System and method for roll-to-roll film tensioning for reduced separation force during bottom-up stereolithography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022088868-A1
Application number	US-202017028543-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2020
Priority date	Sep 22, 2020
Publication date	Mar 24, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a tensioning system for use in a stereolithography manufacturing application. The system may have a build plate for supporting a three dimensional part being formed using a photo responsive resin, a base plate and a release element extending over the base plate. The release element is configured to receive a quantity of photo responsive resin for forming a new material layer of the three dimensional part. A pair of tensioning components are secured to opposite ends of the release element, and apply a controlled tension force to the release element during peeling of the release element to reduce a separation force required to separate the release element from the new material layer after the new material layer is cured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tensioning system for use in a stereolithography manufacturing application, the system including:
a build plate for supporting a three dimensional part being formed using a photo responsive resin; a base plate; a release element extending over the base plate, the release element configured to receive a quantity of photo responsive resin for forming a new material layer of the three-dimensional part; a pair of tensioning components to which opposite ends of the release element are secured for applying a controlled tension force to the release element; and wherein a peel angle of the release element and a tension applied to the release element by the tensioning components are controlled to reduce a separation force required to separate the release element from the new material layer after the new material layer is cured.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the release element comprises a low surface energy release film.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the low surface energy release film comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) release film.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the low surface energy release film comprises at least one of a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) release film, or a PTFE amorphous fluoroplastic film, or a polymethylpentene film.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tensioning components comprise rollers.

6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein each said tensioning roller includes an electric motor for controlling rotational movement of its associated said tensioning roller.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a pair of idler rollers disposed on opposing sides of the base plate, for assisting in supporting the low surface energy release film and helping to control a peel angle of the low surface energy release film while peeling of the low surface energy release film is occurring.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein each said electric motor comprises an electric stepper motor.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic controller for controlling movement of each of the tensioning components.

10 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising an electronic controller for controlling each of the electric stepper motors.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a UV light source for curing the new material layer of photo responsive resin.

12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a doctor blade component for assisting in spreading a new quantity of photo responsive resin on the release element to achieve a generally uniform thickness of the new quantity of photo responsive resin.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the doctor blade component is arranged in a path of movement of the low surface energy release element.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the doctor blade component is arranged parallel to a path of movement of the low surface energy release element, and movable laterally along an axis perpendicular to the path of movement.

15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensing component for sensing a tension being experienced by the release element while peeling of the release element is occurring.

16 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a lifting mechanism for lifting the build plate to assist in peeling the release element from the newly cured material layer.

17 . A tensioning system for use in a stereolithography manufacturing application, the system including:
a build plate for supporting a three dimensional part being formed using a photo responsive resin; a base plate; a low surface energy release film extending over the base plate, the low surface energy release film configured to receive a quantity of photo responsive resin for forming a new material layer of the three dimensional part; a pair of tensioning rollers to which opposite ends of the release element are secured for applying a controlled tension force to the release element; a pair of motors for controlling rotational movement of the pair of tensioning rollers; an electronic controller for controlling the motors to vary a tension force applied by the tensioning rollers during fabrication of a new material layer and release of the new material layer from the low surface energy release film; and wherein a peel angle of the low surface energy release film and a tension applied to the low surface energy release film by the tensioning rollers is controlled by the electronic controller to reduce a separation force required to separate the release element from the new material layer when the new material layer is cured and being removed from the low surface energy release layer.

18 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising a pair of idler rollers disposed on opposing sides of the base plate, for assisting in supporting the low surface energy release film and helping to control a peel angle of the low surface energy release film while peeling of the low surface energy release film is occurring.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the low surface energy release film comprises at least one of:
a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) release film; and a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) release film.

20 . A method of controlling tensioning of a release element being used to support a photo responsive resin in a stereolithography manufacturing application, the method including:
arranging a release element over a base plate, the release element for supporting a three dimensional part being formed using a quantity of photo responsive resin; controlling a pair of tensioning components operatively coupled to the release element to control a tension experienced by the release element as the release element is peeled from a newly formed material layer after a quantity of photo responsive resin being used to form the newly formed material layer has cured; and controlling the amount of release element that has been unwound such that a peel angle of the release film is maintained at least substantially constant while the release element is peeled from the newly formed material layer.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Duoss Eric B
• Oakdale James
• Rodriguez Nicholas Anthony
• Song Hongtao
• Crawford Richard
• Seepersad Carolyn
• Chen Morgan

Classifications

• B29C64/124

  using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified · CPC title

• B29C64/232

  for motion along the axis orthogonal to the plane of a layer · CPC title

• B29C64/135

  the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

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

• B33Y40/00

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