Washing apparatus and methods used to process additively fabricated parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11987002-B2
Application number	US-202217826787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2022
Priority date	May 28, 2021
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

Washing apparatus and methods used to process additively fabricated (e.g., 3D printed) parts are described herein. The apparatus and methods may be used to wash uncured liquid resin from the parts. The washing apparatus may include two or more containers for storing respective solvents and may be fluidly connected to a vessel in which the additively fabricated parts are placed. One or more pumps and one or more valves may be controlled to introduce a first solvent from one of the containers into the vessel to wash the part in a first wash cycle and then the valve(s) may be re-configured to introduce a second solvent from another container into the vessel to wash the part in a second wash cycle. Advantageously, the parts may remain in the same vessel while being washed with both solvents in succession.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing additively fabricated parts, the apparatus comprising:
an open-topped vessel comprising a drain located on an interior bottom surface of the vessel and having one or more inlets;
a first storage container;
a second storage container;
a first valve coupled to the first storage container and the second storage container and configured to switch between the first storage container and the second storage container;
a pump coupled to the first storage container and the second storage container, wherein the pump is coupled to the first valve, wherein the pump is located outside of the vessel and the pump is coupled to the one or more inlets of the vessel;
a second valve coupled to the drain of the vessel, the first storage container and the second storage container, and configured to switch between the first storage container and the second storage container; and
a controller configured to operate the first valve and second valve into a first configuration and operate the pump to direct a first solvent from the first storage container through the one or more inlets of the vessel and drain the first solvent from the vessel into the first storage container, thereby continuously circulating the first solvent through the vessel and the first storage container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the first valve to switch between the first storage container and the second storage container.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the second valve to switch between the first storage container and the second storage container.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a self-priming pump.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a positive-displacement pump.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a centrifugal pump.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a filter coupled to and arranged between the drain of the vessel and the second valve.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first secondary pump located inside of the first storage container;
a second secondary pump located inside of the second storage container; and
wherein the first secondary pump and the second secondary pump are each coupled to an inlet of the pump.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first check valve coupled to the first secondary pump; and
a second check valve coupled to the second secondary pump;
wherein the first check valve is located inside of the first storage container and the second check valve is located inside of the second storage container.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more inlets is arranged within the interior bottom surface of the vessel.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interior bottom surface of the vessel slopes away from a side of the vessel toward the bottom surface of the vessel.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fan arranged above the vessel, oriented to direct air into the vessel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first level sensor located in the first storage container configured to sense a level of solvent in the first storage container.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first saturation sensor located in the first storage container configured to sense whether a solvent in the first storage container is saturated with a target solute.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second pump coupled to the first storage container and the second storage container, wherein the second pump is coupled to second valve, wherein the second pump is located outside of the vessel and the second pump is coupled to the drain of the vessel.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the first configuration the first valve is open to the first storage container and closed to the second storage container, and wherein the second valve is open to the first storage container and closed to the second storage container.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the first valve and second valve into a second configuration and operate the pump to thereby direct a second solvent from the second storage container through the one or more inlets of the vessel and drain the second solvent from the vessel into the second storage container, thereby continuously circulating the second solvent through the vessel and the second storage container.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein in the second configuration the first valve is closed to the first storage container and open to the second storage container, and wherein the second valve is closed to the first storage container and open to the second storage container.

Assignees

• Formlabs Inc

Inventors

• Fussman Jonathan
• Liebrand Hugo
• Sadowski David
• Mccalmont Alexander K
• Broady Craig
• Lancaster Nicholaus Ray
• Lobovsky Maxim

Classifications

• B29C64/35 Primary

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B08B3/08

  the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect · CPC title

• B08B3/14

  Removing waste, e.g. labels, from cleaning liquid · CPC title

• B08B13/00

  Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning · CPC title

• B33Y40/20 Primary

  Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing · CPC title