Method and apparatus for high-temperature post-curing of uv-cured photopolymers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288433-A1
Application number	US-201514676398-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2015
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatuses are disclosed for making and post-processing a 3-D printed object for laminate-forming tooling, and components made using post-processed 3-D printed laminate-forming tooling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for post-processing a 3-D printed object comprising the steps of:
preparing a 3-D printed precursor made from a material comprising a polymer and a UV-curable additive; curing the 3-D printed precursor with UV radiation to obtain a UV-cured precursor; exposing the UV-cured precursor to a basic solution having a pH of from about 11 to about 14 for a predetermined amount of time; exposing the UV-cured precursor to a predetermined post-UV-curing regimen, said post-UV-curing regimen comprising progressively increasing a temperature from about room temperature to a predetermined maximum temperature for a predetermined amount of time, and progressively decreasing the temperature from the predetermined maximum temperature to about room temperature over a predetermined time to obtain a product; and maintaining the UV-cured precursor in an inert environment during the post-UV-curing regimen.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined maximum temperature is from about 300 to about 400° F.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the post-UV-curing regimen comprises increasing and decreasing temperatures according to a predetermined ramp rate.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the ramp rate is about 1° F./min.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the post-UV-curing regimen comprises predetermined dwell periods during temperature increases and decreases.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the basic solution comprises sodium hydroxide.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inert environment comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of: argon, nitrogen and combinations thereof.

8 . A 3-D printed object that is post-UV-cured to produce a product according to the method of claim 1 .

9 . The product of claim 8 , wherein the product is a laminate tool.

10 . The product of claim 9 , wherein the tool is a mandrel.

11 . A component made using the tool of claim 10 .

12 . An object comprising the component of claim 11 .

13 . A vehicle comprising the object of claim 12 .

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of: aircraft and spacecraft.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Stephenson Benjamin J
• Frankenbery Scott K
• Ingram Jr William H
• Hollensteiner William S

Classifications

• B29K2105/243

  Partially cured · CPC title

• B29C64/371

  using an environment other than air, e.g. inert gas · CPC title

• B29C71/02

  Thermal after-treatment {(B29C71/0063 and B29C71/0072 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C2791/005

  Using a particular environment, e.g. sterile fluids other than air · CPC title

• B29C35/0805

  using electromagnetic radiation · CPC title