Powder metallurgy processes – Powder metallurgy processes with heating or sintering – Powder pretreatment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-13
2001-06-26
Mai, Ngoclan (Department: 1742)
Powder metallurgy processes
Powder metallurgy processes with heating or sintering
Powder pretreatment
C419S038000, C156S167000, C156S180000, C264S167000, C264S172170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251340
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for manufacturing three-dimensional objects. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adaptable filament deposition system for selectively depositing semi-molten material filaments on a position controllable substrate. The system and method of the present invention are especially useful in the fields of rapid prototyping and rapid fabrication.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Freeform fabrication techniques are particularly useful for reducing the design, production and maintenance cycle times associated with the manufacture of three-dimensional objects. In the design phase, freeform fabrication techniques are especially useful for refining prototyping designs, investigating inconsistencies in designs, and modifying designs prior to full-scale production. In addition, freeform fabrication techniques have been shown to yield higher quality products at lower cost.
However, the need presently exists for improved freeform fabrication techniques capable of producing complex structures at lower cost with minimum set-up and run-times. Although widely known, conventional freeform fabrication techniques remain mostly inadequate for low-cost production of complex three-dimensional structures. See e.g. J. J. Beaman, J. W. Barlow, D. L. Bourell, R. H. Crawford, H. L. Marcus and K. P. McAlea, “
Solid Freeform Fabrication: A New Direction in Manufacturing
,” ch. 2 (Kluwer Academic, Norwell, Mass., 1997).
One such technology, wire-like filament deposition, has emerged as a popular freeform fabrication technology for forming three-dimensional solid components. The most widely known filament deposition system is the Fused Deposition Modeling (“FDM”) system developed by Stratasys, Inc. See P. F. Jacobs,
Rapid Prototyping
&
Manufacturing Fundamentals of Stereolithography
, pp. 406-409 (Society of Manufacturing Engineering, Dearborn, Mich., 1992). The FDM system deposits a continuous filament of a thermoplastic polymer or wax through a resistively heated, x-y position controlled nozzle or delivery head. The material is heated just above its melting temperature and then deposited into thin layers, on a layer-by-layer basis, on top of a fixture-less base. As the object is built upwards on the base, the thermoplastic or wax material solidifies in place to form the desired three-dimensional components.
However, because of the fixed-size head, the manufacturing and prototyping capabilities of the FDM system is severely limited due to the size of the extruded filaments. At best, the filaments are limited to a relatively small range of sizes and thus the total mass flow rate of the filament deposition is severely limited. As such, the FDM system is inadequate for large-scale manufacturing and complex rapid prototyping.
Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a system for producing variable-diameter filaments of forming materials that can be efficiently and accurately deposited on a substrate based on the specific outline geometry and internal micro-structure of the three-dimensional object to be formed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for forming three-dimensional objects wherein variable-diameter filaments of forming materials are selectively deposited in an incremental manner on a position controllable substrate.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system for manufacturing high quality three-dimensional objects at low cost with minimum setup and run-times.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures showing illustrative embodiments of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a filament deposition system for manufacturing three-dimensional objects by selectively depositing material filaments on a position controllable substrate. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filament deposition system includes a crucible for holding a reservoir of filament forming material, an orifice disposed in the bottom of the crucible through which the forming material passes to form a flow of material filaments, and a flow control apparatus for controlling and selectively depositing the flow of material filaments on the substrate exclusively where required to form the three-dimensional object.
Advantageously, the filament deposition system includes a flow control apparatus for depositing material filaments only where required by the outline geometry and desired internal micro-structure of the three-dimensional object to be formed. Preferably, the deposition control apparatus includes a position controllable mechanical member coupled to a position control device for varying the effective diameter of the material filaments and for selectively depositing the material filaments onto the substrate.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for forming a three-dimensional object by deposition of filament forming material on a substrate. The method includes the steps of loading a reservoir of the forming material in a container, heating the container to melt the forming material contained therein, ejecting the molten forming material from the container through an opening formed therein, adjusting the effective size of the opening to form a variable-size flow of molten forming material towards the substrate, cooling the variable-size flow to form variable-size material filaments flowing towards the substrate, positioning the substrate beneath the material filaments, and depositing the material filaments in layers on the substrate to form the three-dimensional object.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3046178 (1962-07-01), Tupper
patent: 4247508 (1981-01-01), Housholder
patent: 4608736 (1986-09-01), Tajiri et al.
patent: 5464491 (1995-11-01), Yamanaka
patent: 6131220 (2000-10-01), Morimura
J.J. Beaman, J.W. Barlow, D.L. Bourell, R.H. Crawford, H.L. Marcus and K.P. McAlea, “Solid Freeform Fabrication: A New Direction in Manufacturing,” ch. 2 (Kluwer Academic, Norwell, MA, 1997).
P.F. Jacobs, “Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing Fundamentals of Stereolithography,” pp. 406-409 (Society of Manufacturing Engineering, Dearborn, MI, 1992).
Arizona State University
Baker & Botts L.L.P
Mai Ngoclan
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