Air-permeable platforms for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023382043-A1
Application number	US-202118030691-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2021
Priority date	Oct 8, 2020
Publication date	Nov 30, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, an additive manufacturing stage is described. The additive manufacturing stage includes a bed to define a volume where a three-dimensional object is to be formed. The additive manufacturing stage also includes an air-permeable platform on which build material is deposited. A vacuum system draws air resident in the build material down through the air-permeable platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An additive manufacturing stage, comprising:
a bed to define a volume where a three-dimensional object is to be formed; an air-permeable platform on which build material is deposited; and a vacuum system to draw air resident in the build material down through the air-permeable platform.

2 . The additive manufacturing stage of claim 1 , wherein the air-permeable platform comprises at least one of:
a porous material; and a perforated plate.

3 . The additive manufacturing stage of claim 2 , wherein the porous material comprises pores ranging from 5 to 150 microns in diameter.

4 . The additive manufacturing stage of claim 2 , wherein the porous material is a porous metal material.

5 . The additive manufacturing stage of claim 2 , wherein the porous material is a porous ceramic material.

6 . The additive manufacturing stage of claim 1 wherein at least one of the air-permeable platform and the sidewalls of the bed are heated.

7 . The additive manufacturing stage of claim 1 , wherein the build material is a slurry comprising:
build material particles; a liquid carrier, and a viscosity increasing agent.

8 . The additive manufacturing stage of claim 7 , wherein the viscosity increasing agent is a hydrocolloid.

9 . A method, comprising:
depositing a layer of slurry build material across a build area; drawing air resident in the slurry build material down through a thickness of the layer via a vacuum from underneath an air-permeable platform on which the layer is deposited; and applying a binding agent onto the layer in a pattern of a slice of a three-dimensional object to be formed.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting a vacuum pressure as successive layers of slurry build material are deposited.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising evaporating a portion of a liquid carrier of the slurry build material.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising evaporating a portion of a liquid carrier of the binding agent.

13 . An additive manufacturing device, comprising:
a build material distributor to successively deposit layers of a slurry build material into a build area; a bed to define a volume where a three-dimensional (3D) object is to be formed; an air-permeable platform on which build material is deposited; a vacuum system to draw air resident in the build material down through the air-permeable platform; and a controller to control the vacuum pressure of the vacuum system.

14 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 13 , further comprising an agent distributor to selectively distribute a binding agent onto the layers of slurry build material in a pattern of a slice of the 3D object.

15 . The additive manufacturing device of claim 14 , further comprising an energy source to activate the selectively distributed binding agent to join the particles in the build material with binding agent deposited thereon.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Anthony Thomas Craig
• Laucournet Richard
• Castay Blandine

Classifications

• B29C64/245 Primary

  Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  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

• B22F10/14

  by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder · CPC title

• B22F10/47

  characterised by structural features · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title