Systems for cleaning and/or cooling additively manufactured objects and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025018650-A1
Application number	US-202418771688-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 12, 2024
Priority date	Jul 13, 2023
Publication date	Jan 16, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing additively manufactured objects are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving one or more additively manufactured objects that are at least partially covered with a precursor material, cooling the one or more additively manufactured objects and the precursor material to a target temperature, and removing at least some of the precursor material from the one or more additively manufactured objects via application of mechanical force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving one or more additively manufactured objects that are at least partially covered with a precursor material; cooling the one or more additively manufactured objects and the precursor material to a target temperature; and removing at least some of the precursor material from the one or more additively manufactured objects via application of mechanical force.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additively manufactured objects and the precursor material are cooled within a chamber.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising introducing an inert gas into the chamber.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the introducing of the inert gas purges oxygen from within the chamber.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising fluidically sealing the chamber from external air.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additively manufactured objects and the precursor material are passively cooled.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additively manufactured objects and the precursor material are actively cooled using at least one cooling device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a cooling status of the one or more additively manufactured objects using at least one sensor.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the cooling status comprises one or more of the following: a temperature of the one or more additively manufactured objects, a cooling rate of the one or more additively manufactured objects, a temperature of a powder cake containing the one or more additively manufactured objects, or a cooling rate of the powder cake containing the one or more additively manufactured objects.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining whether the one or more additively manufactured objects have reached the target temperature based on the cooling status.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing comprises brushing the one or more additively manufactured objects.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the brushing is performed using a brush assembly.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the brush assembly comprises a plurality of rotary brushes.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing comprises agitating the one or more additively manufactured objects.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the agitating comprises one or more of vibrating or rotating the additively manufactured object.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the agitating is performed by a vibrating platform, a centrifuge, or a combination thereof.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting at least some of the precursor material removed from the one or more additively manufactured objects for reuse.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additively manufactured objects comprise one or more dental appliances.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additively manufactured objects are fabricated using a powder bed fusion process.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the powder bed fusion process comprises selective laser sintering.

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Singh Paramjot
• Meenakshisundaram Viswanath

Classifications

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y40/20

  Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing · CPC title

• B29L2031/753

  Medical equipment; Accessories therefor (bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008) · CPC title

• B29C64/153

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

• B29C64/357

  Recycling · CPC title