Thermal drying system for additive manufacturing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017157855-A1
Application number	US-201615372919-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing device includes at least one liquefier assembly that receives filament material from at least one feedstock and extrudes the material in a flowable form. A thermal drying system removes water vapor and heats compressed air to a preselected temperature set point to form conditioned air. At least one enclosed filament path houses and guides the filament material from a supply to the at least one liquefier assembly. The enclosed filament path is exposed to the conditioned air from the thermal drying system so as to keep the filament material dry as it is fed to the at least one liquefier assembly.

First claim

1 . An additive manufacturing device comprising:
at least one liquefier assembly configured to receive a filament material from at least one feedstock and extrude the material in a flowable form; a thermal drying system configured to remove water vapor and heat compressed air to a set temperature to form conditioned air; and at least one enclosed filament path configured to house and guide the filament material from a supply to the at least one liquefier assembly, wherein the enclosed filament path is configured to be exposed to the conditioned air from the thermal drying system so as to keep the filament material from absorbing moisture as it is fed to the at least one liquefier assembly.

2 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal drying system comprises an air dryer configured to remove the water vapor from the compressed air.

3 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 2 , wherein the air dryer comprises one of a deliquescent, dessicant and membrane air dryer.

4 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal drying system comprises an air pressure regulator configured to regulate the pressure of air introduced into the enclosed filament path.

5 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal drying system comprises a heater configured to heat the compressed air to a preselected temperature set point.

6 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 5 , wherein the preselected temperature set point varies based on a type of filament material.

7 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the set temperature has a temperature range of between about 125° F. and 415° F.

8 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one liquefier assembly comprises a first liquefier assembly configured to receive a part filament material that is fed from a first feedstock through a first enclosed filament path, wherein the thermal drying system is configured to expose the conditioned air to the part filament material in the first enclosed path.

9 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one liquefier assembly comprises a second liquefier assembly configured to receive a support filament material that is fed from a second feedstock through a second enclosed filament path, wherein the thermal drying system is configured to expose the conditioned air to the support filament material in the second enclosed path.

10 . An additive manufacturing device comprising:
a first consumable supply containing a part filament material; a second consumable supply containing a support filament material; a first guide tube configured to provide a first enclosed path for the part filament material from the first consumable supply to a first liquefier assembly; a second guide tube configured to provide a second enclosed path for the support filament material from the second consumable supply to a second liquefier assembly; and a thermal drying system configured to remove water vapor and heat compressed air to a temperature set point to form conditioned air, wherein the thermal drying system forces the conditioned air into the enclosed path of the first guide tube and the enclosed path of the second guide tube to keep the part filament material and the support filament material dry by preventing the absorption of moisture from ambient air.

11 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 10 , wherein the thermal drying system comprises an air dryer configured to remove the water vapor from the compressed air.

12 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 10 , wherein the thermal drying system comprises an air pressure regulator configured to regulate the pressure of air introduced into the enclosed filament path.

13 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 10 , wherein the thermal drying system comprises a heater configured to heat the compressed air to a preselected temperature set point.

14 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 13 , wherein the preselected temperature set point varies based on a type of the part filament material and the support filament material.

15 . A method of keeping filament material in an additive manufacturing device dry before being extruded, the method comprising:
removing water vapor from compressed air; heating the dried, compressed air to a preselected temperature set point to form conditioned air; and introducing the conditioned air into at least one consumable supply of filament material in the additive manufacturing device to prevent the filament material from absorbing moisture from ambient air.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein removing water vapor from compressed air comprises drying the compressed air with an air dryer.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising regulating the air pressure of the conditioned air before it is introduced into the at least one consumable supply.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein heating the dried, compressed air to a preselected temperature set point comprises varying the set temperature using a temperature controller to control a heater so that the preselected temperature set point varies depending on a type of filament material.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein introducing the conditioned air into that at least one consumable supply comprises introducing the conditioned air into an enclosed path that houses and guides the filament material from a container portion to a liquefier assembly of the additive manufacturing device.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein introducing the conditioned air into the at least one consumable supply comprises introducing the conditioned air into a first enclosed path that houses and guides a part filament material from a first container portion to a first liquefier assembly of the additive manufacturing device and introducing the conditioned air into a second enclosed path that houses and guides a support filament material from a second container portion to a second liquefier assembly of the additive manufacturing device.

Assignees

• Stratasys Inc

Inventors

• Larson Gary
• Sabart Brian

Classifications

• B01D2253/108

  Zeolites · CPC title

• B29C64/336

  of two or more materials · CPC title

• B01D2253/104

  Alumina · CPC title

• B29C64/321

  Feeding · CPC title

• B01D53/263

  by absorption · CPC title