# US 10,370,510 B2 · Consumable filaments having reversible reinforcement for extrusion-based additive manufacturing

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- Number: US 10,370,510 B2
- Document ID: US10370510B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/028,224
- Filed: 2014-10-02
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-08
- Assignees: Stratasys, Inc.
- Applicants: Stratasys, Inc.
- Inventors: Jeffrey Jacob Cernohous; Adam R. Pawloski; Benjamin A. Demuth
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370510B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
- B29C 48/022: {characterised by the choice of material}
- B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
- B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
- C08J 5/0405: {with inorganic fibres}
- C08J 5/046: {with synthetic macromolecular fibrous material}
- B29K 2023/00: Use of polyalkenes {or derivatives thereof} as moulding material
- B29K 2025/04: {Polymers of styrene}
- B29K 2033/04: Polymers of esters
- B29K 2075/00: Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material
- B29K 2995/0082: Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
- B29L 2009/00: Layered products
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- C08J 2323/08: Copolymers of ethene (C08J2323/16 takes precedence)
- C08J 2423/12: Polypropene
- C08J 2429/04: Polyvinyl alcohol; Partially hydrolysed homopolymers or copolymers of esters of unsaturated alcohols with saturated carboxylic acids
- C08J 2467/04: Polyesters derived from hydroxy carboxylic acids, e.g. lactones (C08J2467/06 takes precedence)
- C08J 2477/06: Polyamides derived from polyamines and polycarboxylic acids (C08J2477/10 takes precedence)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A consumable assembly for use with an additive manufacturing system to print three-dimensional parts, the consumable assembly including a supply device (e.g., a spool) and a filament supported by the supply device, where the filament has a composition comprising one or more elastomers and one or more reinforcing additives, and a filament geometry configured to be received by a liquefier assembly of the additive manufacturing system. The composition is preferably configured to be thermally and/or chemically modified to reduce its flexural modulus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of building a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
providing a supply of feedstock material to a liquefier of the additive manufacturing system wherein the feedstock material comprises at least 50% by weight an elastomer and up to 50% by weight a reinforcing additive wherein the feedstock material has a flexural modulus greater than about 300 megaPascals (MPa);
heating the feedstock material in the liquefier and extruding the molten feedstock material through a nozzle provided in an outlet of the liquefier;
depositing the molten feedstock material in a layer by layer manner to build the three-dimensional part; and
chemically treating the three-dimensional part to dissolve or weaken at least a portion of the reinforcing additive such that the flexural modulus of the three-dimensional part is less than the flexural modulus of the feedstock material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein chemically treating the three-dimensional part comprises using a water-based solution to dissolve or weaken the reinforcing additive to decrease the flexural modulus of the three-dimensional part.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein chemically treating the three-dimensional part comprises using an acidic solution to dissolve or weaken the reinforcing additive decrease the flexural modulus of the three-dimensional part.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the elastomer is an elastomeric thermoplastic material derived from polyolefins, polyesters, styrenics, polyurethanes, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing additive comprises mineral whiskers, mineral salts, or combinations thereof and wherein the feedstock material of has a flexural modulus greater than about 1500 MPa.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein after chemically treating the three-dimensional part to dissolve or weaken the reinforcing additive the three-dimensional part has a flexural modulus less than about 1500 MPa.

### Claim 7

A method of building a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
providing a supply of feedstock material to a liquefier of the additive manufacturing system wherein the feedstock material comprises at least 50% by weight an elastomer and up to 50% by weight a reinforcing additive wherein the feedstock material has a flexural modulus greater than about 300 megaPascals (MPa);
heating the feedstock material in the liquefier to a temperature that thermally degrades or softens at least a portion of the reinforcing additive;
extruding the molten feedstock material through a nozzle provided in an outlet of the liquefier; and
depositing the molten feedstock material in a layer by layer manner to build the three-dimensional part, wherein the flexural modulus of the three-dimensional part is less than the flexural modulus of the feed stock material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the reinforcing additive is a polymer fiber comprising polypropylene, polylactic acid, polyamide-6 fibers or combinations thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the elastomer is an elastomeric thermoplastic material derived from polyolefins, polyesters, styrenics, polyurethanes, or combinations thereof.