Additive manufacturing technique for printing three-dimensional parts with printed receiving surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399281-B2
Application number	US-201615142528-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2012
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A method for printing three-dimensional parts with an additive manufacturing system, comprising printing successive layers having increasing cross-sectional areas, and printing layers of a three-dimensional part onto the previously printed layers, where a last layer of the previously printed successive layers has a cross-sectional area that is at least as large as a footprint area of the three-dimensional part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for printing three-dimensional parts in a layer by layer manner with an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
providing a starter piece having a receiving surface that is substantially parallel to a build plane and where the receiving surface is substantially normal to a print axis;
extruding a first layer of a three-dimensional part and/or a sacrificial structure onto the receiving surface by extruding material from a print head;
moving the starter piece and a printed portion of the three-dimensional part and/or the sacrificial structure a distance along the print axis,
extruding a successive layer of the three-dimensional part and/or the sacrificial structure onto the previously printed layer; and
repeating the moving and extruding steps to print the three dimensional part to a dimension greater than a build environment of the additive manufacturing system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the sacrificial structure comprises extruding a water soluble material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the sacrificial structure comprises extruding a part material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the print axis is substantially horizontal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the print axis is substantially vertical.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the print axis is at an angle between substantially horizontal and substantially vertical.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the build environment comprises a chamber with a port wherein as the three-dimensional part is printed to a dimension greater than the build chamber, at least a portion of the part extends through the port.

8. The method of claim 7 , and further comprising heating the chamber while the three-dimensional part is printed in a layer by layer manner.

9. The method of claim 1 , and wherein printing the support structure comprises printing layers of a scaffold for the three-dimensional part, wherein the scaffold braces the three-dimensional part to address forces in the build plane as the three-dimensional part is printed.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the scaffold is printed to have a configuration that causes spaced apart periodic contact with the three-dimensional part being printed.

11. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising engaging the starter piece and subsequently printed layers of the part or the sacrificial structure with a drive mechanism of the additive manufacturing system to move the starter piece along the printing axis.

12. A method for printing three-dimensional parts in a layer by layer manner with an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
providing a starter piece having a receiving surface substantially parallel to a build plane and wherein the receiving surface is substantially normal to a print axis;
providing an electronic model of a three-dimensional part;
slicing the electronic model into a plurality of layers;
generating tool paths for each layer of the plurality of layers;
extruding each layer of the plurality of layers in the print plane with the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system based on the generated tool paths wherein the three-dimensional part is secured to the receiving surface of the starter piece such that the starter piece and a printed portion of the three-dimensional part move together along the print axis; and
repeating the extrusion and moving steps until the three-dimensional part is printed wherein a length of the three-dimensional part is greater than a length of a build environment of the additive manufacturing system.

13. The method of claim 12 , and further comprising extruding a support structure along with the plurality of layers of the three-dimensional part, wherein printing the three-dimensional part onto the printed successive layers comprises extruding the three-dimensional part onto the support structure in a layer-by-layer manner.

14. The method of claim 12 , and further comprising:
generating tool paths for each layer of the plurality of layers of the three dimensional part and scaffolds of the support structure; and
extruding the scaffold onto the extruded prior layer, wherein the scaffold braces the three-dimensional part against forces parallel to the build plane.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the scaffold is extruded to have a configuration that causes spaced apart periodic contact with the three-dimensional part being printed.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the print axis is substantially horizontal.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the print axis is substantially vertical.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the print axis is at an angle between substantially horizontal and substantially vertical.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the build environment comprises a chamber with a port wherein as the three-dimensional part is printed to a dimension greater than the build chamber, at least a portion of the part extends through the port.

20. The method of claim 19 , and further comprising heating the chamber while the three-dimensional part is printed in a layer by layer manner.

Assignees

• Stratasys Inc

Inventors

• Mannella Dominic F
• Swanson William J

Classifications

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B29C64/40

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

• B22F5/10 Primary

  of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups · CPC title

• B22F10/43

  characterised by material · CPC title

• B22F12/38

  Housings, e.g. machine housings · CPC title