Method and apparatus for improved surface cure for three dimensional printed parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018304548-A1
Application number	US-201715496784-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 25, 2017
Priority date	Apr 25, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for curing a three dimensional (3D) printed part is disclosed. For example, the method includes adding a layer of a build material, curing the layer of the build material using a first light source having a first wavelength, repeating the adding and the curing using the light source having the first wavelength for a predefined number of layers, adding a final top layer of the build material to form the 3D printed part and curing the final top layer of the build material using a second light source having a second wavelength that is different than the first wavelength.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for curing a three dimensional (3D) printed part, comprising:
adding a layer of a build material; curing the layer of the build material using a first light source having a first wavelength; repeating the adding and the curing using the first light source having the first wavelength for a predefined number of layers; adding a final top layer of the build material to form the 3D printed part; and curing the final top layer of the build material using a second light source having a second wavelength that is different than the first wavelength.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the build material comprises an ultra violet (UV) curable ink.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first light source comprises an ultra violet (UV) light.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first wavelength comprises a wavelength between 390 nanometers (nm) and 400 nm.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first light source is powered at a less than full intensity level.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the less than full intensity level comprises an intensity level of approximately 15 percent to 50 percent.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second light source comprises an ultra violet (UV) light.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second wavelength comprises a wavelength between 360 nanometers (nm) and 370 nm.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second light source is powered at a less than full intensity level.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the less than full intensity level comprises an intensity level of approximately 15 percent to 50 percent.

11 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
repeating the curing the final top layer of the build material using the second light source for a plurality of passes.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the final top layer comprises a glossy finish.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for curing a three dimensional (3D) printed part, the operations comprising:
adding a layer of a build material; curing the layer of the build material using a first light source having a first wavelength; repeating the adding and the curing using the first light source having the first wavelength for a predefined number of layers; adding a final top layer of the build material to form the 3D printed part; and curing the final top layer of the build material using a second light source having a second wavelength that is different than the first wavelength.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the build material comprises an ultra violet (UV) curable ink.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first light source comprises an ultra violet (UV) light and the first wavelength comprises a wavelength between 390 nanometers (nm) and 400 nm.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first light source is powered at a less than full intensity level.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the second light source comprises an ultra violet (UV) light and wherein the second wavelength comprises a wavelength between 360 nanometers (nm) and 370 nm.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the second light source is powered at a less than full intensity level.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , comprising:
repeating the curing the final top layer of the build material using the second light source for a plurality of passes.

20 . A method for curing a three dimensional (3D) printed part, comprising:
adding a layer of a ultra violet (UV) curable ink; curing the layer of the UV curable ink using a first UV light source at between approximately 390 nanometers (nm) to 400 nm; repeating the adding and the curing at between approximately 390 nm to 400 nm for a predefined number of layers; adding a final top layer of the UV curable ink to form the 3D printed part; and curing the final top layer of the UV curable ink using a second UV light source at between approximately 360 nm to 370 nm to provide a glossy finish on the final top layer of the UV curable ink.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Praharaj Seemit
• Kanungo Mandakini
• Mcconville Paul
• Howe Patrick Jun

Classifications

• B29C2035/0827

  using UV radiation · CPC title

• B33Y40/00

  Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling · CPC title

• B29C71/04

  by wave energy or particle radiation {, e.g. for curing or vulcanising preformed articles (during moulding, e.g. in a mould B29C35/08)} · CPC title

• B29C67/0085

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C67/0066 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic