Layer-forming nozzle exit for fused filament fabrication process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018318933-A1
Application number	US-201816024087-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Dec 16, 2015
Publication date	Nov 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A printer fabricates an object from a computerized model using a fused filament fabrication process. A former extending from a nozzle of the printer supplements a layer fusion process by applying a normal force on new material as it is deposited to form the object. The former may use a variety of techniques such as heat and rolling to improve physical bonding between layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
heating a wire form of a build material from a first temperature to a second temperature as the wire form of the build material moves, in a direction toward a first nozzle, along a feed path extending from a source of the wire form of the build material to the first nozzle, the build material including a powder of a first metal dispersed in a binder system; at a third temperature greater than the second temperature, extruding the build material through the first nozzle and toward a build plate, the build material extruded through the first nozzle forming, on the build plate, a first three-dimensional object and a second three-dimensional object; and extruding an interface material through a second nozzle toward the build plate, between the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object, the interface material resisting bonding of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object during sintering.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the powder of the first metal in the build material greater than 50 percent by volume.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wire form of the build material is in a brittle state at the first temperature and the wire form of the build material is in a plastic state at the second temperature.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the wire form of the build material in the brittle state is in a spool.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the wire form of the build material is unspooled as the wire form of the build material is heated from the first temperature to the second temperature.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the wire form of the build material from the first temperature to the second temperature includes resistively heating the wire form of the build material through contact pads disposed along the feed path.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the wire form of the build material from the first temperature to the second temperature includes inductively heating the wire form of the build material via one or more electromagnets disposed along the feed path.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the wire form of the build material from the first temperature to the second temperature includes directing heat into the wire form of the build material via at least one portion of a drive train in contact with the wire form of the build material moving along the feed path.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein extruding the build material through the first nozzle includes forming the build material into a paste having non-Newtonian fluid properties.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein extruding the build material through the first nozzle and in the direction toward the build plate includes moving the first nozzle along an extrusion path relative to the build plate.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface material includes a ceramic.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface material includes a second metal, different from the first metal, the first metal having a first sintering temperature, the second metal having a second sintering temperature, and the second sintering temperature greater than the first sintering temperature.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising debinding the binder system from the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object to form, respectively, a first brown part and a second brown part.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the binder system includes a bulk binder and a backbone binder and debinding the binder system from the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object includes removing the bulk binder and the backbone binder separately from a respective one of the first three-dimensional object and the second three-dimensional object.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising densifying the powder of the first metal in the first brown part and the second brown part to form, respectively, a first final part and a second final part.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein densifying the powder of the first metal in the first brown part and in the second brown part includes sintering the powder of the first metal in the respective one of the first brown part and the second brown part, and at least a portion of the interface material between the first brown part and the second brown part resists sintering.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising removing the interface material from an area between the first final part and the second final part.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first final part is nested with the second final part.

19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the first nozzle to maintain the third temperature of the build material during extrusion of the build material through the first nozzle.

20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the build plate, wherein the build plate includes a rigid and substantially planar surface.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B22F10/30

  Process control · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F12/90

  Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors · CPC title

• G05B19/4099 Primary

  Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F10/18

  by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF] · CPC title