Engineering-grade consumable materials for electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system
AssigneeEvolve Additive Solutions, Inc.
InventorsJames E. Orrock, Steven A. Chillscyzn, Trevor I. Martin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of printing three-dimensional parts with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, with a part material including a composition having an engineering-grade thermoplastic material and a charge control agent. The part material is provided in a powder form having a controlled particle size, and is configured for use in the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having a layer transfusion assembly for printing the three-dimensional parts in a layer-by-layer manner.
Claims16
A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having an electrophotography engine, a transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a part material to the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material compositionally comprising a charge control agent, and a thermoplastic material having a heat deflection temperature ranging from about 100° C. to about 150° C., wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polycarpolactum (PA6), polyhexamethyleneadipamide (PA6,6), polyhexamethylenenonamide (PA6,9), polyhexamethylenesebacamide (PA6,10), polyamide 6/12 (PA6,12), polyenantholactum (PA7), polyundecanolactum (PA11), polylaurolactam (PA12), or mixtures thereof and has a powder form having a D90/D50 particle size distribution and a D50/D10 particle size distribution each ranging from about 1.00 to about 1.40, and wherein the D90/D50 particle size distribution and the D50/D10 particle size distribution are within about 10% of each other;
- triboelectrically charging the part material to a Q/M ratio having a negative charge or a positive charge, and a magnitude ranging from about 5 micro-Coulombs/gram to about 50 micro-Coulombs/gram;
- developing layers of the three-dimensional part from the charged part material with the electrophotography engine;
- electrostatically attracting the developed layers from the electrophotography engine to the transfer medium;
- moving the attracted layers to the layer transfusion assembly with the transfer medium;
- and
- transfusing the moved layers to previously-printed layers of the three-dimensional part with the layer transfusion assembly.
A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having an electrophotography engine, a transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a part material to the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material compositionally comprising a charge control agent, and a thermoplastic material having a heat deflection temperature ranging from about 100° C. to about 150° C., wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polycarpolactum (PA6), polyhexamethyleneadipamide (PA6,6), polyhexamethylenenonamide (PA6,9), polyhexamethylenesebacamide (PA6,10), polyamide 6/12 (PA6,12), polyenantholactum (PA7), polyundecanolactum (PA11), polylaurolactam (PA12), or mixtures thereof and has a powder form having a D90/D50 particle size distribution and a D50/D10 particle size distribution each ranging from about 1.00 to about 1.40 and wherein the D90/D50 particle size distribution and the D50/D10 particle size distribution are within about 10% of each other;
- triboelectrically charging the part material to a Q/M ratio having a negative charge or a positive charge, and a magnitude ranging from about 5 micro-Coulombs/gram to about 50 micro-Coulombs/gram;
- developing a layer of the three-dimensional part from the charged part material with the electrophotography engine;
- electrostatically attracting the developed layer from the electrophotography engine to the transfer medium;
- moving the attracted layers to the layer transfusion assembly with the transfer medium;
- heating the developed layer on the transfer medium to a temperature that exceeds the glass transition temperature of the part material;
- and
- transfusing the heated layer to previously-printed layers of the three-dimensional part with pressure over time with a nip roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.