Apparatus, system and method of forming polymer microspheres for use in additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11868124-B2
Application number	US-201917311635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

The embodiments are and include at least an apparatus, system and method for forming print material particles for additive manufacturing (AM) printing. The apparatus, system and method include at least a melt chamber comprising a polymer melt; a vertical extruder that fluidically receives the polymer melt; an atomizer that atomizes the polymer melt from the vertical extruder and that distributes the atomized polymer melt; a fall chamber comprising a plurality of zones into which the atomized polymer melt is distributed; and a collector to receive the print material particles formed of the atomized polymer melt after falling through the plurality of zones.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for forming print material particles for additive manufacturing (AM) printing, comprising:
a melt chamber comprising a polymer melt;
a vertical extruder that fluidically receives the polymer melt;
an atomizer that atomizes the polymer melt from the vertical extruder and that distributes the atomized polymer melt;
a fall chamber comprising a plurality of zones into which the atomized polymer melt is distributed, the plurality of zones comprising:
a plurality of heating zones comprising at least one heating zone including a heat emitter capable of providing a temperature of 250 degrees C. to the atomized polymer melt in the fall chamber; and
a plurality of cooling zones comprising at least one cooling zone corresponding to a cooling element;

one or more gas inlets suitable, in conjunction with at least both (i) the heat emitter and (ii) the cooling element, to control a flow of the distribution of the atomized polymer melt in the fall chamber; and
a collector to receive the print material particles formed of the atomized polymer melt after falling through the plurality of zones.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the atomizer comprises a high-pressure non-reactive gas jet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-reactive gas comprises nitrogen gas.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the high pressure is about 1050 psi.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the print material particles range in size from about 0.1 μm to about 200 μm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the melt is polyethylene-based.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a feeder to the melt chamber, wherein the polymer in the feeder comprises pellets.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the melt chamber comprises a heater to form the polymer melt.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vertical extruder comprises at least one heater.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of zones comprise the plurality heating zones and the plurality of cooling zones alternating.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extruder comprises a twin screw extruder.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the polymer melt comprises non-polymer additives.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the additives comprise at least one of an alloy and a reinforcement.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the atomizer comprises one of a centrifugal, a chopping disc, and a gas atomization.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collector further comprises a classifier.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the classifier is an air classifier.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more gas inlets, the heat emitter, and the cooling element retard the flow of the distribution of the atomized polymer melt.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more gas inlets, the heat emitter, and the cooling element advance the flow of the distribution of the atomized polymer melt.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the cooling zones of the plurality of cooling zones is positioned below one heating zone of the plurality of heating zones.

Assignees

• Jabil Inc

Inventors

• Dippel Nicholas
• Gardner Thomas

Classifications

• G05B23/0283 Primary

  Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] (preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06) · CPC title

• B01J2/16

  by suspending the powder material in a gas, e.g. in fluidised beds or as a falling curtain · CPC title

• B29C64/153

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