HYBRID SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING A HYBRID SUPPORT SYSTEM USING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PR

专利摘要:
This publication relates to a hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing. In some embodiments, the hybrid support system includes one or more volume support structures, wherein a first volume support structure of the one or more volume support structures is coupled to a base plate and a first portion of the article. The hybrid support system further includes a partially hardened support structure coupled to a second portion of the article. The hybrid support system further includes one or more reinforcing support structures, wherein a first reinforcing support structure of the one or more reinforcing support structures is coupled to the base plate and to at least one of a portion of the partially cured support structure and a third portion of the article.
公开号:BE1022525B1
申请号:E2014/0294
申请日:2014-04-28
公开日:2016-05-20
发明作者:Tom Craeghs；Gerald Eggers；Tom Cluckers
申请人:Materialise N.V.；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

Hybrid support systems and methods for generating a hybrid support system using three-dimensional printing
Cross-reference to related applications
This application claims the benefits of Provisional US Application No. 61/816 313, filed April 26, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Background
Scope of application
The present invention generally relates to techniques of additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing. In particular, this application relates to hybrid support systems and methods for generating a hybrid support system using additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing techniques.
Description of the current state
Additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing techniques offer the possibility to produce three-dimensional objects, directly from computer-generated files. The techniques of additive manufacturing offer the possibility to produce both simple and complex objects without further processing.
In a number of additive manufacturing techniques, large amounts of stresses and loads can occur in the course of building up or generating the three-dimensional object. For example, thermal and / or mechanical stresses and / or loads may occur due to the high temperature of an energy source used in generating the three-dimensional object. Another example is that of the internal mechanical stresses and / or loads that can be caused by the specific material used, such as when shrinking or expanding when the material is treated. In one specific example, strong stresses and / or loads typically occur in the processing of metal and metal powders in the absence of a pre-heating system. Techniques for processing metal and metal powders include, for example, direct metal laser sintering (EOS GmbH), laser cusing (Concept Laser GmbH), selective laser melting (SLM Solutions GmbH) or sintering. Strong stresses and / or loads on the article can cause certain parts of the article to deform during construction, which can lead to production interruption or to an article that is defective. Accordingly, it may be desirable to support the three-dimensional article by means of a support to hold the article in place and / or to prevent deformation of the article during the forming process.
When using a support to hold the article in place and / or to prevent deformation of the article, a number of problems arise. For example, it can be expensive to create a support large enough to support the three-dimensional object, due to the cost of the materials needed to generate the support. Furthermore, removal of the support from the article in the course of post-processing after the article is produced is expensive, it can leave a residue on the article, and / or damage the article.
Against the background of these and other defects found by the inventors, there is a need for hybrid support systems and methods to generate them in order to provide strong support for three-dimensional objects at a low price without harming the object. .
Summary
Numerous implementations of systems, methods and devices that fall within the scope of the appended claims each have different aspects, none of which is solely responsible for the desired attributes described in this text. Without wishing to limit the scope of this application as expressed in the following claims, a number of important features will be described below. Having considered this description, in particular after reading the section entitled "Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments of the Invention", it will be understood how the features of this invention offer various advantages compared to conventional systems and methods. of additive manufacturing and three-dimensional printing. One aspect of the object of the invention described in this publication provides a hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing. The hybrid support system includes one or more volume support structures, a first volume support structure of the one or more volume support structures being coupled to a base plate and to a first portion of the article. The hybrid support system further includes a partially hardened support structure that is coupled to a second portion of the article. The hybrid support system further includes one or more reinforcing support structures, a first reinforcing support structure of the one or more reinforcing support structures being coupled to the base plate and to at least one of a portion of the partially cured support structure and a third portion of the article.
Another aspect of the object of the invention described in this publication provides a method for generating a hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing. The method comprises depositing a plurality of layers of the curable material. The method further comprises directing energy to each of the plurality of layers of the curable material for the purpose of at least partially curing each of the plurality of layers of the curable material to generate the article and for the purpose of generating one or more volume support structures of a base plate against one or more resp. parts of the object, a partially hardened support structure coupled to a first part of the object, and one or more reinforcing support structures of the base plate against at least one of the resp. parts of the partially paved support structure and resp. parts of the object.
Another aspect of the object of the invention described in this publication provides a method for forming an object and a hybrid support system. The method comprises depositing a first amount of the curable material on a base plate and forming a first cross-section of the article by directing energy at a first portion of the first amount of the curable material. The method further comprises forming a first cross-section of a volume support structure by directing an additional amount of energy to a second portion of the first amount of the curable material, forming a first cross-section of a partially hardened support structure through the directing a reduced amount of energy at a third portion of the first amount of the curable material, and forming a first cross-section of a reinforcing support structure by directing the additional amount of energy at a fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material . The method further comprises depositing a second amount of the curable material over at least the first cross-section of the object and forming a second cross-section of the object by directing energy to a first portion of the second amount of the curable material .
Another aspect of the object of the invention described in this publication provides a three-dimensional printing device. The three-dimensional printing device includes a receptacle configured to contain a curable material, an energy source disposed over the receptacle, and a controller coupled to the energy source. The controller is configured for controlling the energy source in such a way that the energy source delivers energy to each of the plurality of layers of the curable material for the purpose of at least partially curing each of the plurality of layers of the curable material to generate the article and with a view to generating one or more volume support structures of a base plate against one or more resp. parts of the object, a partially hardened support structure coupled to a second part of the object, and one or more reinforcing support structures of the base plate against at least one of the resp. parts of the partially paved support structure and resp. parts of the object.
Brief description of the drawings
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention described in this publication are described in what follows with reference to the drawings of preferred embodiments which are intended to be illustrative and which are not intended to limit the invention. Moreover, the same reference numerals were used in the various figures to indicate the same components of an illustrated embodiment. The following is a brief description of each of the drawings.
Figure 1 is one example of a system for designing and producing three-dimensional (3D) objects.
Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of one example of a computer from Figure 1.
Figure 3 is one example of a process for the production of a three-dimensional object.
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of one example of a three-dimensional printing machine that can be used to perform the techniques described in this text.
Figure 5 is a side view illustrating the three-dimensional object and a hybrid support system.
Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating a first illustrative section of the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating a second illustrative section of the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system of Figure 5.
Figure 8 is a plan view illustrating a third illustrative section of the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system of Figure 5.
Figure 9 is a flowchart of one example of a process for generating a hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing.
Figure 10 is a flow chart of one example of a process for forming an object and a hybrid support system.
Figure 11 illustrates an example of a functional block diagram of various components in a three-dimensional printing device.
Detailed description of certain embodiments of the invention
The following detailed description and the accompanying figures are directed to certain specific embodiments. The embodiments described in any specific context are not intended to limit this publication to the specified embodiment or to any specific use. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the described embodiments, aspects and / or features are not limited to any specific embodiments. The devices, systems and methods described in this text can be designed and optimized for use in a variety of domains.
The present invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments, but the invention is not limited to these embodiments but solely by the claims.
In this text, singles such as "a", "de", and "it" refer to both the singular and plural, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Expressions such as "contain", "include", "contents", "consist of", "belong to" ... and the conjugations of these verbs as they appear in this text have an open end and do not include any additional elements not mentioned , components or steps of the process. The terms "contain", "include", "belong to" ... and the conjugations of these verbs when referring to described elements, components or steps of the method also include embodiments that "consist" of said elements, components or steps of the process.
Furthermore, the terms "first", "second", "third" etc. are used in the specification and claims to distinguish between two or more elements and not necessarily to indicate an amount or a sequential or chronological order, except if otherwise specified. It should be understood that the terms used in this way are interchangeable under suitable conditions and that embodiments of the invention described in this text may be used in sequences other than those described or illustrated in this text. A reference to first and second elements, for example, does not necessarily mean that no more than two elements can be used or that the first element must precede the second element in one way or another. A set of elements can also contain one or more elements, unless otherwise stated.
The reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "some aspects", "an aspect" or "one aspect" means that a specific characteristic, a specific structure or a specific characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or the aspect is contained in at least one of the embodiments of the present invention. The terms "in one embodiment", "in one embodiment", "some aspects", "one aspect" or "one aspect" when occurring at different locations throughout the specification therefore do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment or same aspect, although that may also be the case. In addition, the specific features, structures or properties can be combined in any suitable manner, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and in one or more combinations or aspects. In addition, while some of the embodiments or aspects described herein include some but not all of the features contained in other embodiments or aspects, combinations of features of different embodiments or aspects are intended to be within the scope of the invention, and form, as it will be are recognized by people in the field, different embodiments or aspects. By way of example, in the appended claims, any of the features of the embodiments or aspects described in the claims may be used in any combination.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the techniques and methods described in this text can be implemented using various systems of additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing. Similarly, the products formed by the techniques and methods described in this text can be formed by various systems and materials of additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing. In general, techniques of additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing start a digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be formed. The digital representation is usually divided into a series of sectional layers that are superimposed to form the object as a whole. The layers represent the three-dimensional object and can be generated using additive manufacturing modeling software performed by a computer device. The software may, for example, include computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD / CAM) software. Information about the sectional layers of the three-dimensional object can be stored in the form of sectional data. A machine or system of additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing makes use of the cross-sectional data with a view to forming the object layer after layer. Similarly, additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing allows three-dimensional objects to be produced directly from computer-generated data, for example, computer aided design (CAD) files. Additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing offers the possibility to produce both simple and complex objects without further processing and without the need to assemble different parts.
Examples of additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing include stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling (EDM), foil-based techniques, etc. Stereolithography ("SLA"), for example, uses a liquid photopolymer container "resin" to form an object one layer at a time. Each layer contains a section of the object to be formed. First a layer of resin is deposited over the entire construction zone. For example, a first layer of resin can be deposited on a base plate of an additive manufacturing system. An electromagnetic beam then scans a specific pattern on the surface of the liquid resin. The electromagnetic beam can be delivered in the form of one or more laser beams that are controlled by the computer. Exposure of the resin to the electromagnetic beam hardens the pattern that is followed by the electromagnetic beam and causes the resin to adhere to the layer below. After a layer of resin has been polymerized, the platform descends with the thickness of a single layer and a subsequent layer of resin is deposited. A pattern is followed on each layer of resin, and the newly followed layer pattern adheres to the previous layer. By repeating this process, a complete three-dimensional object can be formed. The hardened three-dimensional object can be removed from the SLA system and further processed in post-processing. Selective laser sintering ("SLS") is another additive manufacturing technique that uses a high-power laser or other concentrated energy source to fuse small fusible particles of the curable material. In a number of embodiments, selective laser sintering can also be called "selective laser melting". In a number of embodiments, the high power laser may be a carbon dioxide laser for use in the processing of, for example, polymers. In a number of embodiments, the high-power laser may be a fiber laser for use in the processing of, for example, metal materials. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in a number of embodiments other types of high power laser can also be used based on the specific application. The particles can be fused by sintering or welding the particles together using the high power laser. The small fusible particles of the curable material can be made of plastic powders, polymer powders, metal (direct metal laser sintering powders, or ceramic powders (e.g. glass powders, etc.). The fusion of these particles yields an object that has a desired three-dimensional shape For example, a first layer of powder material can be deposited on a base plate A laser can be used to selectively fuse the first layer of powder material by scanning the powder material for the purpose of creating and forming a first cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional After each layer has been scanned and each cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object has been formed, the powder bed can be lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of powder material can be deposited on top of the previous layer, and the process can be repeated until production is completed and the object has been generated The three-dimensional object can be generated using a digital three-dimensional description of the desired object. The three-dimensional description can be supplied by a CAD file or by means of scanned data entered into a computer device. The hardened three-dimensional object can be removed from the SLS system and further processed in post-processing.
Additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing systems include, but are not limited to, various implementations of SLA and SLS technology. The materials used may contain, but are not limited to: polyurethane, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, etc. Examples of commercially available materials include: DSM Somos® series 7100, 8100, 9100, 9420, 10100, 11100, 12110, 14120 and 15100 from DSM Somos; the line materials Accura Plastic, DuraForm, CastForm, Laserform and VisiJet from 3-Systems; aluminum, cobalt chrome and stainless steel materials; maraging steel; nickel alloy; titanium; the PA materials line, PrimeCast and PrimePart materials and Alumide and CarbonMide from EOS GmbH.
The articles formed by means of additive manufacturing techniques as described above exhibit a tendency to deviate from the desired dimensions of the article. For example, high amounts of stresses and loads can occur in the course of forming or generating the three-dimensional object by means of the techniques of additive manufacturing. For example, thermal and / or mechanical stresses and / or loads may occur in the course of an SLS process due to a high temperature of an energy source used in generating the three-dimensional object. By way of example, strong temperature differences can occur as a result of melting of the powders used in the SLS process, for example powders consisting of metal alloys, and these temperature differences can lead to thermal stresses and / or loads on the object. Also internal mechanical stresses and / or loads can be caused in the article itself due to the properties of the specific material used. These mechanical stresses and / or loads can, for example, take the form of shrinking or expanding the material used to form the object when that material is scanned by the energy source. Strong stresses and / or loads on the article can cause certain parts of the article to deform during construction, which can lead to production interruption or to an inaccurate article or defective article. For example, a powder coater in an SLS machine may hit a deformed portion of the article and / or the dimensional accuracy of the article may be adversely affected.
Various supports can be used to hold the article in place and / or to prevent deformation of the article in the course of the forming process. However, problems may arise when using these supports. For example, it can be expensive to create a support large enough to support the three-dimensional object, due to the cost of the materials needed to generate the support. Furthermore, removing the support from the three-dimensional article in the course of post-processing after the article is produced is expensive, can leave a residue on the article, and / or can damage the article.
Against the background of the aforementioned shortcomings, the inventors have found that there is a need for hybrid support systems and systems to generate them in order to provide strong support for three-dimensional objects at a low price without harming the object. In order to achieve these objectives, a hybrid support system can be designed and produced with sufficient mechanical strength to prevent deformation of the article during formation, and which also provides sufficient heat dissipation for certain parts of the article. The hybrid support system can further be designed and produced with a minimum amount of support structures in such a way that the volume of the curable material to be treated by the energy source is minimized. The use of fewer support structures also minimizes the damage to the article and / or the amount of residue left on the article, and furthermore reduces the cost of removing the supports during the post-processing of the article. The hybrid support system can further be designed and produced to be easily removed from the three-dimensional article after forming, so as to further minimize damage to the article and / or the amount of residue and also to reduce the amount of post-processing that the article must undergo. which leads to lower costs.
In some embodiments, the hybrid support system for supporting an article formed by additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing may include one or more volume support structures, a partially hardened support structure, and one or more reinforcing support structures. A first volume support structure of the one or more volume support structures can be coupled to a base plate and to a first portion of the article. The partially hardened support structure can be coupled to a second portion of the article. A first reinforcing support structure of the one or more reinforcing support structures can be coupled to the base plate and to either a portion of the partially hardened support structure or a third portion of the article. A more detailed example of a hybrid support system is described in what follows.
Various aspects will now be described with reference to specific forms or embodiments selected for illustrative purposes. It will be appreciated that the spirit and scope of the objects described in this text is not limited to the selected embodiments. In addition, it is to be noted that the accompanying drawings are not drawn in any specific ratio or scale, and that numerous modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments. In the following, brief introductions are described with respect to some of the features that may be common to the embodiments described in this text.
Figure 1 illustrates one example of a system 100 for the design and production of three-dimensional objects and / or products. The system 100 can be configured to support the techniques described in this text. The system 100 can be configured, for example, with a view to designing and producing a three-dimensional article and a corresponding hybrid support system such as any of the three-dimensional articles and corresponding hybrid support systems described in more detail below. In a number of embodiments, the system 100 may include one or more computers 102a-102d. The computers 102a-102d can take various forms, such as, for example, any workstation, any server or any other computer device that can process information. The computers 102a-102d can be connected through a computer network 105. The computer network 105 can be the internet or a LAN (local area network), a WAN (wide area network), or any other type of network. The computers can communicate with each other over the computer network 105 by any suitable communication technology or any suitable communication protocol.
The computers 102a-102d can exchange data by sending and receiving information, for example software, digital representations of three-dimensional objects, commands and / or instructions to operate an additive manufacturing device, etc.
The system 100 may further comprise one or more devices of additive manufacturing 106a and 106b. These additive manufacturing devices can take the form of three-dimensional printers or any other production devices as known in the art. In the example illustrated in Figure 1, the device of additive manufacturing 106a is connected to the computer 102a. The device of additive manufacturing 106a is also connected to the computers 102a-102c through the network 105 that connects the computers 102a-102d. The device of additive manufacturing 106b is also connected by means of the network 105 to the computers 102a-102d. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that an additive manufacturing device such as devices 106a and 106b can be directly connected to a computer 102, can be connected to a computer 102 through a network 105, and / or can be connected to a computer 102 be connected via another computer 102 and through the network 105.
Although a specific computer and network configuration is described in Figure 1, those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the techniques of additive manufacturing described in this text can be implemented using a single-computer configuration that incorporates the additive manufacturing device 106 checks and / or supports, without the need for a computer network.
With reference to Figure 2, a more detailed illustration of the computer 102a of Figure 1 is provided. The computer 102a contains a processor 210. The processor 210 is in data communication with various computer components. These components may include a memory 220 as well as an input device 230 and an output device 240. In some embodiments, the processor may also communicate with a network interface card 260. Although described as a separate component, it should be understood that the functional blocks described are no different structural elements with respect to computer 102a. For example, the processor 210 and the network interface card 260 may be included in a single chip or a single board.
The processor 210 may be a universal processor or a digital signal processor (digital signal processor, DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (application-specific integrated circuit, ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (field programmable gate array, FPGA) or another programmable logic unit, a separate port or transistor, separate hardware components, or any combination thereof to perform the functions described in this text. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computer equipment, for example a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.
The processor 210 can be coupled, via one or more buses, to read information from, or write to, the memory 220. The processor can additionally, or as another possibility, contain memory, for example processor registers. The memory 220 may contain processor cache, including a multi-level hierarchical cache in which different levels have different options and different access speeds. This memory 220 may further comprise a random access memory (RAM), as well as other devices with a volatile memory or devices with a non-volatile memory. The data storage can consist of hard disks, optical disks such as compact dises (CDs) or digital video dises (DVDs), flash memory, diskettes, magnetic tape, and Zip drives.
The processor 210 can also be coupled to an input device 230 and an output device 240 for resp. get input from, and deliver output to, a user of computer 102a. Suitable input devices include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a rollerball, buttons, keys, switches, pointing devices, a mouse, a joystick, a remote control device, an infrared detector, a voice recognition system, a barcode reader, a scanner, a video camera ( possibly coupled to image processing software to detect, for example, hand or face movements),: a motion detector, a microphone (possibly linked to sound processing software to detect, for example, voice commands), or any other device capable of transmitting data from a user on a computer. The input device may also take the form of a touchscreen associated with the display, in which case a user responds to information displayed on the display by touching the screen. The user can enter information in the form of text by means of an input device such as a keyboard or the touchscreen. Suitable output devices include, but are not limited to, visual output devices, including screens and printers, audio output devices, including speakers, headphones, earphones and alarms, additive manufacturing devices, and haptic output devices.
The processor 210 may further be coupled to a network interface card 260. The network interface card 260 prepares data generated by the processor 210 for transmission via a network in accordance with one or more data transmission protocols. The network interface card 260 can also be configured for decoding data received by the network. In a number of embodiments, the network interface card 260 may include a transmitter, a receiver, or both a transmitter and a receiver. Based on the specific embodiment, the transmitter and the receiver may consist of a single integrated component or may be two separate components. The network interface card 260 can be in the form of a universal processor or a digital signal processor (digital signal processor, DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (application-specific integrated circuit, ASIC), a field-programmable gate array ( field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic unit, a separate port or transistor, separate hardware components, or any combination thereof to perform the functions described in this text.
Using the devices described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, a process of additive manufacturing can be applied to produce a three-dimensional article or a three-dimensional device. Figure 3 is an illustration of one such process. In particular, Figure 3 depicts a general process 300 for the production of a three-dimensional article and corresponding hybrid support system, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 9-10.
The process starts at step 305, where a digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be produced is designed using a computer, for example, the computer 102a. In a number of embodiments, a two-dimensional representation of the object can be used to create the three-dimensional model of the device. Alternatively, three-dimensional information may be entered into the computer 102 to assist in designing the digital representation of the three-dimensional object. The process continues until step 310, where information is sent from the computer 102a to an additive manufacturing device, e.g., the additive manufacturing device 106. Next, at step 315, the additive manufacturing device 106 begins to produce the three-dimensional object through a process of additive manufacturing using appropriate materials. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyurethane, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), PC-ABS, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, methyl methacrylate -acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, and other similar suitable materials. Commercially available materials can be used in a number of embodiments. These materials can be, for example: the materials of the DSM Somos® series 7100, 8100, 9100, 9420, 10100, 11100, 12110, 14120 and 15100 from DSM Somos; Stratasys materials ABSplus-P430, ABSi, ABS-ESD7, ABS-M30, ABS-M30Î, PC-ABS, PC-ISO, PC, ULTEM 9085, PPSF and PPSU; the line materials Accura Plastic, DuraForm, CastForm, Laserform and VisiJet from 3-Systems; aluminum, cobalt chrome and stainless steel materials; maraging steel; nickel alloy; titanium; the PA materials line, PrimeCast and PrimePart materials and Alumide and CarbonMide from EOS GmbH. Using the appropriate materials, the additive manufacturing device then ends the process at step 320 where the three-dimensional object is generated.
Using a process such as process 300 described with reference to Figure 3 or processes 900 and 1000 described in what follows with respect to resp. 9 and 10, a three-dimensional article and a corresponding hybrid support system can be produced by means of a three-dimensional printing machine that implements one or more additive manufacturing techniques. Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of one example of a three-dimensional printing machine that can be used to perform the processes and / or techniques described in this text. In a number of embodiments, the three-dimensional printing machine 400 corresponds to one of the devices of additive manufacturing 106a or 106b as illustrated in Figure 1. The three-dimensional printing machine 400 can be configured for performing selective laser sintering to perform a three-dimensional object. to generate. The three-dimensional printing machine 400 may include a container 405 with the curable material, for example, a powder material 407. The powder material 407 contains a plurality of powder particles that are at least partially fused together when struck by an energy source 410, e.g. one or more laser beams controlled by a computer. The particles can be made of plastic powders, polymer powders, metal powders (direct metal laser sintering), ceramic powders, glass powders, etc. The energy source 410 can be a programmable energy source that can be configured with a view to applying different amounts of energy at different speeds and at a different pitch on the powder material 407. The energy source 410 may, for example, be a high-power laser or a carbon dioxide laser. A controller 420 can control the energy source 410. In a number of embodiments, the controller 420 corresponds to one of the computers 102a-102d illustrated in Figure 1 and / or the processor 210 illustrated in Figure 2. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in a number of embodiments, the three-dimensional printing machine 400 also can be configured for performing Stereolithography or any other additive manufacturing technique for generating a three-dimensional article and that the container 405 may contain another type of the curable material, for example a liquid resin. ; In a number of embodiments, a digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be formed is input to the three-dimensional printing machine 400. Using the digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be formed, a digital representation of a hybrid support system for the specific three-dimensional object can be automatically generated by the controller 420 and / or other hardware or software. The digital representations of the three-dimensional object to be formed and the corresponding hybrid support system are subdivided into a series of sectional layers that can be superimposed to form the object and the hybrid support system. Data representing the sectional layers can be stored in one or more computer files. The controller 405 can use this data to form the object and the hybrid support system layer after layer. The data of the cross-sectional layers of the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system can be generated using a computer system and computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD / CAM) software.
The data files for the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system can be programmed or entered into the three-dimensional printing machine 400. A first layer of the powder material 407 can be deposited on a base plate 430. Based on the input data files, the three-dimensional printing machine 400 can guide the computer-controlled energy source 410 over the surface of the first layer of the powder material 407 to provide a first cross-sectional layer generating the three-dimensional object as well as a first cross-sectional layer of each support structure of the hybrid support system. By way of example, a high power laser can be used for selectively fusing the particles of the layer by sintering or welding the particles to create the first cross-sectional shape of the three-dimensional object as well as the first cross-sectional layer of any support structure of the hybrid support system. The base plate 430 and the article can then be lowered to a depth corresponding to the desired thickness of the next sectional layer of the article. A roller or other transport mechanism may cause a subsequent layer of powder material 407 to be deposited from a reservoir (not in the drawing) in the container 405 over the previous sectional layer. The controller 420 can then direct the energy source 410 to the next layer of powder material 407 for the purpose of generating the next cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object and the next cross-sectional layer of each support structure of the hybrid support system. The process can be repeated until the formation is complete and the article and the hybrid support system have been generated.
With reference to Figure 5, a side view of a three-dimensional article 504 and a hybrid support system is illustrated. The hybrid support system includes volume support structures 506, reinforcing support structures 510 and a partially hardened support structure 508. As described with reference to Figure 4, data files for the three-dimensional object 504 and the hybrid support system can be programmed or entered and used in the three-dimensional printing machine 400 with a view to generating the three-dimensional object 504 and the hybrid support system. The three-dimensional object 504 is generated using the data files for the three-dimensional object. Using the data files for the hybrid support system, the volume support structures 506, the partially hardened support structure 508 and the reinforcing support structures 510 are generated when the three-dimensional object is formed. The three-dimensional object 504, the volume support structures 506 and the reinforcing support structures 510 are formed from the base plate 502 upwards, in the construction direction 522. The construction direction 522 extends in the direction of the y-axis. As will be described in more detail in what follows, the hybrid support system can be generated based on the specific support needs of the three-dimensional object 504.
Figures 6-7B show different plan views showing illustrative cross-sections of the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system of Figure 5. The construction direction 522 in each of Figures 6-8 extends in the direction of the y-axis. Figure 6 shows a top view of the cross-section A as illustrated in Figure 5. The cross-section A shown in Figure 6 contains the article 504, the reinforcing support structures 510 and the volume support structures 506. Figure 7 shows a top view of the section B as is illustrated in Figure 5. The cross-section B shown in Figure 7A includes the article 504, the partially hardened support structure 508, the reinforcing support structures 510 and the volume support structures 506. Figure 7B shows a top view of the cross-section, C as illustrated in Figure 5. The section C shown in Figure 7B contains the article 504, the partially hardened support structure 508, the reinforcing support structures 510 and the volume support structures 506.
Each of the volume support structures 506, the reinforcing support structures 510 and the partially hardened support structure 508 has different features that provide support and / or heat dissipation for the three-dimensional object 504. The volume support structures 506 are generally thicker and stronger in comparison to the reinforcing support structures 510 and a partially hardened support structure 508. The thick and strong nature of the volume support structures 506 can be generated to prevent the portions 512 of the article 504 for which the volume support structures 50 are adhered from forming, which in turn contributes to the non distort the entire object. The volume support structures 506 prevent deformation by exerting a force in the opposite direction to that of the stresses and loads that lead to deformation, thereby counteracting this deformation. In a number of embodiments, the portions 512 are selected in such a way that the entire object can be supported and that the deformation of the entire object is prevented using as few volume support structures as possible 506.
The volume support structures 506 may include a block support structure, and line support structure and / or a point support structure. For example, a block support structure can be used to support a large block portion of the three-dimensional object 504. For example, a line support structure can be used to support a specific line portion of the three-dimensional object 504. A point support structure can be used to support an individual point on the object 504. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the volume support structures 506 may exhibit any shape and / or size required to meet the support requirements of the various portions of the specific article 504. By way of example, if a specific part of an object to be supported by means of a volume support structure 506 takes the form of a spiral, the volume support structure 506 can be constructed according to a corresponding spiral shape to provide that part of the object 504 with the necessary support.
The mechanical properties of the resulting cured material, and therefore of the three-dimensional object 504 and the hybrid support system, can be changed and adjusted by adjusting a set of processing parameters of the layers of the curable material. Different processing parameters can be applied based on whether the three-dimensional object or a specific type of support structure is formed. The processing parameters may include, for example, an amount of energy used, the speed at which the energy is used, a change in pitch, the specific scan pattern (the pattern followed by the energy source for the purpose of forming a support structure in a specific layer of the hardenable material), an intensity profile of the energy source, etc.
By way of example, the thickness and strength property of the volume support structures 506 can be realized by means of a set of processing parameters that cause the controller 420 to direct an additional amount of energy to the curable material in accordance with the volume support structures 506 as compared to the amount of energy used to generate the three-dimensional object 504. Targeting additional energy at selected portions of the curable material can result in selective rigidity. In a number of embodiments, the processing parameters for forming the volume support structures 506 may further include a smaller pitch compared to that used to form the three-dimensional object 504. The pitch is the distance between the successive lines followed by rays from the energy source (for example a laser beam). For example, when scanning a layer of the curable material, an energy source can perform different horizontal or vertical scans with a radius (in a horizontal plane). If the pitch is reduced, the distance between each successive line followed by a radius of the energy source decreases, leading to more energy being directed to the curable material and therefore more of the curable material to be cured and cured. Thus, if the pitch of scanning of the hardenable material portions for the volume support structures 506 is reduced, more energy will be directed to the hardenable material and more of the hardenable material can be hardened and hardened by the energy source as a result. of the reduced distance between the scanning rays. Similarly, directing an additional amount of energy and / or reducing the pitch when forming the volume support structures 506 can lead to a structure that is generally stiffer and stronger than the reinforcing support structures 510 and the partially hardened support structure 508 At a specific time during the reduction of the pitch, successive passages of the radius of the energy source will overlap and there will no longer be an increase in the material being hardened. Accordingly, there is an emergency that provides for maximum rigidity.
As described above, the hybrid support system is generated based on the specific support needs of the three-dimensional object 505 being generated. For example, the hybrid support system can be generated for the specific object based on different properties of the object 504 and / or the forming process. The properties may relate to the shape of the article 504, to the thickness of the article 504, to the material used to generate the article 504, to the temperature of the energy source used in the course of the forming , other thermo-mechanical properties of the article, etc. The properties of the article 504 and / or the forming process may further relate to the device on which the article is produced. By way of example, when pre-heating the powder bed is applied, the stresses and loads on the article 504 become smaller and, as a result, less thick support structures can be used.
In a number of embodiments, as described above, the portions 512 to which the volume support structures 506 are attached are selected in such a way that the entire object can be supported and the deformation of the entire object is prevented using as few volume support structures as possible 506 In a number of embodiments, the portions of the article for which the volume support structures 506 are coupled can be determined based on one or more of the properties of the article 504 and / or the forming process described above. In a number of embodiments, the portions 512 may be determined based on a thermo-mechanical property of the portions 512. For example, to determine which portions of the three-dimensional object 504 require a volume support structure 506, the magnitude of the thermal stress force applied can be estimated at any point in the three-dimensional object 504 and the portions of the object 504 that would be subjected to the strongest distortion can be determined. In a number of cases, when a distortion is expected to occur on a specific portion of the article 504 and above a certain threshold, it can be determined that a volume support structure 506 is needed on that portion to act as a counterweight to the thermal stress forces. In a number of embodiments, the thermal stress forces can be determined layer by layer. For example, the thermal stress forces can be determined at any point of a first cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object 504. Next, the thermal stress forces can be determined at any point of a second cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object 504. This process can be performed for each cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object 504 for determining the thermal stress forces for each point of the three-dimensional object. The controller 420 and / or other hardware and / or software may cause the three-dimensional printing machine 400 to generate a volume support structure 506 for all points of the object 504 that are expected to undergo a distortion that exceeds the threshold value of the distortion.
The partially hardened support structure 508 is designed to exhibit less rigidity than the volume support structures 506 and the reinforcing support structures 510. As described above, the mechanical properties of the resulting three-dimensional object 504 can be changed and adjusted by applying a set of processing parameters of the layers of the curable material, depending on whether the three-dimensional object or a specific type of support structure is formed. For example, the partially hardened support structure 508 may be formed by a set of processing parameters that cause the controller 420 to have a reduced amount of energy (compared to the amount of energy used to generate the three-dimensional object 504) focus on the parts of the hardenable material layers that correspond in part to:. hardened support structure 508. The energy directed at the hardenable material can be represented as Edichtheld = P / (V * H), where density is the energy density directed at the material, P is the power source radius of the energy source (e.g. a laser beam), V the speed of the beam from the energy source, H the pitch. Accordingly, the partially hardened support structure 508 can be formed by reducing the power of the jet, increasing the speed of the jet, and / or increasing the pitch. One example is that if a selective laser sintering ("SLS") technique is used, the use of less power in combination with a high energy or a high scanning speed and / or a greater pitch leads to the fact that the curable powder material is sintered and not melted, whereby the partially hardened support structure 508 acquires a partially hardened mechanical property. For example, by sintering the particles of powder material to fuse the particles, a plurality of portions of each particle are melted and a plurality of portions of each particle are not melted, thereby obtaining the partially hardened mechanical property. The pitch can be increased in comparison with the pitch used to form the three-dimensional object 504. As described above, the pitch is the distance between the successive lines followed by rays from the energy source. As the pitch is increased, the distance between each successive line followed by the radius of the energy source increases. By increasing the speed of scanning the portions of the curable material for the partially cured support structure 508, less energy will be directed to the curable material and, therefore, less of the curable material will be cured and cured by the energy source due to the energy source. increased distance between the scanning rays. Scanning the curable material using processing parameters including an increased pitch contributes to creating a partially hardened mechanical property and helps to create the partially hardened support structure 508.
In a number of embodiments, the partially hardened support structure 508 is in the form of a rectangle or square for coupling the three-dimensional object 504. In other embodiments, the partially hardened support structure 508 can be designed to exhibit different shapes that are employed to maximize the heat dissipation of the three-dimensional object 504. The partially hardened support structure 508 may, for example, take the form of a fin, a spiral, a web, etc. These shapes may contribute to the transfer of the partially hardened support structure 508 heat from the three-dimensional article 504 on the partially hardened support structure 508.
As illustrated in Figure 5, the portion of the article 504 for which the partially hardened support structure 508 is coupled includes a subset of the plurality of cross-sectional layers of the three-dimensional article 504. Consequently, the partially hardened support structure 508 is not constructed from the base plate to the object 504 but instead is generated using only a portion of the curable material layers. As one example, the partially cured support structure 508 may include a subset of the plurality of layers of the curable material, such as 1 layer, 2 layers, 3 layers, 4 layers, or any number of layers required to provide an appropriate heat dissipation for the three-dimensional object. Accordingly, the partially hardened support structure 508 may have a corresponding thickness, for example 10 µm, 20 µm, 30 µm, 40 µm, 50 µm, 60 µm, 70 µm, 80 µm, 90 µm, 100 µm, 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, etc.
The partially hardened mechanical property of the partially hardened support structure 508 allows the partially hardened support structure 508 to act as a heat sink for the heat dissipation of the energy source away from the portion of the object 504 for which the partially hardened support structure 508 is attached . By way of example, the. partially hardened support structure 508 functions to transfer heat from the article to the partially hardened support structure 508. Accordingly, the partially hardened support structure 508 may be formed in the vicinity of portions of the three-dimensional article for which heat dissipation is required. The partially hardened support structure 508 is coupled to portions 514 and 516 corresponding to overhanging zones of the article 504. As described in more detail in what follows, the overhanging zones are portions of the article 504 for which the angle alpha between the interface of the surface of the object and the horizontal plane is less than or equal to a certain critical angle. The critical angle can be selected as less than 45 ° but can vary in accordance with the specific application. In a number of embodiments, the overhanging zones can be surrounded by more powder than solid material during construction. The powder material does not conduct the heat particularly well, that is, heat from the energy source can be accumulated when the energy source is directed to the overhanging zones. Accordingly, the partially hardened support structure 508 can be used to improve the heat flow when the sections 514 and 516 of the three-dimensional article 504 are built up.
In some embodiments, more than one partially cured support structure 508 can be generated in the course of building up the three-dimensional object 504. By way of example, a separate partially hardened support structure 508 can be generated for each overhanging zone of a specific object. In a number of embodiments, if an object contains multiple overhanging zones adjacent to each other, a single partially hardened support structure 508 can be generated to be coupled to the overhanging zones.
The reinforcing support structures 510 are designed to be thinner and exhibit less rigidity than the volume support structures 506, but with more rigidity than the partially hardened support structure 508. The reinforcing support structures 510 are formed from the base plate 502 to the overhanging zones, such as the portions 514 and 516 of the three-dimensional object 504. The reinforcing support structures 510 can be coupled to resp. portions of the partially hardened support structure 508 and / or to resp. portions of the three-dimensional object. For example, the reinforcing support structures 510 can pass through the partially hardened support structure 508 for coupling to the three-dimensional object 504. As another example, the reinforcing support structures 510 can be directly coupled to the object 504. As yet another example, the reinforcing support structures 510 can only be coupled directly to the partially hardened support structure 508.
The reinforcing support structures 510 can be used to provide reinforcement to the partially hardened support structure 508 and / or the object 504, and also to provide more heat dissipation for the three-dimensional object 504. For example, the reinforcing support structures 510 can transfer heat from the three-dimensional object to the reinforcing support structures 510. In some embodiments, the reinforcing support structures 510 can be directly coupled to the three-dimensional object 504 when they are used to support the object 504.
The amplifying support structures 510 may be formed using a set of processing parameters that cause the controller to direct the same or a reduced amount of energy (as compared to the amount of energy used to generate the volume support structures 506) to the portions of the curable material layers for the reinforcing support structures 510. The reduced thickness and corresponding stiffness of the reinforcing support structures 510 compared to the volume support structures 506 can be realized by directing the desired amount of energy to less of the curable material in the x-direction than used for generating the volume support structures 506. In a number of embodiments, the same amount of energy as used to generate the volume support structures 506 can be directed to the curable material to achieve the desired rigidity for the reinforcing support structures 510. In In other embodiments, a lower amount of energy than used to generate the volume support structures 506 can be used to achieve the desired rigidity for the reinforcing support structures 510.
In some embodiments, the processing parameters for forming the reinforcing support structures 510 may further include a smaller pitch compared to that used to form the three-dimensional object 504. In some embodiments, the pitch for the reinforcing support structures 510 less reduced than the pitch used to form the volume support structures 506. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the pitch used to form the volume support structures 506 may be smaller than the pitch used to form the reinforcing support structures 510 , which may be smaller than the pitch used to form the three-dimensional object 504, which may be smaller than the pitch used to form the partially hardened support structure 508. If the pitch is reduced, it decreases as before described the distance between each radius v from the energy source, which leads to more energy being applied to the curable material and therefore more of the curable material to be cured and hardened. Thus, if the pitch of scanning of the hardenable material portions for the reinforcing support structures 510 is reduced, more of the hardenable material will be hardened and hardened by the energy source due to the reduced distance between the scanning rays. Similarly, directing an additional amount of energy and / or reducing the pitch in forming the reinforcing support structures 510 will lead to a structure that is generally stiffer and stronger than the partially hardened support structure 508. At a specific moment during the reduction of the pitch, as described above, successive passages of the radius of the energy source will overlap and there will no longer be an increase in the material being hardened. As a result, an emergency can be realized which provides for maximum rigidity.
The overhanging zones in a specific three-dimensional object that require enhanced heat dissipation can be determined by calculating at any point of the surface of the object the angle alpha between the interface of the surface at that point and the horizontal plane (plane x-z). The overhanging zones can then be defined as the sum of all points with an angle alpha less than or equal to a critical angle. Accordingly, it is determined that a specific zone in a layer generally only requires support using a reinforcing support structure 510 and / or heat dissipation if the angle alpha of the zone is less than or equal to a critical angle. The critical angle can be determined as the angle at which a point on the object will be surrounded in the course of the forming process with more powder than solid material so that an excessive amount of heat will be set up. The self-supporting capacity of a specific point or layer can also be taken into account when determining the critical angle. The critical angle can be set to 0 °, 5 °, 10 °, 15 °, 20 °, 25 °, 30 °, 35 °, 40 °, 45 °, 50 °, 55 °, or any angle to 89 °.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the critical angle is set to 45 ° by way of example. The angle alpha at any point along the surface of the three-dimensional object 504 can be determined to decide whether or not there is an overhanging zone. For example, the angle 518 can be determined to decide whether an overhanging zone exists at that specific point of the three-dimensional object 504. Based on the angles at each point, the controller 420 and / or other hardware and / or software can be used to determining where along the three-dimensional object 504 one or more reinforcing support structures 510 and one or more partially hardened support structures 508 are generated. The angle alpha of portion 514 is, for example, equal to 0 ° and is therefore smaller than the critical angle of 45 °. The angle alpha of portion 516 is then again equal to 45 ° and is therefore equal to the critical angle. Accordingly, the controller 420 and / or other hardware and / or software may determine that overhanging zones exist on portions 514 and 516 and may cause the three-dimensional printing machine 400 to build the reinforcing support structures 510 and the partially hardened support structure in the course of building. 508 generates in the layers of the curable material for portions 514 and 516 to provide heat dissipation and / or additional support for the overhanging zones on top of the volume supports 506.
The angle alpha of each point of the object 504 in portion 520 is above the critical angle. Accordingly, the controller 420 and / or other hardware and / or software determines that there is no overhanging zone on portion 520, and therefore no reinforcing support structures 510 and the partially hardened support structure 508 are generated in the layers of the curable material for portion 520.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the partially hardened support structure 508 and / or the reinforcing support structures 510 can be generated in such a way that they can be coupled to any portion of the article 504 if desired. In a number of embodiments a user of the three-dimensional printing machine 400 can manually select the various support structures to be used in the forming process. For example, the three-dimensional printing machine 400 may include a user interface (e.g., an input device 230 and / or an output device 240) that may receive an input from a user for controlling the three-dimensional printing machine 400.
Using a combination of the volume support structures 506, the partially hardened support structure 508 and the reinforcing support structures 510, the hybrid support system provides sufficient mechanical strength to prevent deformation of the three-dimensional object 504 in the course of building and also provides this in heat dissipation for the sections 514 and 516 of the article, which also prevents the deformation of the three-dimensional article 504 in these sections. The hybrid support system also uses only the necessary number of support structures to provide the required support and heat dissipation, which minimizes the volume of the curable material to be treated by the energy source and also minimizes damage to the article 504 and / or the amount of residue left on the article 504 when the support structures 506, 508 and 510 are removed in the post-processing. The hybrid support system can also be easily removed from the three-dimensional object after building up in post-processing since only a minimal amount of the support structures is used, which further reduces the damage and / or residue on the object and also the amount of post-processing for the object required is limited. Post-processing is limited because less work is required to remove the support structures and to treat the surface of the object 504 against stains and other shortcomings left behind when the support structures are removed.
With reference to Figure 8, an example of another combination of support structures is illustrated. In this example, the hybrid support system includes a volume support structure 808 that supports the object 804 using tooth-like structures. The tooth-like structures support the article at various points to minimize contact with the article, and also minimize the amount of material used to create the support structure. The volume support structure 808 may rest on an offset structure 806. The offset structure 806 may support the tooth-like structures on the lower portion of the volume support structure 808. The offset structure 806 may have one or more openings to limit its volume and at the same time still to provide sufficient mechanical strength to support the partially cured structure 808. In a number of embodiments, the volume support structure 808 can be further supported by a reinforcing support structure such as the tree-shaped support 810. The use of the tree-shaped support 810 also offers the possibility of using less powder and leads to an easy removal after the article has been completed. In a number of embodiments, the boom-shaped support 810 may extend downwardly to a base plate. As another possibility, the tree-shaped support 810 can be supported by a different type of support. In a number of embodiments, the offset structure 806 may prove unnecessary and, instead, the volume support structure 808 may be in direct contact with the tree-shaped support 810. In yet other embodiments, the support structure 808 may be a reinforcing support structure. In still other embodiments, the support structure 808 may be a combination of a volume support structure and a reinforcing support structure.
Figure 9 illustrates one example of a process 900 for generating a hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing. Although the process 900 can be described below with respect to elements of the three-dimensional printing machine 400 as illustrated in Figure 4 and / or the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system as illustrated in Figure 5, those skilled in the art will also understand that other components can be used to implement one or more of the blocks described in this text.
The process starts at step 902 by depositing a plurality of layers of the curable material. Each layer of the curable material can have any suitable thickness and can contain a powder material or a liquid polymer. The controller 420 can be used to cause each of the layers of the curable material to be deposited on the base plate 430 and / or on a previous layer of the curable material. The curable material can harden after exposure to an energy source. In a number of embodiments, the energy source contains the energy source 410. The energy source may include a high-power laser such as, for example, a carbon dioxide laser.
The process proceeds to step 904 by applying energy to each of the plurality of layers of the curable material for the purpose of at least partially curing each of the plurality of layers of the curable material to generate the article and with a view to generating one or more volume support structures of a base plate against one or more resp. parts of the object, a partially hardened support structure coupled to a first part of the object, and one or more reinforcing support structures of the base plate against at least one of the resp. parts of the partially paved support structure and resp. parts of the object. The controller 420 can be used, for example, to turn on the energy source 410 to direct a certain amount of energy to different portions of each of the layers of the curable material with a view to forming each section of the object and each cross-section of the support structures. The energy source can be configured with a view to providing varying intensities in such a way that the energy delivered by the energy source can be controlled, for example by the controller 420. In general, the more energy is directed at the hardenable material, the more solid and stiffer the hardenable material will become.
In a number of embodiments, the process 900 further comprises determining a set of the most likely points of distortion of the object, and selectively generating each of the one or more volume support structures, the partially hardened support structure, and the one or more reinforcing support structure support structures for the purpose of preventing distortion from the range of most likely points of distortion and minimizing the amount of the curable material used to generate the support structures. In a number of embodiments, the process further comprises selectively generating each of the partially cured support structure and the one or more reinforcing support structures for the purpose of providing heat dissipation for the article.
In a number of embodiments, the process further comprises determining the one or more resp. parts of the object based on a thermo-mechanical property of the one or more resp. portions of the article, wherein the one or more volume support structures are configured with a view to preventing distortion of the one or more resp. parts of the object.
In a number of embodiments, the generation of the partially cured support structure is associated with the application of a set of processing parameters to a subset of the plurality of layers of the curable material. As described above, the mechanical properties of the article can be changed and adjusted by adjusting a set of processing parameters of the layers of the curable material. Different processing parameters can be applied based on whether the article or a specific type of support structure is formed. The processing parameters may, for example, include: an amount of energy used, the speed at which the energy is applied, a change in pitch and the like.
In a number of embodiments, the process 900 further comprises generating the one or more reinforcing support structures to be coupled to at least one of the resp. parts of the partially hardened support structure and the resp. portions of the article, in such a way that the one or more reinforcing support structures provide reinforcement and heat dissipation for the article. The one or more reinforcing support structures may, for example, pass through the partially hardened support structure for coupling to the article. As another example, the one or more reinforcing support structures can be directly coupled to the object. As yet another example, the one or more reinforcing support structures can only be coupled to the partially hardened support structure. In a number of embodiments, at least one of the resp. part of the partially paved support structure and the resp. portions of the article for which the one or more reinforcing support structures are coupled, located at the one or more overhanging zones of the article, as described above.
In a number of embodiments, the process 900 further comprises generating the one or more reinforcing support structures in such a way that they are thinner than the one or more volume support structures.
In a number of embodiments, the curable material contains small fusible particles. The small fusible particles may, for example, contain plastic powders, polymer powders, metal powders, ceramic powders, and / or glass powders.
Figure 10 illustrates one example of a process 1000 for forming an object and a hybrid support system. Although the process 1000 can be described below with respect to elements of the three-dimensional printing machine 400 as illustrated in Figure 4 and / or the three-dimensional object and the hybrid support system as illustrated in Figure 5, those skilled in the art will also understand that other components can be used to implement one or more of the blocks described in this text.
The process 1000 starts at step 1002 with depositing a first amount of the curable material on a base plate. The first layer of the curable material can have any suitable thickness and can contain a powder material or a liquid polymer. Each layer of the curable material can have a thickness of, for example, 1 µm, 2 µm, 3 µm, 4 µm, 5 µm, 10 µm, 11 µm, 12 µm, 12 µm, 13 µm, 14 µm, 15 µm 100 µm, 150 µm, 200 µm, or any other suitable thickness. In a number of embodiments, the controller 420 can be used to cause the first layer of the curable material to be deposited on the base plate 430.
The process continues at step 100 by forming a first section of the article by applying energy to a first portion of the first amount of the curable material. The article may be, for example, the article 504 as illustrated in Figure 5. The energy is provided by means of an energy source. The curable material hardens when exposed to the energy source, leading to the formation of the first cross-section of the object to be formed. In a number of embodiments, the energy source contains the energy source 410. The energy source may include a high-power laser such as, for example, a carbon dioxide laser. In a number of embodiments, the controller 420 can be used to induce the energy source 410 to direct a certain amount of energy to the first portion of the first layer of the curable material with a view to forming the first section of the object . The energy source can be configured with a view to providing varying intensities in such a way that the energy delivered by the energy source can be controlled, for example by the controller 420. In general, the more energy is directed on the hardenable material, the more solid and stiffer the resulting hardened material will become.
The process 1000 proceeds to step 1006 with forming a first cross-section of a volume support structure by applying an additional amount of energy to a second portion of the first amount of the curable material. The volume support structure may be, for example, one of the volume support structures 506 as illustrated in Figure 5. In some embodiments, the volume support structure includes a property of thickness and strength and may be used to prevent the portions of the article for which the volume support structure being attached will deform. In a number of embodiments, the volume support structure can be formed with the property of thickness and strength through the use of a first set of processing parameters that contain an additional amount of energy as compared to the amount of energy used to generate the article. By way of example, the first set of processing parameters may cause the controller 420 to direct an additional amount of energy (as compared to the amount of energy used to generate the object) to the second portion of the first amount of the curable material. Targeting additional energy at selected portions of the curable material can lead to selective rigidity. As described above, the energy directed at the curable material can be represented as Edlightness = P / (V * H), where Edichtheid is the energy density that is directed at the material, P the power source radius of the energy source (e.g. a laser beam), V the speed of the beam from the energy source, H the pitch. In general, there will be a maximum amount of energy that can be focused on the curable material. However, directing a maximum amount of energy onto the curable material can lead to a maximum shrinking and / or distortion of the sectional layer of the object and / or support structures relative to a design and / or desired shape. Therefore, the additional amount of energy can be selected in such a way that it increases the stiffness of the volume support and at the same time avoids shrinking and / or distorting the volume support or keeps it as limited as possible. In a number of embodiments, the pitch can be shortened when directing the energy source to the second portion of the first amount of the curable material as compared to the pitch used to create the article, such that the volume support structure has a rigid and strong mechanical property.
At step 1008, the process 1000 continues to form a first cross-section of a partially cured support structure by applying a reduced amount of energy to a third portion of the first amount of the curable material, for example, the partially cured support structure is the partially hardened support structure 508 as illustrated in Figure 5. In some embodiments, the partially hardened support structure can be designed to exhibit less rigidity than the volume support structure. In a number of embodiments, the partially cured support structure can be formed using a second set of processing parameters. The second set of processing parameters may include a reduced amount of energy (density = P / (V * H)) compared to the amount of energy used to generate the object. For example, the second set of processing parameters may cause the controller 420 to direct a reduced amount of energy at an increased speed and / or rush (compared to the amount of energy, speed, and rush used to generate the object) at the third part of the first amount of the curable material. In some embodiments, a selective laser sintering ("SLS") technique can be used, and less power can be used in combination with a high energy scanning speed and / or increased pitch to cause the curable powder material to be sintered and not melted. The pitch is the distance between two consecutive lines of rays from the energy source. As described above, by increasing the pitch when scanning the second portion of the first cross section, less of the curable material will be cured and hardened by the energy source due to the increased distance between the scanning rays. Scanning the curable material using these processing parameters results in the second portion of the first cross section acquiring a partially hardened mechanical property, leading to the creation of the partially hardened support structure 508. In some embodiments, the at least partially hardened mechanical property of the partially hardened support structure the partially hardened support structure the ability to act as a heat sink for dissipating the energy source away from the portion of the object for which the partially hardened support structure is coupled. For example, the partially cured support structure may function to transfer heat from the object to the partially hardened support structure.
The process 1000 proceeds to step 1010 with forming a first cross-section of a reinforcing support structure by directing an additional amount of energy to a fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material. For example, the reinforcing support structure may be one of the reinforcing support structures 510 as illustrated in Figure 5. In a number of embodiments, the reinforcing support structures 510 are designed to be thinner and exhibit less rigidity than the volume support structures, but with more rigidity than the partial paved support structure. The reinforcing support structures can be used to provide reinforcement to the partially hardened support structure and / or the object, and also to provide more heat dissipation for the three-dimensional object. In a number of embodiments, the reinforcing support structure can be formed using a third set of processing parameters. The third set of processing parameters may contain the same or a reduced amount of energy as compared to the amount of energy used to generate the volume support structure. The third set of processing parameters may, for example, cause the controller 420 to direct the additional amount of energy (the same amount as used to generate the volume support structure) to the fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material. As described above, directing the additional energy to the fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material offers the possibility of selective rigidity. In a number of embodiments, the reduced thickness and corresponding stiffness of the reinforcing support structure as compared to the volume support structure can be realized by directing the desired amount of energy to less of the curable material in the x-direction (see Figs. 5-8) than used to generate the volume support structure.
In some embodiments, the same amount of energy as used to generate the volume support structure can be directed to the curable material to achieve the desired rigidity for the reinforcing support structure. In other embodiments, a lower amount of energy than used to generate the volume support structure can be used to achieve the desired stiffness for the reinforcing support structure. In some embodiments, the pitch can be shortened when directing the energy source to the fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material as compared to the pitch used to create the article. In a number of embodiments, the pitch can be increased when directing the energy source to the fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material as compared to the pitch used in creating the volume support structure, with a view to creating a volume support structure. support structure that is less rigid than volume support structure.
The process 1000 proceeds to step 1012 by depositing a second amount of the curable material over at least the first cross-section of the article. The second layer of the curable material can have any suitable thickness and can contain a powder material or a liquid polymer. The controller 420 can be used, for example, to cause the second layer of the curable material to be deposited on top of the first layer of the curable material after the varying amounts of the energy are applied to the first layer.
The process 1000 proceeds to step 1014 by forming a second section of the article by directing energy at a first portion of the second amount of the curable material. The process 1000 continues until all of the sectional layers of the article and the hybrid support system are formed in accordance with the one or more data files as described above.
Figure 11 illustrates an example of a functional block diagram of various components in a three-dimensional printer 1100. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the three-dimensional printer 1100 can count more components than the simplified three-dimensional printer 1100 illustrated in Figure 11. The illustrated three-dimensional printing device 1100 contains only the components that are useful for describing a number of important features of implementations within the scope of the claims. The three-dimensional printing device 1100 includes a depositing means 1102. In a number of embodiments, the depositing means 1102 can deposit a plurality of layers of the curable material. The depositing means 1102 can be configured by way of example for the purpose of performing one or more of the functions described above with respect to block 902 as illustrated in Figure 9. In some embodiments, the depositing means 1102 can provide a first amount depositing the curable material on a base plate and may further deposit a second amount of the curable material on at least a first cross-section of an object. The depositing means 1102 can be configured by way of example for the purpose of performing one or more of the functions described above with respect to blocks 1002 and 1012 as illustrated in Figure 10. The depositing means 1102 can correspond to one or more of the controller 420, a nozzle, a roller, or other transport mechanism (not shown in the drawing), etc., as previously described with respect to Figure 4.
The three-dimensional printing device 1100 further includes an energy-supplying means 1104. The energy-supplying means 1104 can direct energy to any of the plurality of layers of the curable material with a view to at least partially hardening each of the plurality of layers of the curable material for generating the object and for the purpose of generating one or more volume support structures of a base plate against one or more resp. parts of the object, a partially hardened support structure coupled to a first part of the object, and one or more reinforcing support structures of the base plate against at least one of the resp. parts of the partially paved support structure and resp. parts of the object. The energy supply means 1104 may be configured by way of example with a view to performing one or more of the functions described above with respect to block 904 as illustrated in Figure 9. The energy supply means 1104 may correspond to one or more of the controller 420, the energy source 410, etc., as previously described with reference to Figure 4.
In a number of embodiments, the three-dimensional printing device 1100 further comprises a shaping means 1106. In a number of embodiments, the three-dimensional printing device 1100 does not include a shaping means 1106. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional printing device 1100 comprises a shaping means 1106 and no energy-supplying means 1104. means 1106 may form a first cross-section of the article by directing energy at a first portion of the first amount of the curable material, forming a first cross-section of a volume support structure by directing an additional amount of energy at a second form part of the first amount of the curable material, a first cross-section of a partially hardened support structure by directing a reduced amount of energy at a third part of the first amount of the curable material, a first cross-section of forming a reinforcing support structure by directing the additional amount of energy at a fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material, and forming a second cross-section of the object by directing energy at a first portion of the second amount of the hardenable material. The shaping means 1106 may be configured by way of example with a view to performing one or more of the functions described above with respect to blocks 1004-1010 as illustrated in Figure 10. The shaping means 1106 may correspond to one or more of the controller 420, the energy source 410, etc., as previously described with respect to Figure 4.
It should be noted that numerous variations can be made to the illustrated embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the aspects and properties described in this text are not limited to any specific object formed by the techniques of three-dimensional printing known in the art. Techniques of three-dimensional printing that exhibit one or more of the features described in this text may be intended for use with a plurality of objects, tools, conductors, devices that can be formed.
The various embodiments of the above-described techniques with respect to the present invention thus provide techniques for forming a three-dimensional article together with a hybrid support system. Of course, it is to be understood that not all objects or advantages can be realized in any specific embodiment of the invention. Those skilled in the art will therefore understand that the invention can be designed or implemented in such a way that one advantage described in this text or a set of advantages can be designed or implemented without necessarily all other objects or advantages described in this text. described or suggested.
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that any of the illustrative logic blocks, modules, cores, processors, controllers, means, circuits, and algorithm steps described with respect to aspects described in this text can be implemented in the. form of electronic hardware (for example a digital implementation, an analog implementation or a combination of both, that can be designed by means of source coding or any other technique), different forms of programs or design code that contain instructions (and which in this for simplicity, "software" or a "software module"), or a combination of both. To clearly demonstrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits and steps above are generally described in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or as software depends on the specific application and on the design limitations imposed on the totality of the system. Those skilled in the art can implement the described functionality in various ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as a departure from the scope of the present publication.
The invention described in this text can be implemented in the form of a method, a device, a produced article, using standard techniques of programming or engineering to produce software, firmware, hardware or any combination thereof. Code or logic can be implemented in hardware or permanent computer-readable media such as optical disks, and volatile or non-volatile memory devices or temporary computer-readable media such as signals, carriers, etc. Such hardware may include, but is not limited to, , field-programmable gate arrays (field programmable gate arrays, FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (application-specific integrated circuits, ASICs'), complex programmable logic chips (complex programmable logic devices, CPLDs), programmable logic arrays (programmable logic arrays , PLAs), microprocessors, or other similar processing devices.
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate the interchangeability of various features of various embodiments. In addition to the variations described in this text, other known equivalents for each property can be mixed and matched by those skilled in the art for the purpose of forming articles in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
Although this invention has been described against the background of certain embodiments and examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention extends beyond the specifically described embodiments to alternative embodiments and / or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents. of it. It is therefore intended that the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the specific embodiments described above. in the drawings:
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 4
FIG. 9
FIG. 10
FIG. 11

权利要求:
Claims (22)
[1]
CONCLUSIONS
A hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing, comprising: - one or more volume support structures, wherein a first volume support structure of the one or more volume support structures is coupled to a base plate and to a first one. part of the object; - a partially hardened support structure, coupled to a second part of the object; and - one or more reinforcing support structures, wherein a first reinforcing support structure of the one or more reinforcing support structures is coupled to the base plate and to at least one of a part of the partially hardened support structure and a third part of the object.
[2]
The hybrid support system of claim 1, wherein the one or more volume support structures, the partially hardened support structure and the one or more reinforcing support structures are generated when the article is formed.
[3]
The hybrid support system of claim 1, wherein the one or more volume support structures are configured with a view to preventing distortion of the article.
[4]
The hybrid support system of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the article for which the first volume support structure is coupled is determined based on a thermal-mechanical property of the first portion.
[5]
The hybrid support system of claim 1, wherein the partially cured support structure exhibits less rigidity than the one or more volume support structures and the one or more reinforcing support structures.
[6]
The hybrid support system of claim 5, wherein the article has a plurality of layers, and wherein the second portion for which the partially cured support structure is coupled comprises a subset of the plurality of cross-sectional layers of the three-dimensional article.
[7]
The hybrid support system of claim 1, wherein the first reinforcing support structure is coupled to at least one of the portion of the partially hardened support structure and the third portion of the object for the purpose of providing reinforcement and heat dissipation for the object.
[8]
The hybrid support system of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the portion of the partially hardened support structure and the third portion of the object for which the first reinforcing support structure is coupled is placed on an overhanging portion of the object.
[9]
The hybrid support system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reinforcing support structures are thinner than the one or more volume support structures.
[10]
A method of generating a hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing, the method comprising: - depositing a plurality of layers of the curable material; - directing energy to each of the plurality of layers of the curable material with a view to at least partially curing each of the plurality of layers to generate the article and with a view to generating: - one or more multiple volume support structures of a base plate against one or more resp. parts of the object; - a partially hardened support structure, coupled to a first part of the object; and - one or more reinforcing support structures of the base plate against at least one of the resp. parts of the partially paved support structure and resp. parts of the object.
[11]
The method of claim 10, further comprising: - determining a set of the most likely points of distortion of the article; and - selectively generating each of the one or more volume support structures, the partially hardened support structure, and the one or more reinforcing support structures with a view to preventing distortion from the series of most likely points of distortion and minimizing the amount of the curable material used to generate the support structures.
[12]
The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the one or more resp. parts of the object based on a thermo-mechanical property of the one or more resp. portions of the article, wherein the one or more volume support structures are configured with a view to preventing distortion of the one or more resp. parts of the object.
[13]
The method of claim 10, wherein the generation of the partially cured support structure is associated with the application of a set of processing parameters to a subset of the plurality of layers of the curable material.
[14]
The method of claim 10, further comprising generating the one or more reinforcing support structures to be coupled to at least one of the resp. parts of the partially hardened support structure and the resp. portions of the article, in such a way that the one or more reinforcing support structures provide reinforcement and heat dissipation for the article.
[15]
The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the resp. parts of the partially hardened support structure and the resp. portions of the object for which the one or more reinforcing support structures are coupled are located at the one or more overhanging portions of the object.
[16]
The method of claim 10, further comprising generating the one or more reinforcing support structures in such a way that they are thinner than the one or more volume support structures.
[17]
The method of claim 10, wherein the curable material contains small fusible particles.
[18]
The method of claim 17, wherein the small fusible particles are selected from the group consisting of plastic powders, polymer powders, metal powders, ceramic powders, and glass powders.
[19]
A method of forming an article and a hybrid support system, the method comprising: - depositing first amount of the curable material on a base plate; - forming a first cross-section of the object by directing energy at a first portion of the first amount of the curable material; reforming a first cross-section of a volume support structure by directing an additional amount of energy to a second portion of the first amount of the curable material; - forming a first cross-section of a partially hardened support structure by directing a reduced amount of energy to a third portion of the first amount of the hardenable material, - forming a first cross-section of a reinforcing support structure by directing the additional amount of energy on a fourth portion of the first amount of the curable material; - depositing a second amount of the curable material over at least the first section of the object; and - forming a second cross-section of the object by directing energy at a first portion of the second amount of the curable material.
[20]
A three-dimensional printing device, the device comprising: - a container configured for containing a curable material; - an energy source that is placed over the container; - a controller which is coupled to the energy source and which is configured for controlling the energy source in such a way that the energy source supplies energy to each of the plurality of layers of the curable material with a view to at least at least partial curing of each of the plurality of layers of the curable material to generate the article and with a view to generating: - one or more volume support structures of a base plate against one or more resp. parts of the object; - a partially hardened support structure, coupled to a second part of the object; and - one or more reinforcing support structures of the base plate against at least one of the resp. parts of the partially paved support structure and resp. parts of the object.
[21]
A hybrid support system for supporting an object formed by three-dimensional printing, comprising: - a tree-shaped reinforcing support structure with a trunk portion and with branches, the tree-shaped reinforcing portion being configured for contacting placing a base plate with the stem portion; - a volume support structure configured for contacting the object with the tree-shaped reinforcing support structure, the volume support structure comprising a plurality of tooth-like structures extending upwardly in the direction of the object and a plurality of tooth-like structures that extend downwards toward the tree-shaped reinforcing support structure, the tooth-like structures that extend upwards are configured for contacting the object and the teeth-like structure structures extending downwards are configured with a view to coming into contact with the tree-shaped reinforcing support structure.
[22]
The hybrid support system of claim 21, further comprising an offset structure between the volume support structure and the tree-shaped reinforcing support structure.

类似技术:

---

公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题

---

BE1022525B1|2016-05-20|HYBRID SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING A HYBRID SUPPORT SYSTEM USING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

---

US10843412B2|2020-11-24|Support structures in additive manufacturing

---

BE1022695B1|2016-07-29|DATA PROCESSING

---

BE1024495B1|2018-03-13|ENERGY DENSITY CLASSIFICATION IN ADDITIVE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTS

---

US10766245B2|2020-09-08|Slice area distribution for obtaining improved performance in additive manufacturing techniques

---

KR20180048717A|2018-05-10|System and method for providing force compensation points on a model during 3D printing

---

KR20180048727A|2018-05-10|Self-reliance in laminate manufacturing

---

WO2015193467A1|2015-12-23|Use of multiple beam spot sizes for obtaining improved performance in optical additive manufacturing techniques

---

BE1022947B1|2016-10-20|Systems and methods for avoiding the interlocking of parts in 3d nesting

---

BE1023316B1|2017-02-02|Systems and methods for optimizing contact points of tree-shaped supports in additive manufacturing

---

BE1022945A1|2016-10-20|System and method for re-coating in an environment of additive manufacturing

---

BE1024204B1|2017-12-15|Self-supporting in additive production

---

BE1022945B1|2016-10-20|System and method for re-coating in an environment of additive manufacturing

---

BE1023151B1|2016-12-02|APPLICATION OF MULTIPLE BUNDLE SPOT DIMENSIONS FOR OBTAINING IMPROVED PERFORMANCE OF OPTICAL ADDITIVE PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

同族专利:

---

公开号 | 公开日

---

EP2988921B1|2019-09-04|

---

US20160107234A1|2016-04-21|

---

EP2988921A2|2016-03-02|

---

WO2014174090A3|2015-01-29|

---

WO2014174090A2|2014-10-30|

---

US10384263B2|2019-08-20|

引用文献:

---

公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题

---

US5897825A|1994-10-13|1999-04-27|3D Systems, Inc.|Method for producing a three-dimensional object|

---

US20040187714A1|2000-03-13|2004-09-30|Eduardo Napadensky|Compositons and methods for use in three dimensional model printing|

---

US20020171177A1|2001-03-21|2002-11-21|Kritchman Elisha M.|System and method for printing and supporting three dimensional objects|

---

BE1008128A3|1994-03-10|1996-01-23|Materialise Nv|Method for supporting an object manufactured by stereo lithography or any rapid prototype manufacturing and method for manufacturing the taking used steunkonstruktie.|

---

DE10219983B4|2002-05-03|2004-03-18|Bego Medical Ag|Process for manufacturing products using free-form laser sintering|

---

GB0715621D0|2007-08-10|2007-09-19|Rolls Royce Plc|Support architecture|

---

US9789540B2|2008-02-13|2017-10-17|Materials Solutions Limited|Method of forming an article|US9588726B2|2014-01-23|2017-03-07|Accenture Global Services Limited|Three-dimensional object storage, customization, and distribution system|

---

US10373237B2|2015-01-16|2019-08-06|Accenture Global Services Limited|Three-dimensional object storage, customization, and procurement system|

---

US9811076B2|2015-02-04|2017-11-07|Accenture Global Services Limited|Method and system for communicating product development information|

---

BE1024204B1|2015-08-28|2017-12-15|Materialise Nv|Self-supporting in additive production|

---

KR20180048727A|2015-08-28|2018-05-10|머티어리얼리스 엔브이|Self-reliance in laminate manufacturing|

---

DE102015217469A1|2015-09-11|2017-03-16|Eos Gmbh Electro Optical Systems|Method and device for producing a three-dimensional object|

---

CN105415674B|2015-10-30|2017-05-24|宁夏共享模具有限公司|Composite structure for improving efficiency of fused deposition modelingprinting mold|

---

CN107053651B|2016-02-05|2019-07-12|三纬国际立体列印科技股份有限公司|Three dimensional model printing cuts layer method|

---

WO2017143013A1|2016-02-16|2017-08-24|Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of Arizona State University|Process controlled dissolvable supports in 3d printing of metal or ceramic components|

---

AU2017251638A1|2016-04-14|2018-10-04|Desktop Metal, Inc.|Additive fabrication with support structures|

---

PL3278908T3|2016-08-02|2020-07-27|Siemens Aktiengesellschaft|Support structure, method of providing the same and method of additively manufacturing|

---

DE102016224060A1|2016-12-02|2018-06-07|Siemens Aktiengesellschaft|Method for the additive production of a component with a supporting structure and a reduced energy density|

---

JP2018095946A|2016-12-16|2018-06-21|キヤノン株式会社|Manufacturing method of three-dimensional molded article and three-dimensional molding device|

---

US10675707B2|2017-04-19|2020-06-09|Medtronic Vascular, Inc.|Method of making a medical device using additive manufacturing|

---

US10576725B2|2017-04-20|2020-03-03|Aptiv Technologies Limited|Method of producing a plurality of engineered-components using an additive manufacturing process|

---

WO2018213640A1|2017-05-17|2018-11-22|Mariana Bertoni|Systems and methods for controlling the morphology and porosity of printed reactive inks for high precision printing|

---

DE102017208520A1|2017-05-19|2018-11-22|Premium Aerotec Gmbh|Method for producing an object by means of generative manufacturing, component, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, and computer-readable medium|

---

CN107297499A|2017-06-22|2017-10-27|北京航信增材科技有限公司|Support springboard of precinct laser fusion metal increasing material manufacturing and preparation method thereof|

---

JP6349561B1|2017-07-31|2018-07-04|福井県|3D modeling method|

---

US20190079491A1|2017-09-12|2019-03-14|General Electric Company|Optimizing support structures for additive manufacturing|

---

CN107856311A|2017-11-13|2018-03-30|成都优材科技有限公司|Tree-like supporting construction for 3D printing|

---

DE102017126537A1|2017-11-13|2019-05-16|SLM Solutions Group AG|Method for producing a semifinished product and a workpiece|

---

WO2019099377A1|2017-11-14|2019-05-23|Materialise N.V.|System and method for automatic support design and placement in an additive manufacturing environment|

---

CN108422669B|2018-02-06|2021-06-22|中国人民解放军海军工程大学|Supporting printing method based on 3D printing process planning|

---

FR3080307B1|2018-04-19|2021-08-27|Safran Aircraft Engines|ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF A METAL PART|

---

CN109202083A|2018-10-15|2019-01-15|深圳技师学院（深圳高级技工学校）|A kind of 3D printing method|

---

EP3744507A1|2019-05-30|2020-12-02|Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.|Hybrid part-accessory connections|

---

DE102020104296A1|2020-02-19|2021-08-19|Grob-Werke Gmbh & Co. Kg|METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF A COMPONENT|

---

CN111438359B|2020-06-18|2020-09-15|中国航发上海商用航空发动机制造有限责任公司|Support structure, design method and forming method|

法律状态:

优先权:

---

申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

---

US201361816313P| true| 2013-04-26|2013-04-26|

---

US61/816313|2013-04-26|

---