Three-dimensional printing systems and methods of their use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10272525-B1
Application number	US-201715855744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2017
Priority date	Dec 27, 2017
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure describes three-dimensional (3D) printing apparatuses and systems for producing 3D objects. Described herein are printing apparatuses and systems that are configured to facilitate control of debris within an enclosure where one or more printing operations are performed. Printing apparatuses and systems of the present disclosure may each have one or more components, such as, for example, component(s) that are configured to facilitate gas flow trajectories (e.g., turbulent movement) within an enclosure in which a 3D object is printed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for printing a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:
a platform configured to support a powder bed comprising a powder material;
a layer forming device configured to form at least one layer of the powder material, wherein the layer forming device includes a blade or a roller configured to translate in a first direction over a surface of the powder bed to planarize the surface of the powder bed;
an elevator operationally coupled with the platform, wherein the elevator comprises a motor configured to translate the platform in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
a processing chamber having one or more walls enclosing an internal volume, which one or more walls is configured to enclose the surface of the powder bed during printing, wherein the processing chamber includes a ceiling wall;
one or more lasers configured to generate one or more laser beams that (i) melts at least a portion of the powder bed to a molten material as part of the three-dimensional object during the printing, and (ii) forms gas-borne debris within the internal volume;
one or more windows coupled to the ceiling wall, wherein the one or more windows is configured to transmit the one or more laser beams to the internal volume;
one or more galvanometer scanners configured to move the one or more laser beams within a processing region of the internal volume of the processing chamber, wherein the one or more galvanometer scanners is external to the internal volume of the processing chamber;
a gas flow system comprising one or more openings disposed in the one or more walls, which gas flow system is operationally coupled with the processing chamber and configured to provide a flow of gas across at least a portion of the processing region, wherein during the printing the flow of gas maintains a debris concentration of about 1 milligrams per cubic meter to about 1,000 milligrams per cubic meter (a) in the processing region and (b) at least about 20 millimeters above the surface of the powder bed, wherein the printing results in the three-dimensional object having a porosity of about 1% or less by volume, wherein the gas flow system is configured to facilitate movement of the gas-borne debris at least in the processing region during the printing, wherein the gas flow system is configured to facilitate the movement of the gas-borne debris corresponding to a turbulent movement at least in the processing region; and
one or more controllers comprising electrical circuitry operationally coupled with the elevator, the layer forming device, the one or more galvanometer scanners, and the gas flow system, which one or more controllers are configured to direct (I) the elevator to translate the platform in the second direction, (II) the layer forming device to translate in the first direction, (III) the one or more galvanometer scanners to direct the one or more laser beams at the powder bed along at least one trajectory, and (IV) the gas flow system to provide the flow of gas.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing region has a shape that is configured to encompass (i) a motion range of the one or more laser beams that move along the at least one trajectory, and (ii) at least a portion of the surface of the powder bed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the turbulent movement comprises a cyclic movement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the turbulent movement comprises a backflow or a standing vortex.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one valve of the gas flow system is configured to facilitate the movement of the gas-borne debris.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an internal shape of the processing chamber is configured to facilitate the movement of the gas-borne debris.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one wall of the one or more walls is configured to facilitate the movement of the gas-borne debris.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the wall of the processing chamber is a side wall.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flow of gas has a peak horizontal velocity height that varies along a length of the powder bed and/or the platform.

10. An apparatus for printing a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:
a platform configured to support a powder bed comprising a powder material;
a layer forming device configured to form at least one layer of the powder material, wherein the layer forming device includes a blade or a roller configured to translate in a first direction over a surface of the powder bed to planarize the surface of the powder bed;
an elevator operationally coupled with the platform, wherein the elevator comprises a motor configured to translate the platform in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
a processing chamber having one or more walls enclosing an internal volume, which one or more walls are configured to enclose the surface of the powder bed during the printing, wherein the processing chamber includes a ceiling wall;
one or more lasers configured to generate one or more laser beams that (i) melts at least a portion of the powder bed to a molten material as part of the three-dimensional object during the printing, and (ii) forms gas-borne debris within the internal volume;
one or more windows coupled to the ceiling wall, wherein the one or more windows is configured to transmit the one or more laser beams to the internal volume;
one or more galvanometer scanners configured to move the one or more laser beams within a processing region of the internal volume of the processing chamber, wherein the one or more galvanometer scanners is external to the internal volume of the processing chamber;
a gas flow system comprising one or more openings disposed in the one or more walls, which gas flow system is operationally coupled with the processing chamber and configured to provide a flow of gas across at least a portion of the processing region, wherein during the printing, the flow of gas maintains a debris concentration of 0.5 particles per cubic centimeter to 1,000 particles per cubic centimeter (a) in the processing region and (b) at least 20 millimeters above the surface of the powder bed, each of which particles has a diameter of 0.5 micrometer or greater, wherein the printing results in the three-dimensional object having a porosity of 1% or less by volume; and
one or more controllers comprising electrical circuitry operationally coupled with the elevator, the layer forming device, the one or more galvanometer scanners, and the gas flow system, which one or more controllers are configured to direct (I) the elevator to translate the platform in the second direction, (II) the layer forming device to translate in the first direction, (III) the one or more galvanometer scanners to direct the one or more laser beams at the powder bed along at least one trajectory, and (IV) the gas flow system to provide the flow of gas.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the debris concentration within the at least the portion of the processing region varies during the printing.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the gas-borne debris within the internal volume is formed during melting of the at least the portion of the powder bed to the molten material as part of the three-dimensional object.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the debris concentration is present at a height of at least 30 millimeters above the surface of the powder bed.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the debris concentration is present at a height of at least 50 millimeters above the surface of the powd

Assignees

• Velo3D Inc

Inventors

• Buller Benyamin
• Murphree Zachary Ryan

Classifications

• B23K26/127

  in an enclosure · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B23K26/342 Primary

  Build-up welding · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B23K26/142

  for the removal of by-products · CPC title