Creating a breakaway region

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12023738-B2
Application number	US-202217866435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2022
Priority date	Feb 28, 2018
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed to create a breakaway junction for 3D printed parts. Powder is spread along a target zone, such as a build bed. A liquid functional agent is selectively dispensed upon the powder to form a 3D object, a supporting part, and the breakaway junction between them.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a build material store containing metal powder;
a powder formation mechanism to receive the metal powder from the build material store and to enable a layer of the metal powder to be formed along a target zone;
a first agent distributor containing a liquid functional agent (LFA), the first agent distributor to deposit the LFA upon the layer of powder;
a second agent distributor containing an interface LFA, the interface LFA including a binding agent and a precursor that is to form a metal carbide, an intermetallic, or both when interacted with the metal powder, and the second agent distributor to deposit the interface LFA upon the layer of powder; and
a controller to selectively activate the powder formation mechanism and the delivery mechanism based on an object model of a three-dimensional (3D) part comprising a 3D object, a support structure, and an interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the precursor is selected from a group consisting of ferrosilicon, chromium carbide, and cementite.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor is elemental carbon;
the metal powder includes iron; and
the metal carbide that is to be formed is cementite.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor is elemental silicon;
the metal powder includes iron; and
the intermetallic that is to be formed is ferrosilicon.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor is elemental carbon;
the metal powder includes chromium; and
the metal carbide that is to be formed is a chromium carbide.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor is elemental silicon;
the metal powder includes chromium; and
the intermetallic that is to be formed is a chromium silicide.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor is elemental carbon;
the metal powder includes titanium; and
the metal carbide that is to be formed is titanium carbide.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the precursor is elemental silicon;
the metal powder includes titanium; and
the intermetallic that is to be formed is a titanium silicide.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Shaarawi Mohammed S
• Mckinnell James
• Champion David A
• Kasperchik Vladek P

Classifications

• B22F10/43

  characterised by material · CPC title

• B22F1/05

  Metallic powder characterised by the size or surface area of the particles · CPC title

• C09D11/38

  characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes · CPC title

• C09D11/033

  characterised by the solvent · CPC title

• B33Y40/00

  Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling · CPC title