solidifiable material at least in the building region, wherein the building region is between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy;

a sensor arranged to sense or measure a condition selected from the group consisting of (i) a separation force of the object carrier from a building plane in the building region between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy, and (ii) a separation force of the solidifiable material carrier/provider from the building plane between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy; and

a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of the condition and to adjust a distance of the object carrier from the building plane in the building region based on the signal,

wherein the controller is configured to adjust a tilt angle of the solidifiable material carrier/provider based on the signal.

24. A device for producing at least one three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifiable material, comprising:

a device for supplying energy to a building region to solidify the solidifiable material;

a moveable object carrier for carrying the object;

a solidifiable material carrier/provider arranged to provide the solidifiable material in the building region;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense at least one condition at a location indicative of the at least one condition at the building region between the device for supplying energy and the moveable object carrier and to output a signal indicative of the at least one condition;

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the building of the at least one three-dimensional object based on an initial set of build parameters, to receive the signal from the at least one sensor during the building of the at least one three-dimensional object, and to adjust the value of at least one build parameter included in the set of build parameters from an initial value to an adjusted value based on the received signal, wherein the at least one build parameter to be adjusted includes at least one build parameter corresponding to a position of the moveable object carrier; and

wherein the at least one sensed condition is selected from the group consisting of (i) a separation force of the object carrier from a building plane in the building region between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy, (ii) a separation force of the solidifiable material carrier/provider from the building plane between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the solidifiable material carrier/provider is a film that conveys solidifiable material to the building region.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the building plane is defined by a transparent material selected from the group consisting of a film/foil and a glass plate.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the controller adjusts a distance of the object carrier from the building plane based on the sensed condition.

28. The device of claim 24, wherein the sensor is arranged to measure a separation force of an upper solidified surface of the at least one three-dimensional object and the solidifiable material carrier/provider.

29. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one sensor is located in or at the building region.

30. A device for producing at least one three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifiable material, comprising:

a device for supplying energy to a building region to solidify the solidifiable material;

a moveable object carrier for carrying the object;

a solidifiable material carrier/provider arranged to provide the solidifiable material in the building region;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor configured to sense at least one condition at a location indicative of the at least one condition at the building region between the device for supplying energy and the moveable object carrier and to output a signal indicative of the at least one condition;

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the building of the at least one three-dimensional object based on an initial set of build parameters, to receive the signal from the at least one sensor during the building of the at least one three-dimensional object, and to adjust the value of at least one build parameter included in the set of build parameters from an initial value to an adjusted value based on the received signal, wherein the at least one build parameter to be adjusted includes at least one build parameter corresponding to the speed of movement of the object carrier; and

wherein the at least one sensed condition is selected from the group consisting of (i) a separation force of the object carrier from a building plane in the building region between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy, (ii) a separation force of the solidifiable material carrier/provider from the building plane between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy.

31. A device for producing at least one three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifiable material, comprising:

a device for supplying energy to a building region to solidify the solidifiable material;

a moveable object carrier for carrying the object;

a solidifiable material carrier/provider arranged to provide the solidifiable material in the building region;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor senses at least one condition at a location indicative of the at least one condition at the building region between the device for supplying energy and the moveable object carrier;

a controller, wherein the controller adjusts the movement of the movable object carrier based on the sensed at least one condition;

wherein the at least one sensor is arranged to sense or measure a condition selected from the group consisting of (i) a separation force of the object carrier from a building plane in the building region between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy, (ii) a separation force of the solidifiable material carrier/provider from the building plane between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy, and wherein the controller adjusts a tilt angle between a surface of the object carrier and a surface of the solidifiable material carrier/provider based on the sensed at least one condition.

32. A device for producing at least one three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifiable material, comprising:

a device for supplying energy to a building region to solidify the solidifiable material;

a moveable object carrier for carrying the object;

a solidifiable material carrier/provider arranged to provide the solidifiable material in the building region;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor configured to sense at least one condition at a location indicative of the at least one condition at the building region between the device for supplying energy and the moveable object carrier and to output a signal indicative of the at least one condition;

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the building of the at least one three-dimensional object based on an initial set of build parameters, to receive the signal from the at least one sensor during the building of the at least one three-dimensional object, and to adjust the value of at least one build parameter included in the set of build parameters from an initial value to an adjusted value based on the received signal, wherein the at least one build parameter to be adjusted includes at least one build parameter corresponding to the movement of the movable object carrier and includes at least one build parameter corresponding to the movement of the solidifiable material carrier/provider; and

wherein the at least one sensed condition is selected from the group consisting of (i) a separation force of the object carrier from a building plane in the building region between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy, (ii) a separation force of the solidifiable material carrier/provider from the building plane between the object carrier and the device for supply of energy.