Inserting inhibitor to create part boundary isolation during 3D printing
AssigneeUniversity of Southern California
InventorBehrokh Khoshnevis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A 3D printing system may print a desired 3D object. A fusible powder may fuse when subjected to a fusing condition. A deposition system may deposit portions of the fusible powder on a substrate. A fusing system may apply the fusing condition to the deposited fusible powder. Inhibitor material may not fuse when subjected to the fusing condition. An insertion system may insert a portion of the inhibitor material between portions of the deposited fusible powder after having been deposited by the deposition system, but before being fused by the fusing system, so as to form a boundary that defines at least a portion of a surface of the desired 3D object.
Claims20
A 3D printing system for printing a desired 3D object comprising:
- a deposition system that deposits portions of a first material on a substrate;
- an insertion system that inserts a portion of a second material between portions of the deposited first material after having been deposited by the deposition system;
- and
- a fusing system that applies a fusing condition to the materials,
- wherein:
- the insertion system includes a nozzle that has an interior passageway through which the second material travels;
- the nozzle has a lower end that includes:
- a leading edge in the shape of a plow that can plow a trough between portions of the deposited first material when the lower end of the nozzle traverses such portions;
- and
- a rearward-facing opening though which the second material can be ejected from the nozzle and into the trough immediately after the trough is plowed by the leading edge, thereby filling the trough as the trough is plowed;
- the insertion system causes:
- the leading edge to plow through portions of the first material;
- and
- the opening to eject the second material from the nozzle immediately after the trough is plowed by the leading edge, thereby filling the trough as the trough is plowed;
- and
- application of the fusing condition causes the desired 3D object to fuse.
A 3D printing system for printing a 3D object, comprising:
- a substrate configured to receive a first material that fuses when subjected to a fusing condition;
- a nozzle for dispensing a second material that does not fuse when subjected to the fusing condition, the nozzle having an interior passageway through which the second material travels, the nozzle having a lower end including a leading edge in the shape of a plow configured to plow a trough between portions of the first material that are not yet fused, and a rearward-facing opening configured to eject the second material into the trough after the trough is plowed by the leading edge, thereby filling the trough with the second material as the trough is plowed;
- and
- a rotary axis actuator that controllably rotates the leading edge of the nozzle so as cause the leading edge to always be leading the direction of the nozzle movement.
A 3D printing system for printing a 3D object, comprising:
- a substrate configured to receive a first material that fuses when subjected to a fusing condition;
- a nozzle for dispensing a second material that does not fuse when subjected to the fusing condition, the nozzle having an interior passageway through which the second material travels, the nozzle having a lower end including a leading edge in the shape of a plow configured to plow a trough between portions of the first material that are not yet fused, and a rearward-facing opening configured to eject the second material into the trough after the trough is plowed by the leading edge, thereby filling the trough with the second material as the trough is plowed;
- and
- a deposition device configured to deposit the first material onto the substrate, a fusing device configured to provide the fusing condition, and a gantry device configured to move the nozzle within the first material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.