Build material powder curing station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025176072-A1
Application number	US-202318839740-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 15, 2023
Priority date	Feb 21, 2022
Publication date	May 29, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method of curing build material powder. An amount of build material powder is placed in a container sealable with respect to a gaseous atmosphere present about the exterior of the container. The container is installed in a powder curing apparatus which includes a heating system and an agitation system. The heating system heats the build material powder to a temperature profile while the agitation system causes a portion of the build material powder in the container to be conveyed away from an interior surface of the container, and a second portion of the build material powder is conveyed toward an interior surface of the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of curing build material powder, comprising-the steps of:
providing an amount of build material powder to be cured; providing a container sealable with respect to a gaseous atmosphere present about the exterior of the container; sealing the amount of build material powder within the container; installing the container in a powder curing apparatus, the curing apparatus including a heating system and an agitation system; applying heat to the build material powder within the container using the heating system according to a temperature profile; during the heating, providing motion to the build material powder within the container using the motion system, such that a first portion of the build material powder is conveyed away from an interior surface of the container, and a second portion of the build material powder is conveyed toward an interior surface of the container;

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, during the heating, at least one of providing to an interior of the container, via a gas inlet in the container, an inflow of process gas, removing from the container, via a gas outlet in the container, an outflow of used gas, and applying a vacuum to the interior of the container.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising, during the heating in the container, monitoring that the container is hermetically sealed with respect to an ambient gaseous environment.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the monitoring of the container includes measuring a differential pressure between the interior of the container and the ambient environment.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the container is a drum.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the agitation system agitates the build material powder by rotating the drum.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the rotating the drum at a predetermined rate profile includes operating a series of caster wheels interfacing with a plurality of circumferential rings on the drum.

8 . The method of claim 6 wherein the rotation is around a longitudinal axis of the drum that is parallel to an ambient ground.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the heating system includes at least one infrared heater configured to operate at a temperature greater than a minimum ignition temperature of the build material powder.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
cooling the container with a cooling system after the heating in the container.

11 . A station for curing build material powder, comprising:
a frame defining an interior volume, the interior volume configured to receive a container enclosing build material powder; a heating system attached to the frame and configured to heat a surface of the container; an agitation system attached to the frame and configured to impart motion to a surface of the container, such that a portion of the build material powder contained within the container will move relative to a surface of the container enclosing build material powder; and a gas system configured to at least one of inject and remove gas from the container.

12 . The station of claim 11 further comprising a cooling system attached to the frame and configured to cool at least one surface of the container

13 . The station of claim 11 wherein agitation system is configured to rotate the container.

14 . The station of claim 13 wherein the frame includes a sliding cart for receiving the drum.

15 . The station of claim 13 wherein the heating system includes at least one infrared heater configured to reach a temperature greater than a flash temperature of the build material powder, and wherein the station further comprises a reflective curtain hood attached to the frame and configured to at least partially surround the container while it is heated.

16 . (canceled)

17 . The station of claim 15 wherein the reflective curtain hood is movable from a closed position to a retracted position.

18 . The station of claim 17 wherein when the reflective curtain hood is in the retracted position the drum is exposed to the cooling system.

19 . The station of claim 13 wherein the container is a drum and the agitation system includes a drum rotation system having a rotating bar configured to interface with a complementary bar on a base of the drum, wherein the cooling system includes at least one fan, and wherein the frame includes a rotary union that is lowerable for facilitating loading and unloading of the container.

20 . (canceled)

21 . (canceled)

22 . A method of curing build material powder, comprising:
opening a sliding door on a curing station; sliding out a retractable cart of the curing station to a stop position; lowering a rotary union mount of the curing station; loading a drum to the rotary union mount of the curing station; raising the rotary union mount of the curing station;
connecting a plurality of gas connections on the drum to a plurality of gas lines;
unlocking the retractable cart of the curing station and sliding it to an inner stop position; and
closing the sliding door of the curing station; and
conducting a curing process.

23 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
opening a reflective curtain hood of the curing station; operating at least one fan of the curing station to cool the drum; closing a heat shield of the curing station; opening the sliding door of the curing station; sliding out the retractable cart of the curing station; undoing the gas connections; lowering the rotary union mount of the curing station; and removing the drum.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Hudelson George
• Zummo Peter
• Downing Robert
• Walkama Eric
• Breheny Sean
• Starobinets Timur

Classifications

• B28B17/026

  Conditioning ceramic materials · CPC title

• B28B1/001

  Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00) · CPC title

• B22F12/13

  to preheat the material · CPC title

• B22F10/14

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

• B33Y40/10

  Pre-treatment · CPC title