System and method for operation of multi-nozzle extrusion printheads in three-dimensional object printers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017157831-A1
Application number	US-201514962067-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of operating a multi-nozzle extrusion printhead includes operating with a controller a first actuator to produce relative movement between the printhead and an image receiving surface along a predetermined path for one layer of a three-dimensional printed object. The method further includes first printing an outline of a given layer and then printing the interior of the given layer using a plurality of extrusion nozzles. The method further optionally includes extruding material through a portion of the plurality of nozzles and turning on or off individual nozzles to ensure the swaths printed in the interior conform to the profile of the outline.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method of operating a three-dimensional object printer comprising:
operating with a controller an actuator to generate relative movement between a printhead including a plurality of nozzles and an image receiving surface along a path corresponding to an outline of a predetermined region of the image receiving surface with reference to image data for one layer of a three-dimensional printed object; activating with the controller at least one nozzle in the plurality of nozzles in the printhead to extrude a pattern of an extrusion material on the image receiving surface corresponding to the outline; operating with the controller the actuator to generate relative movement between the printhead and the image receiving surface in another path corresponding to a swath within the pattern of the extrusion material corresponding to the outline with reference to the image data for the one layer of the three-dimensional printed object; and activating with the controller a plurality of the nozzles in the printhead simultaneously to extrude another pattern of the extrusion material on the image receiving surfaces corresponding to the swath.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the activation of the plurality of nozzles with the controller further comprising:
opening with the controller a plurality of valves in the printhead, each valve in the plurality of valves being fluidly coupled to one nozzle in the plurality of nozzles, to enable the plurality of nozzles to extrude the extrusion material.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:
identifying with the controller at least one nozzle in the printhead located outside of the predetermined region; and
closing with the controller another valve in the printhead to deactivate the one nozzle located outside of the predetermined region.

4 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:
supplying with the printhead the extrusion material to the plurality of nozzles in the printhead from a pressure chamber in the printhead through the plurality of open valves.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
operating with the controller the actuator to generate relative movement between the printhead and the image receiving surface in a plurality of paths corresponding to a plurality of swaths within the outline of the extrusion material on the image receiving surface;
activating with the controller the plurality of the nozzles in the printhead to form a plurality of patterns of the extrusion material corresponding to the plurality of swaths to substantially fill the predetermined region formed within the outline of the extrusion material.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the controller operates the actuator to generate relative movement along a straight-line path to form the swath.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the controller operates the actuator to generate relative movement along a curved path to form the swath.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying with the controller a curved path for movement of the printhead in the process direction to form an arrangement of extrusion material extruded from a first nozzle and a second nozzle in the printhead with reference to the image data for the one layer of the three-dimensional object;
operating the at least one actuator to move the printhead along the curved path in the process direction; and
operating with the controller the at least one actuator to produce an oscillating pattern of relative movement between the printhead and the image receiving surface during the relative movement along the curved path to form only the second arrangement of the extrusion material with an oscillating pattern along the curved path or activating and deactivating with the controller an extrusion of extrusion material from the second nozzle during the movement of the printhead along the curved path to produce a second arrangement of the extrusion material in response to the first nozzle forming a first arrangement of the extrusion material along a first curve that is longer than a second curve for the second arrangement of the extrusion material by the second nozzle.

9 . The method of claim 1 , the extruding of the outline further comprising:
activating with the controller the at least one nozzle in the plurality of nozzles having a first diameter that is less than a second diameter of at least one other nozzle in the plurality of nozzles to extrude the pattern of the extrusion material on the image receiving surface corresponding to the outline.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
operating with the controller at least one additional actuator to position the plurality of nozzles in the printhead at a predetermined distance from the image receiving surface; and
engaging with a planar member in the printhead the extrusion material in the swath as the plurality of nozzles extrude the extrusion material to enable arrangements of extrusion material from at least two nozzles in the plurality of nozzles to merge together.

11 . A three-dimensional object printer comprising:
a support member; a printhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to extrude an extrusion material to form at least one layer of a three-dimensional object; at least one actuator configured to generate relative movement between the printhead and the support member; a memory configured to store image data corresponding to plurality of layers for the three-dimensional printed object; and a controller operatively connected to the printhead, the at least one actuator, and the memory, the controller being configured to:
operate the at least one actuator to generate relative movement between the printhead including a plurality of nozzles and an image receiving surface formed on the support member along a path corresponding to an outline of a predetermined region of the image receiving surface with reference to image data for one layer of a three-dimensional printed object;
activate at least one nozzle in the plurality of nozzles in the printhead to extrude a pattern of an extrusion material on the image receiving surface corresponding to the outline;
operate the at least one actuator to generate relative movement between the printhead and the image receiving surface in another path corresponding to a swath within the pattern of the extrusion material corresponding to the outline with reference to the image data for the one layer of the three-dimensional printed object; and
activate a plurality of the nozzles in the printhead simultaneously to extrude another pattern of the extrusion material on the image receiving surfaces corresponding to the swath.

12 . The printer of claim 11 , the controller being further configured to:
open a plurality of valves in the printhead, each valve in the plurality of valves being fluidly coupled to one nozzle in the plurality of nozzles, to enable the plurality of nozzles to extrude the extrusion material.

13 . The printer of claim 12 , the controller being further configured to:
Identify at least one nozzle in the printhead located outside of the predetermined region; and close another valve in the printhead to deactivate the one nozzle located outside of the predetermined region.

14 . The printer of claim 12 , the printhead further comprising:
a pressure chamber configured to supply the extrusion material to the plurality of nozzles in the printhead through the plurality of open valves.

15 . The printer of claim 11 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the at least one actuator to generate relative movement between the pri

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Mandel Barry P
• Mantell David A
• Nystrom Peter J

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C48/02

  Small extruding apparatus, e.g. handheld, toy or laboratory extruders · CPC title