Interlayer adhesion in a part printed by additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017334137-A1
Application number	US-201615156366-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Nov 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-dimensional object printing system improves the interlayer adhesion of an object. The printing system includes a platform on which a three-dimensional object is built. A material applicator in the printing system expels material to form layers of the object on the platform. The material applicator also includes a heater configured to heat the layer of the object ahead of the material applicator when the material applicator moves in a first direction and a second direction, both directions being parallel to the platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A three-dimensional object printing system comprising:
a platform defining a planar surface; a material applicator, the material applicator and the platform configured to move relative to one another in at least a first direction and a second direction, each of the first and second directions being parallel to the planar surface, the material applicator further configured to expel material to form a layer of an object on the platform; and a heater coupled to the material applicator and configured to heat a portion of the layer before the material applicator expels material onto the portion of the layer when the material applicator moves in the first and second directions, the heater being further configured to heat the layer to a temperature greater than a transition temperature of the material forming the object on the platform.

2 . The printing system of claim 1 further comprising:
an actuator operatively connected to the material applicator, the actuator being configured to move the material applicator in the first direction and the second direction while maintaining a rotational orientation of the material applicator about an axis orthogonal to the planar surface.

3 . The printing system of claim 2 further comprising:
a controller operatively connected to the actuator, the controller being configured to selectively operate the actuator to move the material applicator in the first direction and the second direction, which are not along a common line.

4 . The printing system of claim 1 further comprising:
an actuator operatively connected to the platform, the actuator being configured to move the platform in the first direction and the second direction while maintaining a rotational orientation of the material applicator about an axis orthogonal to the planar surface.

5 . The printing system of claim 4 further comprising:
a controller operatively connected to the actuator, the controller being configured to selectively operate the actuator to move the platform in the first direction and the second direction, which are not along a common line.

6 . The printing system of claim 1 , the material applicator further comprising a nozzle configured to extrude the material to form the layer.

7 . The printing system of claim 1 , the heater being configured to heat an area of the layer surrounding the material applicator.

8 . The printing system of claim 1 further comprising:
a controller operatively connected to the heater, the controller being configured to selectively operate a portion of the heater to heat the portion of the layer before the material applicator expels material onto the portion.

9 . The printing system of claim 1 further comprising:
a controller operatively connected to an actuator, the actuator being operatively connected to the heater, the controller being configured to operate the actuator to move the heater relative to the material applicator to a position at which the material applicator has not expelled material onto the layer.

10 . The printing system of claim 9 the controller being further configured to adjust a rate at which the heater heats the layer with reference to a speed at which the material applicator moves.

11 . The printing system of claim 9 the controller being further configured to adjust a rate at which the heater heats the layer with reference to a temperature of an area of the object.

12 . The printing system of claim 11 the temperature of the area being determined by elapsed time since the area was previously heated.

13 . The printing system of claim 11 , the temperature of the area being determined by a temperature measuring device.

14 . A method of printing an object with a three-dimensional printing system comprising:
expelling material from a material applicator to form a layer of an object on a platform positioned opposite the material applicator; moving the material applicator in at least a first direction and a second direction, each of the first and second directions parallel to a planar surface of the platform; heating a first portion of the layer ahead of the material applicator to a temperature greater than a transition temperature of the material forming the object on the platform when the material applicator is moving in the first direction; and heating a second portion of the layer ahead of the material applicator to the temperature greater than the transition temperature of the material forming the object on the platform when the material applicator is moving in the second direction.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising maintaining a rotational orientation of the material applicator about an axis orthogonal to the planar surface.

16 . The method of claim 14 wherein expelling the material from the material applicator includes extruding the material through a nozzle.

17 . The method of claim 14 further comprising selectively moving the material applicator in the first direction and the second direction, which are not along a common line.

18 . The method of claim 14 further comprising selectively operating a portion of a heater to heat the first and second portions of the layer.

19 . The method of claim 14 further comprising moving a heater relative to the material applicator to selectively heat the first and second portions of the layer.

20 . The method of claim 14 further comprising adjusting a rate at which a heater heats the first and second portions of the layer with reference to a speed at which the material applicator moves.

21 . The method of claim 14 further comprising adjusting a rate at which a heater heats the first and second portions of the layer with reference to a temperature of an area of the object.

22 . The method of claim 21 further comprising determining the temperature of the area of the object using elapsed time since the area was previously heated.

23 . The method of claim 21 further comprising determining the temperature of the area of the object using a temperature measuring device.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/40

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• B29K2101/12

  Thermoplastic materials · CPC title

• B29C64/295 Primary

  Heating elements · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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