# US 11,305,488 B2 · Process for producing three dimensional structures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,488 B2 - Document ID: US11305488B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/498,956 - Filed: 2018-04-02 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-03 - Assignees: Creative Ic3D Ltd. - Applicants: Creative Ic3D Ltd. - Inventors: Yacov Mazuz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305488B2 ## CPC - B29C 70/88: characterised primarily by possessing specific properties, e.g. electrically conductive or locally reinforced - B29C 64/10: Processes of additive manufacturing - B29C 64/112: using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads - B29C 64/194: during lay-up - B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) - B29C 64/336: of two or more materials - B29C 70/882: {partly or totally electrically conductive, e.g. for EMI shielding (conductive floors or floor coverings H05F3/025; EMI shielding in general H05K9/00)} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials - C25D 1/003: {3D structures, e.g. superposed patterned layers} - C25D 3/38: of copper - C25D 5/56: of plastics - B29K 2033/04: Polymers of esters - B29K 2105/0044: {Stabilisers, e.g. against oxydation, light or heat} - B29K 2995/0005: Conductive - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - 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 - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - 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 ## Abstract A method for producing a 3D structure, according g to which a composite conductive substrate (CCS) with a conductive layer and a non-conductive layer is provided and a conductive pattern is determined for each layer of the 3D structure. A first layer of non-conductive matter on the CCS is printed, such that the conductive pattern of the first layer left empty from the non-conductive matter. The empty conductive pattern is filled with conductive matter by electroplating and for each following layer, in turn, printing, on the previous layer, a layer of non-conductive matter, the conductive pattern of the present layer left empty from the non-conductive matter; plating non-conductive areas of the previous layer that are left uncoated with conductive matter; and filling the empty conductive pattern of the present layer with conductive matter by electroplating. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing a three dimensional (3D) structure, comprising: a) providing a composite conductive substrate (CCS) with a conductive layer and a non-conductive layer; b) determining a conductive pattern for each layer of the 3D structure; c) printing a first layer of non-conductive matter on said CCS, such that the conductive pattern of the first layer left empty from said non-conductive matter; d) filling the empty conductive pattern with conductive matter by electroplating; and e) for each following layer, in turn: i) printing, on the previous layer, a layer of non-conductive matter, the conductive pattern of the present layer left empty from said non-conductive matter; ii) plating non-conductive areas of the previous layer that are left uncoated with conductive matter; and iii) filling the empty conductive pattern of the present layer with conductive matter by electroplating. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 1, wherein the non-conductive matter is formed using a UV-curable ink composition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 1, wherein non-conductive areas of a previous layer that are left uncoated are coated with a conductive layer, which is printed using conductive ink. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 3, wherein the conductive ink comprises conductive polymers based on one of the following materials, or on a combination thereof: polypyrrole, polyaniline, polythiophene, polyacetylene, polyphenylenevinylene, polyphenylene sulfide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 3, wherein the conductive ink composition is contained in an emulsion or includes formulation aids. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 5, wherein the formulation aids comprise at least one of the following: dispersion stabilizers, emulsifiers, binder agents, humectants, buffering agents, antimicrobial agents, chelating, deformer, wetting and rheological additives. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 1, wherein the CCS is used as an electrode that builds conductive matter during the filling the empty conductive patterns with conductive matter by electroplating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 2, wherein the non-conductive ink comprises irradiation activated additives and is cured by irradiation from a digital micromirror device or from a UV-LED lamps. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 1, wherein the electroplating is performed by exposure to an electrolyte bath configured for electroplating. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 2, wherein the UV-curable ink composition is a free radical UV-curable ink composition, which comprises an adhesion promoter, including: monomer acrylates; acid modified acrylates; oligomer acrylates; and any combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 10, wherein the monomer acrylates include a UV/Electron beam (EB) curable monacrylate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 10, wherein the acid modified acrylates include an acidic acrylate adhesion promoter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 10, wherein the oligomer acrylates may include a UV/Electron beam (EB) curable oligomer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 10, wherein the free radical curable ink composition includes a UV stabilizer or any combination of UV stabilizers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 14, wherein the UV stabilizer includes compounds from the following groups: an acrylate monomer stabilizer; a glycerol propoxylate (1PO/OH) triacrylate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 1, further comprising producing one or more additional layers, with a non-conductive portion and an electroplated conductive portion upon a previously produced preceding layer with a non-conductive portion and an electroplated conductive portion, wherein electroplated conductive portions of the first and second layers are in co-conduction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 1, further comprising connecting one or more electronic components between conductors formed in a layer or in another layer, wherein said one or more electronic components are selected from the group of: Resistors; Capacitors; Transistors; Coils; Integrated circuits; Processors; Memory circuits; and Logical gates. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The method for producing a 3D structure according to claim 8, wherein the digital micromirror device receives light from a LED light source with 365 nm or 385 nm or 395 nm or 405 nm wavelength. ### Claim 19 A system for producing a 3D structure with conductive material embedded in a non-conductive structure, comprising: a) an automated optical inspection unit configured to determine the reliability and quality of any printing cycle by examining the produced layers so as to detect shorts, cuts and/or other defects in the layers; b) a UV inkjet (dielectric) unit with at least one inkjet printing head and two UV LED lamps; c) a conductive inkjet unit with at least one inkjet printing head and an infrared ceramic or quartz heating element; d) at least one plating processing unit with an electrochemical cell containing liquid chemicals and anode, configured to fill empty conductive patterns on the 3D structure with conductive matter by electroplating; e) an air knife with a heated air blower configured to dry newly produced layers of the 3D structure; f) a strip & etch unit with a container configured to receive stripped residual matter from the 3D structure; and g) a table with a conveyor or a linear stage, along which the 3D structure is moved through the units of the system during the various stages of production. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system according to claim 19, in which the one of the UV LED lamps has a 365 nm or 385 nm or 395 nm or 405 nm wave length using for pinning the ink and the other UV LED lamp has a 365 nm or 385 nm or 395 nm or 405 nm wave length using for fully curing the ink.