Continuous liquid interphase printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10016938-B2
Application number	US-201615143986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2016
Priority date	Aug 14, 2013
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A method of forming a three-dimensional object is carried out by providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, the carrier and the build surface defining a build region therebetween; filling the build region with a polymerizable liquid; irradiating the build region through the optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from the polymerizable liquid and advancing the carrier away from the build surface to form the three-dimensional object from the solid polymer, while also concurrently with the irradiating and/or advancing steps: (i) continuously maintaining a dead zone of polymerizable liquid in contact with the build surface, and (ii) continuously maintaining a gradient of polymerization zone between the dead zone and the solid polymer and in contact with each thereof. The gradient of polymerization zone comprises the polymerizable liquid in partially cured form (e.g., so that the formation of fault or cleavage lines between layers of solid polymer in the three-dimensional object is reduced). Apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a polymerizable liquid, comprising:
(a) a support;
(b) a carrier operatively associated with said support on which carrier said three-dimensional object is formed;
(c) a build plate connected to said support, wherein the build plate is stationary in the X and Y direction, said build plate comprising a semipermeable member, said semipermeable member comprising a build surface, with said build surface and said carrier defining a build region therebetween, said build region configured to produce an object having at least one overhanging feature;
(d) a polymerizable liquid supply operatively associated with said build plate and configured to supply polymerizable liquid into said build region for solidification polymerization;
(e) a radiation source operatively associated with said build plate and configured to irradiate said build region through said build plate and form a solid polymerized region therein from said polymerizable liquid; and
(f) the build surface being in fluid communication by way of the semipermeable member with a source of polymerization inhibitor so as to promote formation or maintenance of a liquid film release layer comprised of said polymerizable liquid formed between said solid polymerized region and said build surface, the polymerization of which liquid film is inhibited by said polymerization inhibitor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one overhanging feature comprises a bridging element or a cantilevered element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heater operatively associated with said build plate and/or said polymerizable liquid supply, said heater configured to heat polymerizable liquid supplied to said build region.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cooler operatively associated with said build plate and configured to cool polymerizable liquid in said build region.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
said semipermeable member comprises a top surface portion, a bottom surface portion, and an edge surface portion;
said build surface is on said top surface portion; and
a feed surface on at least one of said top surface portion, said bottom surface portion, and said edge surface portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pressure source operatively associated with said polymerizable liquid supply.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said semipermeable member comprises:
(i) a polymer film layer having a top surface positioned for contacting said polymerizable liquid and a bottom surface, and
(ii) a rigid, gas permeable, optically transparent supporting member contacting said film layer bottom surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said polymer film or polymer film layer comprises a fluoropolymer film.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the supporting member comprises a silicone polymer member a rigid gas permeable polymer member, or a porous or microporous glass member.

10. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a polymerizable liquid, comprising:
(a) a support;
(b) a carrier operatively associated with said support on which carrier said three-dimensional object is formed;
(c) at least one channel formed in the carrier;
(d) a build plate connected to said support, said build plate comprising a semipermeable member, said semipermeable member comprising a build surface, with said build surface and said carrier defining a build region therebetween;
(e) a polymerizable liquid supply operatively associated with said build plate and configured to supply polymerizable liquid through said at least one channel into said build region for solidification polymerization;
(f) a radiation source operatively associated with said build plate and configured to irradiate said build region through said build plate and form a solid polymerized region therein from said polymerizable liquid; and
(g) the build surface being in fluid communication by way of the semipermeable member with a source of polymerization inhibitor so as to promote formation or maintenance of a liquid film release layer comprised of said polymerizable liquid formed between said solid polymerized region and said build surface, the polymerization of which liquid film is inhibited by said polymerization inhibitor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said carrier has a plurality of channels formed therein, configured for supply of different polymerizable liquids through different ones of said plurality of channels.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a spatial light modulation array operatively associated with said radiation source and configured to carry out irradiation of the polymerizable liquid by maskless photolithography.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said carrier comprises a plate, post, web, film, reel, or combination thereof operatively associated with at least one actuator.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said carrier comprises a drive and a controller, said drive and said controller configured to advance said carrier unidirectionally away from said build surface.

15. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a polymerizable liquid, comprising:
(a) a support;
(b) a carrier operatively associated with said support on which carrier said three-dimensional object is formed;
(c) an optically transparent member having a build surface, with said build surface and said carrier defining a build region therebetween;
(d) a polymerizable liquid supply operatively associated with said build surface and configured to supply polymerizable liquid into said build region for solidification polymerization;
(e) a radiation source configured to irradiate said build region through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid;
(f) a controller operatively associated with said carrier and said radiation source for advancing said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer, while also concurrently:
(i) continuously maintaining a dead zone of polymerizable liquid in contact with said build surface, and
(ii) continuously maintaining a gradient of polymerization zone between said dead zone and said solid polymer and in contact with each thereof, said gradient of polymerization zone comprising said polymerizable liquid in partially cured form.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said carrier has at least one channel formed therein, configured for supply of said polymerizable liquid into said build region through said at least one channel.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said carrier has a plurality of channels formed therein, configured for supply of different polymerizable liquids through different ones of said plurality of channels.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said carrier has a plurality of channels formed therein, configured for supply of different polymerizable liquids through different ones of said plurality of channels.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising at least one, or a plurality of, external feed conduits separate from said object, each of said at least one feed conduits in fluid communication with a channel in said carrier, configured for supply of at least one, or a plurality of different, polymerizable liquids from said carrier to said build region.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the optically transparent member is substantially fixed or station

Assignees

• Carbon3D Inc
• Carbon Inc

Inventors

• Desimone Joseph M
• Ermoshkin Alexander
• Ermoshkin Nikita
• Samulski Edward T

Classifications

• B29C64/245

  Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) · CPC title

• B29C64/295

  Heating elements · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/40

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title