Binder jetting print carriage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025144875-A1
Application number	US-202318839746-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 15, 2023
Priority date	Feb 21, 2022
Publication date	May 8, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A carriage unit for binder jetting additive manufacturing of components. A carriage body is movably mounted to a carriage frame within a printer unit and configured to traverse relative to a work surface. Two compaction rollers are mounted to the carriage body. Each is configured to move between a retracted position disengaged from build material powder to a deployed condition to recoat build material powder over a work surface. A powder dispensing unit is mounted to the carriage body and configured to dispense a metered amount of the build material powder as the carriage body traverses over the work surface. A print head mounted to the carriage body is configured to deposit a predetermined pattern of binder as the carriage unit traverses relative to the work surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A carriage unit for binder jetting additive manufacturing of components, comprising:
a carriage body movably mounted to a carriage frame within a printer unit, wherein the carriage body is configured to traverse relative to a work surface; a first compaction roller and a second compaction roller, each mounted to the carriage body; wherein the first compaction roller is configured to move between a retracted condition disengaged from a first layer of a build material powder to a deployed condition kinematically mounted with respect to the carriage body and recoat the first layer of the build material powder; wherein the second compaction roller is configured to move between a retracted condition disengaged from a second layer of the build material powder to a deployed condition kinematically mounted with respect to the carriage body and recoat the second layer of the build material powder; a powder dispensing unit mounted to the carriage body and configured to dispense a metered amount of the build material powder as the carriage body traverses over the work surface; and a print head mounted to the carriage body and configured to deposit a predetermined pattern of binder as the carriage unit traverses relative to the work surface.

2 . The carriage unit of claim 1 wherein the first compaction roller and second compaction roller are each moved by a pneumatic actuator.

3 . The carriage unit of claim 1 further comprising a displacement sensor configured to determine the Z-axis position of each of the first compaction roller and the second compaction roller, wherein the displacement sensor is affixed to the printer unit.

4 . The carriage unit of claim 3 wherein the carriage unit is configured to adjust the Z-axis position of at least one of the first compaction roller and the second compaction roller according to the determined Z-axis position of the respective roller.

5 . The carriage unit of claim 1 further comprising a differential screw configured to adjust a Z-axis position of each of the first compaction roller and the second compaction roller.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The carriage unit of claim 1 wherein the carriage frame is a cantilever frame.

8 . The carriage unit of claim 1 wherein the carriage frame is a gantry frame.

9 . The carriage unit of claim 1 wherein the printhead is mounted to the carriage body by a shingling actuator configured to move a print head relative to the work surface by a predetermined distance.

10 . The carriage unit of claim 9 wherein the predetermined distance is determined by an algorithm.

11 . The carriage unit of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to conduct a powder refilling operation in only one of the first printing direction and second printing direction.

12 . The carriage unit of claim 1 , further comprising a binder reservoir system mounted to the carriage body.

13 . A method of binder jetting additive manufacturing, comprising:
traversing a carriage assembly including a carriage body relative to a work surface in a first printing direction followed by traversing the carriage assembly relative to the work surface in a second printing direction; wherein the carriage assembly includes:
a first compaction roller and a second compaction roller each mounted to the carriage body,
a powder dispensing unit mounted to the carriage body, and
a print head mounted to the carriage body;
wherein during the step of traversing the carriage body relative to the work surface in the first printing direction, depositing a metered amount of build material powder from the powder dispensing unit, recoating the amount of build material powder with the first compaction roller in a deployed position and kinematically mounted with respect to the carriage body, and jetting a first predetermined pattern of binder from the print head; and
wherein during the step of traversing the carriage body relative to the work surface in the second direction, metering from the powder dispensing unit an amount of build material powder, recoating the amount of build material powder with the second compaction roller in a deployed position and kinematically mounted with respect to the carriage body, and jetting a second predetermined pattern of binder from the print head.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
during the traversing the carriage body relative to the carriage body in the first printing direction, retracting the second compaction roller to a retracted position; and during the traversing the carriage body relative to the carriage body in the second printing direction, retracting the first compaction roller to a retracted position.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising cleaning the print head at a printhead cleaning station while filling the powder dispensing unit with an amount of the build material powder.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising heating the binder during a recirculation process.

17 . A carriage unit for binder jetting additive manufacturing of components, comprising:
a carriage body mounted to a carriage frame within a printer unit, wherein the carriage body is configured to traverse relative to a work surface; a compaction roller mounted to the carriage body and configured to recoat build material powder in a first printing direction and a second printing direction; at least one powder dispensing unit mounted to the carriage body and configured to dispense a metered amount of powder as the carriage body traverses relative to the work surface; and at least one print head mounted to the carriage body and configured to deposit a predetermined pattern of binder as the carriage unit traverses relative to the work surface.

18 . The carriage unit of claim 17 wherein:
the at least one powder dispensing unit includes a first powder dispensing unit and a second powder dispensing unit;
the at least one print head includes a first print head and a second print head; and
wherein when moving in the first printing direction the first powder dispensing unit is configured to dispense build material powder ahead of the compaction roller and the first print head, and wherein when moving in the second printing direction the second powder dispensing unit is configured to dispense build material powder ahead of the compaction roller and the second print head.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Walkama Eric
• Hudelson George
• Johnson Joseph
• Go Jamison
• Snider John
• Stone William
• Kuklinski Andrew

Classifications

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F10/14

  by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder · 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

• B29C64/35

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

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