Build material particle fusing in a chamber containing vapor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021268727-A1
Application number	US-201716075672-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	Jan 31, 2017
Publication date	Sep 2, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to an example, an apparatus may include an agent delivery device to selectively deliver an agent onto a layer of build material particles. The apparatus may also include an energy source to apply energy onto the layer of build material particles to selectively fuse the build material particles in the layer based upon the locations at which the agent was delivered and a chamber formed of a plurality of walls, in which the agent delivery device and the energy source are housed inside the chamber. The apparatus may further include a vapor source to supply vapor into the chamber to wet the build material particles inside the chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
an agent delivery device to selectively deliver an agent onto a layer of build material particles; an energy source to apply energy onto the layer of build material particles to selectively fuse the build material particles in the layer based upon the locations at which the agent was delivered; a chamber formed of a plurality of walls, wherein the agent delivery device and the energy source are housed inside the chamber; and a vapor source to supply vapor into the chamber to wet the build material particles inside the chamber.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vapor source further comprises a plurality of nozzles that are to spray the vapor directly onto the layer of build material particles.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve to variably control delivery of the vapor into the chamber from the vapor source; and a controller to control the valve.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a recoater to spread the build material particles into the layer of build material particles prior to delivery of the agent onto the layer of build material particles, wherein the recoater is housed inside the chamber.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the build material particles are maintained at a certain temperature prior to application by the energy source of energy onto the build material particles and wherein the vapor source is to supply the vapor at a temperature that is near the certain temperature.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vapor source includes a compressor to pressurize the vapor being supplied into the chamber.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a liquid collection system to collect liquid from the chamber; and a vapor collection system to collect excess vapor from the chamber.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vapor is composed of particles of a non-caustic and non-corrosive material.

9 . A three-dimensional (3D) printer comprising:
a build area platform; a recoater to spread build material powder into layers over the build area platform; an energy source to apply energy onto the spread layers of build material powder to selectively fuse the build material particles and fabricate a 3D object; and a chamber formed of a plurality of walls, wherein the build area platform, the recoater, and the energy source are housed inside the chamber, and wherein the chamber is to receive vapor from a vapor source and the vapor is to wet the build material powder inside the chamber during fabrication of the 3D object.

10 . The 3D printer according to claim 9 , further comprising:
an agent delivery device to selectively deposit an agent onto the spread layers of build material powder, wherein application of energy by the energy source is to selectively fuse the build material powder based upon the locations at which the agent has been deposited.

11 . The 3D printer according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a plurality of nozzles positioned to supply the received vapor directly onto the spread layers of build material powder.

12 . The 3D printer according to claim 9 , wherein the chamber is sealed from an ambient environment outside of the chamber.

13 . A method comprising:
moving a recoater over a build area platform to form a layer of build material particles, wherein the recoater and the build area platform are housed in a chamber; supplying vapor into the chamber, wherein the supplied vapor is to wet the layer of build material particles; and moving an energy source over the layer of build material particles within the chamber to selectively fuse the build material particles in the layer.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein moving the recoater further comprises moving the recoater over the build area platform to form a plurality of build material particle layers, and wherein supplying vapor into the chamber further comprises supplying vapor into the chamber between formation of successive build material particle layers.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein supplying vapor into the chamber further comprises spraying the vapor directly onto the layer of build material particles.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Ge Ning
• Simske Steven J
• Fitzhugh Andrew E
• Zhao Lihua

Classifications

• B33Y40/00

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

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/307

  Handling of material to be used in additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/153

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

• B29C64/165 Primary

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title