Additive manufacturing system for fabricating custom support structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018229435-A1
Application number	US-201815896192-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2018
Priority date	Feb 15, 2017
Publication date	Aug 16, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a plate having a plurality of print heads arranged in a grid and each configured to discharge a curable material, and at least one shuttle having a plurality of print heads arranged in a row and each configured to discharge a curable material. The additive manufacturing system may also include at least one cure enhancer associated with at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle. The at least one cure enhancer may be configured to cure the curable material as the curable material is being discharged. The additive manufacturing system may further include at least one actuator configured to move at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle during discharge of the curable material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a plate having a plurality of print heads arranged in a grid and each configured to discharge a curable material; at least one shuttle having a plurality of print heads arranged in a row and each configured to discharge a curable material; at least one cure enhancer associated with at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle, the at least one cure enhancer being configured to cure the curable material as the curable material is being discharged; and at least one actuator configured to move at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle during discharge of the curable material.

2 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator is configured to move the at least one shuttle in a direction generally orthogonal to a movement direction of the plate.

3 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one actuator is further configured to rotate the at least one shuttle.

4 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator includes:
a first actuator associated with the plate; and a second actuator associated with the at least one shuttle.

5 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first actuator is one of a hydraulic piston and an electric lead screw; and the second actuator is one of a robot arm, a gantry, and an arm/gantry hybrid.

6 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 4 , further including:
a print bed; and a controller in communication with the first and second actuators, the controller being configured to:
cause the first actuator to move the plate in a direction normal to the print bed during discharging to fabricate a plurality of columns; and
cause the first actuator to move the plate in a transverse direction after the plurality of columns have reached a threshold height, to cross-link the plurality of columns.

7 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 4 , further including:
a print bed; and a controller in communication with the first and second actuators, the controller being configured to:
cause the first actuator to move the plate in a direction normal to the print bed during discharging to fabricate a plurality of columns; and
cause the second actuator to move the at least one shuttle in a transverse direction after the plurality of columns have reached a threshold height, to cross-link the plurality of columns.

8 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 4 , further including:
a print bed; and a controller in communication with the first and second actuators, the controller being configured to:
cause the first actuator to move the plate in a direction normal to the print bed during discharging to fabricate a plurality of columns; and
cause the second actuator to move the at least one shuttle in a transverse direction to create desired contours over terminal ends of the plurality of columns.

9 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively active the plate, the first actuator, and the second actuator to discharge material based on a body scan of a patient.

10 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heads of the at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle are individually operable to selectively discharge material.

11 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heads of the at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle are individually operable to extend a different distance.

12 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shuttle includes:
an x-shuttle; and a y-shuttle configured to move in a direction orthogonal to a movement direction of the x-shuttle.

13 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the curable material is a composite including a continuous reinforcement that is at least partially coated in a matrix.

14 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , further including a cure enhancer associated with at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle, the cure enhancer configured to expose the matrix to cure energy.

15 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a print bed; a z-plate having a plurality of print heads arranged in a grid and each configured to discharge a curable material onto the print bed to create a plurality of columns that extend in a direction normal to the print bed; an x-shuttle having a plurality of print heads arranged in a row and each configured to discharge a curable material during movement in a direction generally orthogonal to a movement direction of the z-plate; a y-shuttle having a plurality of print heads arranged in a row and each configured to discharge a curable material during movement in a direction generally orthogonal to the movement direction of the z-plate and generally orthogonal to the movement direction of the x-shuttle; a cure enhancer associated configured to cure the curable material as the curable material is being discharged; at least one actuator configured to move at least one of the z-plate, the x-shuttle, and the y-shuttle during discharge of the curable material; and a controller in communication with the cure enhancer and the at least one actuator, the controller being configured to:
cause the at least one actuator to move the z-plate in a direction normal to the print bed during discharging to fabricate a plurality of columns;
cause the at least one actuator to move the x- and y-shuttles in directions generally orthogonal to the normal direction after the plurality of columns have reached a threshold height, to create desired contours over terminal ends of the plurality of columns; and
cause the cure enhancer to expose the curable material to cure energy during discharge.

16 . A method of fabricating a support structure, comprising:
simultaneously discharging from a grid of print heads a plurality of columns; cross-linking the plurality of columns; and simultaneously discharging a plurality of tracks that form contours across ends of the plurality of columns.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further including exposing a material in the plurality of columns and plurality of tracks to a cure energy.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein simultaneously discharging the plurality of columns includes discharging the plurality of columns to different heights.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein discharging the plurality of columns to different heights includes discharging the plurality of columns to different heights based on a body scan of a patient to avoid an injured area of the patient.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further including temporarily pausing discharging of the plurality of columns after the plurality of columns have reached a threshold height, and until cross-linking of the plurality of columns has been completed.

Assignees

• Cc3D Llc

Inventors

• Tyler Kenneth Lyle
• Stockett Ryan C

Classifications

• B29C64/245

  Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) · CPC title

• B29C64/232 Primary

  for motion along the axis orthogonal to the plane of a layer · CPC title

• B29C64/236

  for motion in a direction within the plane of a layer · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title

• B29C64/241

  for rotary motion · CPC title