3-d printing using spray forming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018250889-A1
Application number	US-201715446932-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 1, 2017
Priority date	Mar 1, 2017
Publication date	Sep 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques for 3-D printing parts using spray forming are disclosed. A 3-D printer receives instructions for printing a structure, where the instructions based on a data model of the structure. The 3-D printer receives a suitable material such as a metal, plastic, or composite, and prints the structure based on the instructions using spray forming. In one embodiment, the 3-D printer employs spray forming to finish an angled surface of a 3-D printed part having a stair-stepped effect.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of three dimensional (3-D) printing a structure, comprising:
receiving instructions for printing the structure, the instructions based on a data model of the structure; receiving material; and printing the structure based on the instructions, the printing comprising spray forming the material to produce the structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray forming comprises spraying one or more layers of the material to produce the structure.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray forming comprises directing, responsive to the instructions, a moveable arm comprising a nozzle to spray the material to produce the structure.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a panel suitable for use in a transport structure.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises one or more of resin, metal, plastic, or a composite material.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a tooling shell suitable for molding a panel for use in a transport structure.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray forming comprises spraying the material onto a surface of a mold to produce the structure comprising a panel suitable for use in a transport structure.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray forming comprises spraying a resin and a hardener.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the spray forming further comprises directing the resin into a first nozzle coupled to the moveable arm for spraying the resin and directing the hardener into a second nozzle coupled to the moveable arm for spraying the hardener.

10 . A method of three-dimensional (3-D) printing a structure, comprising:
receiving instructions for printing the structure, the instructions based on a data model of the structure; receiving material; printing the structure based on the instructions using the material, the printing comprising: forming successive layers of the material to produce an intermediate structure having a stair-stepped surface portion; and spray forming the material onto the stair-stepped surface portion to produce the structure from the intermediate structure by smoothing the stair-stepped surface portion.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the spray forming comprises directing, responsive to the instructions, a movable arm comprising a nozzle to spray form the material at a plurality of different angles to smoothen the stair-stepped portion.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the material comprises one or more of resin, metal, plastic, or a composite material.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the structure comprises a panel suitable for use in a transport structure.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving a second material, and wherein the spray forming further comprises spray forming the second material onto the stair-stepped surface portion.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the structure comprises a tooling shell suitable for molding a panel for use in a transport structure.

16 . A method of three-dimensional (3-D) printing a structure, comprising:
receiving instructions for printing the structure; receiving a nominal dimension and a corresponding tolerance for one or more layers of the structure; printing the structure based on the instructions, the printing comprising: forming successive layers of the material to produce an intermediate structure; scanning the intermediate structure to determine a physical dimension of the one or more layers; and spray forming selected portions of the intermediate structure to produce the structure such that the physical dimension falls within the received tolerance of the nominal dimension.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the nominal dimension comprises a thickness of the one or more layers.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the nominal dimension comprises an angle or contour of an inclined surface of the structure.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Czinger Kevin Robert
• Tenhouten Broc William
• Lakshman Narender Shankar

Classifications

• B33Y40/20

  Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B29C64/209 Primary

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F12/22

  Driving means · CPC title

• B22F12/55

  Two or more means for feeding material · CPC title