Method and device for 3d printing using temperature-controlled processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017106595-A1
Application number	US-201515128640-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Apr 20, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing 3D components, particulate material being applied in layers to a building platform in a closed build space and printing fluid being selectively applied, and these steps being repeated until a three-dimensional component is obtained, the relative humidity or the relative solvent concentration in the atmosphere in the build space being set to a selected value, and/or the temperature in the build space being set to a selected temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing 3D components comprising the steps of applying a particulate material in layers to a building platform in a closed build space and selectively applying a printing fluid, wherein these steps are repeated until a three-dimensional component is obtained, wherein a relative humidity or a relative solvent concentration in the atmosphere in the build space is set to a selected value, and/or the temperature in the build space is set to a selected temperature.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more climatic conditions in the build space can be set in such a way that the evaporation rate of a printed binder fluid or a volatile constituent is controllable in the 3D component to be produced.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the relative humidity or the relative solvent concentration is set to a value of more than 40%, of the relative humidity or relative solvent concentration.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature is set to a value from 10° C. to 50° C.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein air currents oriented in the build space are applied.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the particulate material is selected from the group consisting of sand, metal, polymers, ceramic, wood, cellulose, lactose, salts, carbon, hard materials (WC), glasses, cement and gypsum.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the printing fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, alcohols, esters, ethers, acetates, ketones, amides, aldehydes, benzene, acrylates, styrene, epoxies, polyols, isocyanates, novolaks, resols, polyesters, peroxides, succinates, aromatics, aliphatics and hydrocarbons.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a material system is used, which includes a water-soluble binder as the powdered binding agent and water-insoluble particles and a water-based binder fluid in the particulate material.

9 . A device, suitable for 3D printing methods, comprising
a closed build space; and a means for setting a relative humidity or a solvent concentration in the air; and/or a means for controlling the temperature of the build space interior.

10 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein the build space is essentially tightly sealable.

11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the evaporation rate of the printed binder fluid or a volatile constituent thereof is reduced with respect to the conditions at room temperature (21° C.) and at ambient humidity, preferably by at least 50%, preferably by 50%-90%, more preferably by 50%-70%, even more preferably by 60%-80%.

12 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the relative humidity or the relative solvent concentration is set to a value between 50% and 90% of the relative humidity or relative solvent concentration.

13 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the temperature is set to a value from 30° C. to 35° C.

14 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the air currents have a predetermined temperature and/or a predetermined relative humidity.

15 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the relative humidity or the relative solvent concentration is set to a value between 50% and 90%, of the relative humidity or relative solvent concentration, and the temperature is set to a value from.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein air currents oriented in the build space are applied, wherein the air currents have a predetermined temperature and/or a predetermined relative humidity.

16 . The method of claim 16 , wherein
the particulate material is selected from the group consisting of sand, metal, polymers, ceramic, wood, cellulose, lactose, salts, carbon, hard materials (WC), glasses, cement and gypsum; and the printing fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, alcohols, esters, ethers, acetates, ketones, amides, aldehydes, benzene, acrylates, styrene, epoxies, polyols, isocyanates, novolaks, resols, polyesters, peroxides, succinates, aromatics, aliphatics and hydrocarbons.

18 . The device of claim 10 , wherein
the means for setting the relative humidity is a water-based humidifier or a solvent evaporator; and the means for controlling the temperature of the build space interior is an air heating unit or an IR emitting unit.

19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein
the device furthermore includes a means for controlling one or multiple air currents in the build space interior, over the build space.

20 . The device of claim 19 , wherein the means for controlling one or multiple air currents in the build space interior is selected from pipes, diffusors, nozzles and/or baffle plates; and the device includes an insulation.

Assignees

• Voxeljet Ag

Inventors

• Günther Daniel
• Günther Johannes
• Gnüchtel Ingo
• Russo Massimo

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C2037/90

  Measuring, controlling or regulating · CPC title

• B29C35/0288

  Controlling heating or curing of polymers during moulding, e.g. by measuring temperatures or properties of the polymer and regulating the process (controlling or regulating chemical, physical or physico- chemical processes in general B01J19/0006) · CPC title

• B29C64/165 Primary

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title