Support structure for a fabricated object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018304364-A1
Application number	US-201816022290-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2018
Priority date	Apr 14, 2016
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A support structure is formed from a support material below a printed object that shrinks similarly to a build material of the printed object during processing in a furnace.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An article comprising:
an object formed of a build material including a metal powder sinterable into a final dense part and a binder system including a polymeric binder that carries the metal powder into position within a print and retains the metal powder in a net shape for the object during a fused filament fabrication process, wherein the binder system has a metal loading with the metal powder of at least fifty percent by volume; a support structure underneath the object and formed from a support material to provide a physical support to the object during printing and sintering, wherein the support structure supports the object where there is no underlying physical surface of the object upon which a material can be deposited during fabrication, and further wherein the support structure shrinks similarly to the build material during processing in a furnace; and an interface material between the object and the support structure, the interface material including a ceramic that will not sinter under time and temperature conditions used to sinter the build material in the object.

2 . The article of claim 1 wherein the support structure resists a force of extrusion during the fused filament fabrication process, and wherein the support structure resists forces of gravity on the object during a sintering process.

3 . The article of claim 1 wherein the binder system has a metal loading with the metal powder of at least sixty percent by volume.

4 . An article comprising:
an object formed of a build material including a metal powder sinterable into a final dense part and a binder system that carries the metal powder into position within a print and retains the metal powder in a net shape for the object; a support structure for the object, the support structure formed from a support material to provide a physical support to the object during printing and sintering, wherein the support structure shrinks similarly to the build material during processing in a furnace; and an interface material forming a non-sinterable layer between the object and the support structure.

5 . The article of claim 4 wherein the support structure supports the object where there is no underlying physical surface of the object upon which a material can be deposited during fabrication.

6 . The article of claim 4 wherein the support structure provides vertical support to the object.

7 . The article of claim 4 wherein the support structure supports a horizontal surface of the object.

8 . The article of claim 4 wherein the support structure includes a side support.

9 . The article of claim 4 wherein the support structure includes a top support.

10 . The article of claim 4 wherein the support structure includes a print support that is removed after printing.

11 . The article of claim 4 wherein the support structure includes a sintering support that is left attached to the object until sintering is at least sufficiently completed to eliminate a need for the support structure.

12 . An article comprising:
an object formed of a build material including a metal powder sinterable into a final dense part and a binder system that carries the metal powder into position within a print and retains the metal powder in a net shape for the object; and a support structure for the object and formed from a support material to provide a physical support to the object during printing and sintering, wherein the support structure shrinks similarly to the build material during processing in a furnace.

13 . The article of claim 12 further comprising an interface material between the object and the support structure.

14 . The article of claim 13 wherein the interface material forms a non-sinterable layer between the object and the support structure.

15 . The article of claim 13 wherein the interface material will not sinter under time and temperature conditions used to sinter the build material.

16 . The article of claim 13 wherein the interface material includes a ceramic.

17 . The article of claim 12 wherein the metal powder of the build material includes at least one of stainless steel, tungsten, titanium, titanium alloy, high-nickel alloy, and nickel copper alloy.

18 . The article of claim 12 wherein the binder system includes a polymer binder that is flexible at room temperature.

19 . The article of claim 12 wherein the metal powder has a powder size of between one and twenty microns.

20 . The article of claim 12 wherein the binder system as a metal loading of at least fifty percent by volume of the metal powder.

21 . The article of claim 12 wherein the metal powder has an average diameter of between about five microns and about eighty microns.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Myerberg Jonah Samuel
• Gibson Michael Andrew
• Fulop Ricardo
• Verminski Matthew David
• Fontana Richard Remo
• Schuh Christopher Allan
• Chiang Yet-Ming
• Hart Anastasios John

Classifications

• B22F10/12

  by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP] · CPC title

• B22F10/64

  by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364) · CPC title

• B22F10/62

  by chemical means · CPC title

• B22F10/32

  of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber · CPC title

• B22F1/10

  Metallic powder containing lubricating or binding agents; Metallic powder containing organic material · CPC title