Accurate three-dimensional printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017239719-A1
Application number	US-201715435090-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2017
Priority date	Feb 18, 2016
Publication date	Aug 24, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

First claim

1 . A method for printing at least one three-dimensional object comprising:
(a) generating the at least one three-dimensional object in a material bed, wherein a top surface of the three-dimensional object is at least partially buried in the material bed, which material bed comprises an exposed surface having an average planar surface, wherein the at least one three-dimensional object causes at least a portion of the exposed surface to deviate from the average planar surface; (b) projecting a detectable image on the exposed surface, which detectable image comprises a detectable pattern; and (c) detecting a deviation in the detectable pattern.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the three-dimensional object is buried in the material bed.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a deviation height measurement is calibrated using a stationary position adjacent to the material bed.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein during the printing, an exposed surface of the material bed is planarized using a cyclonic separator.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises optically detecting.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deviation in the detectable image comprises (i) intensity deviation, (ii) frequency deviation, or (iii) deviation in a fundamental length scale of a repeating area within the detectable image.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the repeating area is an area that is projected on the exposed surface of the material bed.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the projected detectable image varies as a function of time.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the detectable image projected on the exposed surface of the material bed comprises a region having a first intensity and a first shape and a region having a second intensity and a second shape, and wherein the first intensity is higher than the second intensity, which higher is detectable.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the deviation comprises deviation in the first shape or second shape.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the deviation comprises deviation in the first intensity or second intensity.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detectable comprises optically detectable.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deviation is used in detecting a position of the three-dimensional object.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the position comprises a vertical or horizontal position.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deviation is used in detecting a deformation in the three-dimensional object.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deviation is used in detecting a deformation in the top surface of the three-dimensional object.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a deviation in the first intensity or in the second intensity.

19 . A system for printing a three-dimensional object comprising:
an enclosure configured to contain a material bed comprising an exposed surface having an average planarity; a first energy source that is configured to generate an energy beam that transforms at least a portion of the material bed into a transformed material as part of the three-dimensional object, which three-dimensional object is buried at least in part in the material bed, wherein the three-dimensional object causes at least a portion of the exposed surface to deviate from the average planarity, wherein the first energy source is operatively coupled to the material bed; a second energy source that is configured to generate a detectable image, which detectable image is projected on the exposed surface, wherein the second energy source is operatively coupled to the material bed;
a detector that is configured to detect a deviation from the detectable image, wherein the detector is operatively coupled to the material bed; and
at least one controller operatively coupled to the first energy source, second energy source, and detector, wherein the controller is programmed to: (i) direct the energy beam to generate the three-dimensional object from at least a portion of the material bed; (ii) direct the second energy source to generate the energy radiation projected on the exposed surface to form the detectable image; (iii) evaluate any deviation from the detectable image; and (iv) control at least one characteristic of the energy beam based at least in part on any deviation from the detectable image, to form the three-dimensional object.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein control in (iv) is in real time during the formation of the three-dimensional object.

21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the energy radiation, the energy beam, or both the energy beam and the energy radiation, comprises electromagnetic radiation.

22 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the first energy source comprises a laser.

23 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the second energy source comprises a digital mirror.

24 . (canceled)

25 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the energy beam is different from the second energy radiation.

26 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the detectable image comprises a first wavelength that is different from a second wavelength of the energy beam.

27 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the detectable image is projected at a first angle onto the exposed surface, and the energy beam is projected at a second angle onto the exposed surface.

28 . The system of claim 27 , wherein the first angle is different from the second angle.

29 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the detectable image is separated from the energy beam.

30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein separated in terms of location, wavelength, detection, beam trajectory, or any combination thereof.

31 . The system of claim 19 , wherein during use, the detectable image is projected such that the detectable image is projected on the exposed surface of the material bed and comprises a region having (I) a first intensity and a first shape and (II) a region having a second intensity and a second shape, and wherein the first intensity is detectably greater than the second intensity.

32 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the detectable image varies as a function of time.

Assignees

• Velo3D Inc

Inventors

• Buller Benyamin
• Milshtein Erel
• Levin Evgeni
• Korepanov Sergey
• Lappen Alan Rick

Classifications

• B22F12/44

  characterised by the configuration of the radiation means · CPC title

• B22F10/18

  by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF] · CPC title

• B22F10/14

  by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder · CPC title

• B22F10/12

  by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP] · CPC title

• B22F10/32

  of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber · CPC title