Three dimensional printing system that automatically removes particles from build plane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018281287-A1
Application number	US-201715807220-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 8, 2017
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three dimensional printing system includes a print engine, a fixture, and a controller. The print engine further includes a vessel, a light engine, and a movement mechanism. The vessel is for containing a photocurable resin and has a lower portion with a transparent sheet defining a lower surface of the vessel. The light engine is configured to project radiation up through the transparent sheet over a lateral build plane which defines a maximum addressable lateral range of the light engine. The fixture has a lower face that faces downwardly. The controller is configured to: (1) position the lower face of the fixture at the build plane, and (2) operate the light engine and movement mechanism to solidify a particle trapping sheet proximate to the transparent sheet and substantially spanning the build plane and to thereby trap particles that are present along the build plane.

First claim

What we claim is:

1 . A three dimensional printing system comprising:
a print engine including:
a vessel for containing a photocurable resin and having a lower portion with a transparent sheet;
a light engine configured to project radiation up through the transparent sheet over a build plane defining a maximum addressable lateral range of the light engine; and
a movement mechanism; and
a fixture coupled to the movement mechanism with a lower face; and a controller configured to:
(1) position the lower face of the fixture at an operating distance from the transparent sheet; and
(2) operate the light engine and movement mechanism to solidify a particle trapping sheet proximate to the transparent sheet and substantially spanning the build plane and to thereby trap particles that are present along the build plane.

2 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 wherein a lower end of the fixture defines a recessed surface and a plurality of projections extending downwardly from the recessed surface to distal tips, the particle trapping sheet is formed onto the distal tips.

3 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 2 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes an upper surface coupled to the distal tips and an opposed lower surface, the controller is further configured to operate the light engine and movement mechanism to form a three dimensional article of manufacture onto the opposed lower surface.

4 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 3 wherein the opposed lower surface includes a plurality of tapering features that couple the three dimensional article of manufacture to the opposed lower surface whereby the three dimensional article of manufacture can be separated from the tapering features along a minimal surface area.

5 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 2 wherein the printing system includes a transport mechanism and the controller is further configured to: (3) unload the fixture from the print engine; (4) load a new fixture into the printing system; and (5) operate the light engine and the movement mechanism to form a three dimensional article of manufacture.

6 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to operate the light engine and the movement mechanism to form a three dimensional article of manufacture between step (1) and step (2).

7 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 6 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes a plurality of upwardly extending extensions that form a framework for supporting the particle trapping sheet onto the three dimensional article of manufacture.

8 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes at least one opening passing from an upper surface to an opposed lower surface to provide flow of photocurable resin therethrough when the movement mechanism is raising or lowering the fixture.

9 . The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes a thin parallelepiped portion covering most of the lateral area of the build plane, the particle trapping sheet includes a framework of ribs that provide mechanical support for the thinner portion.

10 . A method of operating a three dimensional printing system for forming a three dimensional article of manufacture, the three dimensional printing system including a resin vessel containing photocurable resin and having a lower portion with a transparent sheet, a light engine configured to project radiation up through the transparent sheet over a build plane defining a maximum addressable lateral range of the light engine, a movement mechanism, a fixture coupled to the movement mechanism with a lower face, and a controller, the method including:
(1) positioning the lower face of the fixture at an operating distance from the transparent sheet; and (2) operating the light engine and movement mechanism to solidify a particle trapping sheet proximate to the transparent sheet and substantially spanning the build plane to thereby trap particles that are present along the build plane.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein a lower end of the fixture defines a recessed surface and a plurality of projections extending downwardly from the recessed surface to distal tips and the particle trapping sheet is formed onto the distal tips.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes an upper surface coupled to the distal tips and an opposed lower surface, the method further comprising operating the light engine and movement mechanism to form a three dimensional article of manufacture onto the opposed lower surface.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the opposed lower surface includes a plurality of tapering features that couple the three dimensional article of manufacture to the opposed lower surface whereby the three dimensional article of manufacture can be separated from the tapering features along a minimal surface area.

14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the printing system includes a transport mechanism and the method further comprises: (3) unload the fixture from the print engine; (4) load a new fixture into the printing system; and (5) operate the light engine and the movement mechanism to form a three dimensional article of manufacture.

15 . The method of claim 10 further comprising operating the light engine and the movement mechanism to form a three dimensional article of manufacture between step (1) and step (2).

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes a plurality of upwardly extending extensions that form a framework for supporting the particle trapping sheet onto the three dimensional article of manufacture.

17 . The method of claim 10 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes at least one opening passing from an upper surface to an opposed lower surface to provide flow of photocurable resin therethrough when the movement mechanism is raising or lowering the fixture.

18 . The method of claim 10 wherein the particle trapping sheet includes a thin parallelepiped portion covering most of the lateral area of the build plane, the particle trapping sheet includes a framework of ribs that provide mechanical support for the thinner portion.

Assignees

• 3D Systems Inc

Inventors

• Tanner Christopher
• Enslow Andrew
• Wynne Ben
• Mueller Robert
• Pingel James
• Johnson Martin Alan

Classifications

• B29C64/40

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

• B29C64/245

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

• B29C64/153

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B29C64/393 Primary

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/227

  Driving means · CPC title