Printing three-dimensional objects using beam array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017304894-A1
Application number	US-201515523524-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 9, 2015
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for generating a three-dimensional (3D) object using an energy beam array. Also provided herein are systems, apparatuses and methods for generating a 3D object with small-scaffold features, as well as systems, apparatuses and methods for generating a 3D object using roll-to-roll. The roll-to-roll apparatus may include a moving platform of the 3D object. The 3D object can be formed by an additive manufacturing process from a material such as powder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for generating a three-dimensional object, comprising: (a) providing a material bed comprising a material for use in generating at least a portion of the three-dimensional object; and (b) transforming at least a portion of the material in the material bed using a plurality of energy beams from an energy beam array to form a hardened material, which transforming comprises subjecting the plurality of energy beams to relative motion with respect to material bed along a vectorial path, wherein the hardened material forms at least a portion of the three-dimensional object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is a powder material.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the material comprises individual particles formed of an elemental metal, metal alloy, ceramic, or an allotrope of elemental carbon.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising translating the energy beam.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising translating the material bed.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transforming is indirectly hardening.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein indirectly hardening comprises transforming at least a portion of the material in the material bed into a transformed material that subsequently hardens into a hardened material to form at least a portion of the three-dimensional object.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein transforming comprises fusing.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein fusing comprises melting or sintering.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transforming is directly hardening.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional object comprises a scaffold feature.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional object comprises a scaffold feature generated by the plurality of energy beams.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the path for generating the scaffold feature comprises simultaneously generating a multiplicity of cells within the scaffold feature.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the cells are space filling polygons.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy beam array comprises an electromagnetic beam or a charged particle beam.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the electromagnetic beam is a laser.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the laser is a laser diode.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy beam array comprises an n by m matrix of energy sources, wherein ‘n’ is an integer greater than or equal to one, and wherein ‘m’ is an integer greater than or equal to two.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy beams are single mode energy beams.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy beams are a high focus energy beams.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of energy beams has a footprint diameter on an exposed surface of the material bed that is at most about 100 micrometers.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of energy beams has a footprint diameter on an exposed surface of the material bed that is from about 0.3 micrometers to about 100 micrometers.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each energy beam of the plurality of energy beams is generated by an energy source as part of the energy beam array.

24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy beams are low power energy beams.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the energy source produces a power of at most about 10 Watts.

26 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the energy source produces a power of from about 0.5 watts to about 10 Watts.

Assignees

• Velo3D Inc

Inventors

• Buller Benyamin

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C2035/0838

  using laser · CPC title

• B22F2003/1054

  by microwave · CPC title

• B22F2003/1052

  assisted by energy absorption enhanced by the coating or powder · CPC title

• B22F10/36

  of energy beam parameters · CPC title