Deposition of clay structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10632646-B2
Application number	US-201515504021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2015
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A method of printing includes mixing a clay mixture with an alkaline agent to form a printable mixture; forming pellets from the printable mixture; ejecting the pellets from a print head onto a printing surface; and curing the pellets.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of printing on a subsea printing surface, the method comprising:
mixing a clay mixture with an alkaline agent to form a printable mixture;
forming pellets from the printable mixture;
forming a sealed environment comprising a steam and/or compressed air bubble around at least a portion of a print head and the subsea printing surface;
ejecting the pellets from the print head directly onto the subsea printing surface to form a printed structure; and
curing the printed structure with a heat source comprising steam or a laser within the sealed environment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the sealed environment comprises:
injecting steam and/or compressed air to form the steam and/or compressed air bubble around at least a portion of the print head and the subsea printing surface.

3. The method of any of claim 1 , wherein the step of curing the printed structure comprises using a laser to apply curing heat for the printed structure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat source used in the step of curing is also used in the step of forming the sealed environment.

5. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:
storing the pellets.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming pellets comprises extruding the printable mixture.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of forming pellets further comprises:
cutting the extruded printable mixture into pellets.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the extruded printable mixture is cut into pellets with a water jet.

9. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:
supplying the pellets to the print head from one or more cartridges.

10. The method of claim 9 , and further comprising:
analyzing dredged components;
mixing the dredged components with geopolymer components and/or water; and
supplying the pellets to the one or more cartridges.

11. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:
moving the print head to eject the pellets in a different location.

12. A printer comprising:
means for mixing clay with an alkaline agent to form a printable mixture;
a print head to form the printable mixture into pellets and to eject the pellets directly onto a subsea printing surface to form a printed structure;
a sealing system for forming a sealed environment comprising a steam and/or compressed air bubble around at least a portion of the print head and the subsea printing surface; and
a heat source comprising steam or a laser for curing the pellets within the sealed environment.

13. The printer of claim 12 , and further comprising:
one or more cartridges for providing the printable mixture to the print head.

14. The printer of claim 12 , and further comprising a cutting system in the print head to form the pellets for ejection.

15. The printer of claim 14 , wherein the cutting system comprises a water jet.

16. The printer of claim 12 , and further comprising a motion control system for controlling the motion and direction of the print head.

17. The printer of claim 12 , wherein the sealing system comprises a compressed air and/or steam delivery system directed at the subsea printing surface.

Assignees

• Ihc Holland Ie Bv

Inventors

• Van Der Horst Arjen
• Koevoets Adrianus Josephus Petrus Marie

Classifications

• B28B1/001 Primary

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• B33Y30/00

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

• B33Y50/02

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• B33Y10/00

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