Methods for cleaning and post-curing additively manufactured objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945166-B2
Application number	US-202218050802-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 28, 2021
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for post-processing additively manufactured objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a plurality of additively manufactured objects on a rotor, the plurality of additively manufactured objects having excess material thereon. The method can include removing the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects by rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects via the rotor. The method can further include applying energy to the plurality of additively manufactured objects to cure a portion of each additively manufactured object while the plurality of additively manufactured objects are on the rotor.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a plurality of additively manufactured objects on a rotor, wherein the plurality of additively manufactured objects have excess material thereon;
removing the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects by rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects via the rotor; and
applying energy to the plurality of additively manufactured objects to cure a portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects while the plurality of additively manufactured objects are on the rotor, wherein the energy selectively cures the portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects while leaving a remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects in a partially cured or uncured state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprises a partially cured polymeric resin, and the excess material comprises uncured polymeric resin.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the uncured polymeric resin has a viscosity of at least 15 Pa-s at 20° C.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the energy is configured to fully cure the partially cured polymeric resin.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively cured portion and the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprise different materials, and the energy comprises a wavelength configured to selectively target the material of the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively cured portion and the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprise different thermal conductivities, such that the energy preferentially heats the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is applied via an energy source, and the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects is located closer to the energy source than the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects is more brittle than the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects after the energy is applied to at least partially fracture the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein: each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprises a sacrificial section coupled to a functional section, the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprises the sacrificial section, and the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprises the functional section.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy comprises one or more of the following: microwave radiation, infrared radiation, visible radiation, or ultraviolet radiation.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving sensor data indicative of a curing status of the plurality of additively manufactured objects; and
adjusting the energy applied to the plurality of additively manufactured objects based on the curing status.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of additively manufactured objects are rotated at a first rotation speed to remove the excess material, and further comprising rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects at a second rotation speed while applying the energy to the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second rotation speed is slower than the first rotation speed.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting at least some of the excess material removed from the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising reusing the collected excess material in a subsequent additive manufacturing process.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
immersing the plurality of additively manufactured objects in a liquid, and
rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects while immersed in the liquid.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprise a plurality of orthodontic appliances.

19. A method comprising:
receiving a plurality of additively manufactured objects on a rotor, wherein the plurality of additively manufactured objects have excess material thereon;
removing the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects by rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects via the rotor at a first rotation speed; and
applying energy to the plurality of additively manufactured objects to cure a portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects while the plurality of additively manufactured objects are rotated on the rotor at a second rotation speed.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprise a partially cured polymeric resin, and the excess material comprises uncured polymeric resin.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the uncured polymeric resin has a viscosity of at least 15 Pa-s at 20° C.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the energy is configured to fully cure the partially cured polymeric resin.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the energy cures the entirety of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the energy selectively cures the portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects while leaving a remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects in a partially cured or uncured state.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the selectively cured portion and the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprise different materials, and the energy comprises a wavelength configured to selectively target the material of the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the selectively cured portion and the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects comprise different thermal conductivities, such that the energy preferentially heats the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the energy is applied via an energy source, and the selectively cured portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects is located closer to the energy source than the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the selectively cured portion each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects is more brittle than the remaining portion of each of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.

29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising rotating the plurality of additi

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Meenakshisundaram Viswanath
• Kaza Srinivas
• Li Chunhua
• Pickens Lance Robert
• Stromenger Shawn
• Sato Jun
• O'Leary Siobhan
• Webber Peter
• Kelly Brett E
• Chavez Jennifer

Classifications

• B29C64/35 Primary

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B08B7/0071

  by heating (B08B7/0035 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B08B7/04

  by a combination of operations · CPC title

• B29C35/0805

  using electromagnetic radiation · CPC title

• B29C64/30

  Auxiliary operations or equipment · CPC title