Nanoparticles in binder jetting fabrication of metal objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021237347-A1
Application number	US-201716328448-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2017
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, components, and materials are disclosed for stereolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional, dense objects. A resin including at least one component of a binder system and dispersed particles can be exposed to an activation light source. The activation light source can cure the at least one component of the binder system to form a green object, which can include the at least one component of the binder system and the particles. A dense object can be formed from the green object by removing the at least one component of the binder system in an extraction process and thermally processing particles to coalesce into the dense object.

First claim

1 .- 60 . (canceled)

61 . A method for the stereolithographic fabrication of a three-dimensional object as a plurality of successive layers, comprising the steps of:
providing a layer of resin, wherein the resin includes a first binder, a second binder that crosslinks or polymerizes upon sufficient exposure to light of a predetermined wavelength, and at least one of ceramic particles and metal particles; exposing a portion of the layer of resin to a pattern of light from a light source to cure the portion of the layer of resin into one of the plurality of the successive layers; repeating the steps of providing a layer of resin and exposing a portion of the layer of resin to a pattern of light to form a green form of the three-dimensional; conducting a first debinding process to debind the first binder; conducting a second debinding process to debind the second binder; and thermally processing the green form of the three-dimensional object until the at least one of ceramic particles and metal particles densify to a finished form of the three-dimensional object.

62 . The method of claim 61 wherein the first debinding process includes debinding the first binder by exposing the green form of the three-dimensional object to water.

63 . The method of claim 61 wherein the first debinding process includes thermally debinding the first binder.

64 . The method of claim 63 wherein the second debinding process includes thermally debinding the second binder.

65 . The method of claim 64 wherein the light source is a digital light processing (DLP) projector controllable to project an image on the resin.

66 . The method of claim 65 wherein the thermally processing of the green form of the three-dimensional object includes sintering the at least one of ceramic particles and metal particles.

67 . The method of claim 66 wherein the step of thermally processing the green form of the three-dimensional object includes infiltrating the green form of the three-dimensional object.

68 . The method of claim 67 wherein during the step of providing a layer of resin a film is indexed in a direction having a component parallel to the layer of resin.

69 . A printer system for the stereolithographic fabrication of a three-dimensional object as a plurality of successive layers, comprising:
a build plate configured to receive successive layers of resin, wherein the resin includes a first binder, a second binder that crosslinks or polymerizes upon sufficient exposure to light of a predetermined wavelength, and at least one of ceramic particles and metal particles; a light source configured to, after each successive layer of resin is received, expose a portion of the received layer of resin to a pattern of light from a light source, whereby, the portion of the layer of resin is cured into one of the plurality of the successive layers; a first debinding station configured to debind the first binder after a green form of the three-dimensional object is formed; a second debinding station configured to debind the second binder; and a thermal processing station configured to thermally process the green form of the three-dimensional object until the at least one of ceramic particles and metal particles densify to a finished form of the three-dimensional object.

70 . The printer system of claim 68 wherein the first debinding station is configured to debind the first binder by exposing the green form of the three-dimensional object to water.

71 . The printer system of claim 70 wherein the second debinding station is configured to thermally debind the second binder.

72 . The printer system of claim 71 wherein the light source is a digital light processing (DLP) projector controllable to create an image on the resin.

73 . The printer system of claim 72 wherein the thermal processing station is configured to sinter the at least one of ceramic particles and metal particles.

74 . The printer system of claim 73 wherein the thermal processing station is configured to infiltrate the green form of the three-dimensional object.

75 . The printer system of claim 74 further including at least one roller configured to index a film in a direction having a component parallel to the layer of resin.

76 . A stereolithographic printer system, comprising:
a build plate having a build surface; at least one roller configured to index a film having a resin disposed thereon, wherein the resin includes a first binder, a second binder that crosslinks or polymerizes upon sufficient exposure to light of a predetermined wavelength, and at least one of ceramic and metal particles; a controller configured to, during a first printing step, cause the at least one roller to incrementally index the film a distance relative to the build surface in a direction having a component parallel to the build surface so as to present a width of resin; the controller further configured to, during a second printing step, cause a light source to project a pattern of light onto the width of resin to crosslink or polymerize the second binder into the pattern to form one of a plurality of successive layers; the controller configured to alternatively repeat the first printing step and second printing step until the plurality of successive layers form a green form of a three-dimensional object; a first debinding station configured to debind the first binder; a second debinding station configured to debind the second binder; and a thermal processing station configured to thermally process the green form of the three-dimensional object until the at least one of ceramic and metal particles densify to a finished form of the three-dimensional object.

77 . The stereolithographic printer system of claim 76 wherein the light source is a digital light processing (DLP) projector.

78 . The stereolithographic printer system of claim 76 wherein the first debinding station is configured to debind the first binder by exposing the green form of the three-dimensional object to water.

79 . The printer system of claim 76 wherein the second debinding station is configured to thermally debind the second debinder.

80 . The printer system of claim 76 wherein the thermal processing station is configured to sinter the at least one of ceramic and metal particles.

81 . The printer system of claim 76 further comprising a reservoir from which resin is drawn.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Barbati Alexander C
• Fontana Richard Remo
• Gibson Michael Andrew
• Hudelson George

Classifications

• A61L27/46

  with phosphorus-containing inorganic fillers · CPC title

• B29C64/124 Primary

  using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified · CPC title

• B22F1/102

  Metallic powder coated with organic material · CPC title

• B22F12/90

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

• B22F10/64

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