Printing conductive elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024149542-A1
Application number	US-202418413468-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 16, 2024
Priority date	Apr 26, 2017
Publication date	May 9, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an example, an apparatus includes processing circuitry comprising a model assessment module to identify an indication of a conductive element within object model data representing an object to be printed and a print instruction module to generate print instructions to generate the object. The print instructions may include an instruction to print conductive agent to form the conductive element and an instruction to print a fusing agent comprising an instruction to reduce an amount of fusing agent to be printed in a region of the conductive element compared to at least one other region of the object.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
identifying, by a processor and from object model data for a physical object, a first region of an object layer comprising an indication of a conductive element; printing, using an additive manufacturing apparatus, the object layer comprising the first region comprising the conductive element, and a second region comprising an insulating composition;
applying, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, a first amount of at least one fusing agent to the object layer within the first region;
applying, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, a second amount of the at least one fusing agent to the object layer within the second region, wherein the first amount of the at least one fusing agent is selected to be less than the second amount of the at least one fusing agent based on identifying the first region as comprising the indication of the conductive element; and
fusing, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, at least one layer of build material from which the object layer is formed by controlling irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus in the first region and the second region.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
printing, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, a fusible conductive agent in the first region before applying the first amount and the second amount of the at least one fusing agent.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processor, either or both of an irradiation time and an irradiation intensity during the irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus in the first region and the second region.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processor, the irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus using a non-print pass.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling, by the processor, the irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus based on the first amount of the fusing agent.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein either:
the processor is part of an apparatus separate from the additive manufacturing apparatus; or the processor is part of the additive manufacturing apparatus.

7 . A system comprising:
a processor; a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
identify, from object model data for a physical object, a first region of an object layer comprising an indication of a conductive element;
print, using an additive manufacturing apparatus, the object layer comprising the first region comprising the conductive element, and a second region comprising an insulating composition;

apply, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, a first amount of at least one fusing agent to the object layer within the first region;
apply, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, a second amount of the at least one fusing agent to the object layer within the second region, wherein the first amount of the at least one fusing agent is selected to be less than the second amount of the at least one fusing agent based on identifying the first region as comprising the indication of the conductive element; and
fuse, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, at least one layer of build material from which the object layer is formed by controlling irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus in the first region and the second region.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further:
print, using the additive manufacturing apparatus, a fusible conductive agent in the first region before applying the first amount and the second amount of the at least one fusing agent.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further:
control either or both of an irradiation time and an irradiation intensity during the irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus in the first region and the second region.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further:
control the irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus using a non-print pass.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further:
control the irradiation of the at least one fusing agent by the additive manufacturing apparatus based on the first amount of the fusing agent.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is not part of the additive manufacturing apparatus, such that the system does not comprise the additive manufacturing apparatus.

13 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is part of the additive manufacturing apparatus, such that the system comprises the additive manufacturing apparatus.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Chaffins Sterling
• Saksa Thomas A
• Dekam Kevin P
• Mcmahon Terry
• Schulte Donald W
• Barone Jami Ryan
• Pederson Douglas

Classifications

• B29C70/882 Primary

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• B22F10/14

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

• B22F10/36

  of energy beam parameters · CPC title

• B29C64/153

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