Surrogate supports in additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11826953-B2
Application number	US-201916568188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2019
Priority date	Sep 12, 2018
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

3-D build jobs having surrogate supports, 3-D printers using surrogate supports, and techniques to support vulnerable regions of build pieces using surrogate supports are disclosed. The surrogate supports are generated in a first material configuration and are offset via a gap from the vulnerable regions. The gap comprises a second material configuration, such as loose or partially fused powder on which the build piece can be supported during 3-D printing. In alternative embodiments, the gap instead includes thin manual ties or a solid body using material that is stronger but more amenable to breaking off without damaging the build piece. Post-processing steps are dramatically reduced as the surrogate supports and gaps facilitate virtually error-free separation from the build piece. In an embodiment, the surrogate supports include a support structure extending to a fixed base underneath, the fixed base being a build plate or a global surrogate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A build job, comprising:
one or more vulnerable regions requiring support during a three-dimensional (3-D) print; and
at least one surrogate support offset from the vulnerable regions by a gap, wherein the surrogate support comprises at least one feature-based surrogate support in a first material configuration, the at least one feature-based surrogate support configured to support a vulnerable region in the one or more vulnerable regions,
wherein the gap comprises a second material configuration.

2. The build job of claim 1 , wherein the first material configuration comprises fused powder.

3. The build job of claim 1 , wherein the second material configuration comprises partially sintered powder.

4. The build job of claim 1 , wherein the at least one feature-based surrogate support further comprises a support structure extending underneath the feature-based surrogate support to a fixed base.

5. The build job of claim 4 , wherein the fixed base comprises one of a build plate, or a global surrogate support configured to separate the at least one feature-based surrogate support from the build plate.

6. The build job of claim 4 , wherein the support structure comprises a lattice.

7. The build job of claim 1 , wherein the surrogate support is segmented into a plurality of supports.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Miller Samuel Noah
• Kenworthy Michael Thomas
• Monteith Eric Paul
• Bowden Jr Thomas Samuel

Classifications

• B29C64/153 Primary

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B22F10/47

  characterised by structural features · CPC title

• B29C64/205

  Means for applying layers · CPC title

• B29C64/245

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