# US 11,305,489 B2 · 3D printing system for printing high melting temperature materials

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- Number: US 11,305,489 B2
- Document ID: US11305489B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/489,509
- Filed: 2018-02-26
- Published: 2020-03-05
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-05
- Assignees: D. Swarovski & Co.
- Applicants: D. Swarovski KG
- Inventors: Arik Bracha; Eran Gal-or
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305489B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- C03B 19/02: by casting {molten glass, e.g. injection moulding}
- B29C 64/227: Driving means
- B29C 64/232: for motion along the axis orthogonal to the plane of a layer
- B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40)
- B29C 64/295: Heating elements
- B29C 64/321: Feeding
- B29C 64/371: using an environment other than air, e.g. inert gas
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
- 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)
- C03B: MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
- 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

## Abstract

A 3D printing system, comprising a heated chamber; a printing base plate mounted inside the heated chamber; a cooling unit mounted outside and above the heated chamber; a printing nozzle; wherein the cooling unit is configured to surround the printing nozzle's upper side outside the heated chamber for cooling the printing nozzle's upper side and wherein the printing nozzle's lower side is mounted inside the heated chamber; and a nozzle heating unit mounted inside the heated chamber and around the printing nozzle's lower side at a distance from the outer surface of the printing nozzle; the heating unit configured to heat the printing nozzle's lower side; the system configured to receive a printing material for printing a 3D model inside the heated chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A 3D printing system, comprising:
a heated chamber;
a printing base plate mounted inside said heated chamber;
a cooling unit mounted outside and above said heated chamber;
a printing nozzle having an upper side and a lower side including a nozzle tip;
wherein said cooling unit is configured to surround said printing nozzle's upper side outside said heated chamber for cooling said printing nozzle's upper side and wherein said printing nozzle's lower side is mounted inside said heated chamber;
a nozzle heating unit mounted inside said heated chamber and around said printing nozzle's lower side adjacent the nozzle tip and at a distance from an outer surface of said printing nozzle;
wherein said heating unit is configured to heat said printing nozzle's lower tip to a temperature of more than 1000° C. and said cooling unit is configured to cool said upper side of said printing nozzle to less than 200° C. such that a high temperature gradient is established, in use, along the length of the printing nozzle, wherein said heating unit is an induction coil;
an induction machine configured to activate said induction coil and further comprising a fluid/gas chiller connected with said induction machine and said cooling unit for providing one of fluid and gas;
said 3D printing system configured to receive a printing material for printing a 3D model inside said heated chamber;
a temperature measurement device mounted outside said heated chamber and directed, through a window in the side wall of said heated chamber, to a tip of the printing nozzle; said temperature measurement device configured to measure said printing nozzle tip's temperature; and
a power source to provide power to said nozzle heating unit, and a printer controller configured to continuously or periodically receive temperature measurements from said temperature measurement device and change the power provided to said nozzle heating unit accordingly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing material is formed as one of a rod and a spool.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The 3D printing system of claim 2, further comprising a feeding mechanism configured to feed said one of rod and spool into said printing nozzle's upper side.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing material is one of glass, metal and ceramic.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing nozzle is made from one of inconel and platinum.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said temperature measurement device comprises one of a pyrometer and IR camera.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said heated chamber has a bottom, and further comprises an opening at the bottom of the heated chamber configured to enable movement of said printing base plate; and wherein said 3D printing system further comprises a thermal insulation blanket configured to cover said opening for insulating said heated chamber from said heated chamber's surrounding.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing nozzle's upper side is connected with said cooling unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing base plate is a movable plate and said printing nozzle is fixed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing base plate and said printing nozzle are movable; wherein said cooling unit and said nozzle heating unit are configured to move along with said printing nozzle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing base plate is fixed and said printing nozzle is movable; wherein said nozzle cooling unit and said nozzle heating unit are configured to move along with said printing nozzle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, further comprising a boron nitride sleeve configured to be mounted inside said printing nozzle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, further configured to pump inert gas into said heated chamber.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, further configured to suck air out of said heated chamber.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The 3D printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing nozzle, said nozzle cooling unit and said nozzle heating unit are movable; and said nozzle cooling unit and said nozzle heating unit are configured with flexible pipes to enable them to maintain their position relative to said printing nozzle.