Adept three-dimensional printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9662840-B1
Application number	US-201615339759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 31, 2016
Priority date	Nov 6, 2015
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable medium. The disclosure delineates real time manipulation of three-dimensional printing to reduce deformation. The present disclosure further provides 3D object formed using the methods, apparatuses, and systems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
(a) altering a three-dimensional model of a requested three-dimensional object to form an altered model, which altering comprises a structural alteration, wherein at least a first derivative of the difference between (i) the altered model and (ii) the three-dimensional model of the requested three-dimensional object, is continuous; and
(b) transforming at least a portion of a material bed with an energy beam according to the altered model, wherein the three-dimensional object is substantially similar to the requested three-dimensional object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein substantially similar is relative to the intended purpose of the three-dimensional object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the first derivative is a plurality of derivatives.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of derivatives comprises the first three derivatives.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising after (a) and before (b), generating a printing instruction using the altered model.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein transforming in (b) is according to the printing instruction.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the printing instruction comprises using a simulation comprising thermal, mechanical, geometric, or material properties of the three-dimensional object or a portion thereof.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the printing instruction comprises using a geometric information deriving from a previously formed portion of the three-dimensional object.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the geometric information comprises a local thickness below a given layer, local build angle, proximity to an edge on a given layer, or proximity to layer boundary.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the printing instruction comprises dynamically adjusting the altered model in real time during the transforming in (b).

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically adjusting comprises using a closed loop control.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically adjusting comprises using a real time measurement from one or more sensors.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the printing instruction comprises using geometric properties of the requested three-dimensional object.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the simulation is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of the three-dimensional object.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the altered model is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of at least one of: the three-dimensional object, a layer within the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a path of the energy beam during formation of the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a hatch line during formation of the three-dimensional object, and dwell time of the energy beam forming a melt pool during formation of the three-dimensional object.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the altered model is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of at least one of: the three-dimensional object, a layer within the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a path of the energy beam during formation of the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a hatch line during formation of the three-dimensional object, and dwell time of the energy beam forming a melt pool during formation of the three-dimensional object.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the simulation is dynamically adjusted in real time during formation of at least one: 3D object, a layer within the 3D object, dwell time of the energy beam along a path of the energy beam during formation of the three-dimensional object, dwell time of the energy beam along a hatch line during formation of the three-dimensional object, and dwell time of the energy beam forming a melt pool during formation of the three-dimensional object.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises using a controller that includes a programmable circuit.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises sensing with a temperature sensor.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises an optical sensor.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a fiber optic sensor.

22. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises sensing with a photo detector.

23. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically adjusting the altered model comprises sensing with fiber optic sensors.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional object comprises an average deviation value from a predetermined dimension of the requested three-dimensional object of at most about 100 micrometers.

25. The method of claim 3 , wherein the derivatives of the plurality of derivatives are continuous.

26. The method of claim 7 , wherein the simulation comprises a deviation in shape from a model of the requested three-dimensional object.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the deviation in shape is a corrective deviation that at least in part compensates for deformation during formation of the three-dimensional object.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the deformation is an accumulated deformation during formation of the three-dimensional object.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the deviation in shape excludes inserting kinks in the three-dimensional object.

Assignees

• Velo3D Inc

Inventors

• Buller Benyamin
• LAPPAS Tasso
• Levin Evgeni

Classifications

• B29C64/268

  using laser beams; using electron beams [EB] · CPC title

• B23K26/702

  Auxiliary equipment · CPC title

• B28B17/0081

  Process control · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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