# US 11,440,249 B2 · Three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system, and a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object

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- Number: US 11,440,249 B2
- Document ID: US11440249B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/141,389
- Filed: 2021-01-05
- Published: 2021-05-27
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-08
- Assignees: Sakuu Corporation
- Applicants: Sakuu Corporation
- Inventors: Philip Eugene Rogren
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440249B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/165: using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
- B22F 12/84: Parallel processing within single device
- B22F 12/86: Serial processing with multiple devices grouped
- B29C 64/188: involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control (surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00)
- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/218: Rollers
- B29C 64/223: Foils or films, e.g. for transferring layers of building material from one working station to another
- 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 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
- B29C 64/268: using laser beams; using electron beams [EB]
- B29C 64/291: for operating globally, e.g. together with selectively applied activators or inhibitors
- B29C 64/295: Heating elements
- B29C 64/343: Metering
- B29C 64/35: Cleaning
- B29C 64/379: Handling of additively manufactured objects, e.g. using robots
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B22F 12/55: Two or more means for feeding material
- B22F 12/57: Metering means
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for 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)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- 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 three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The first and second printer modules form sequences of first patterned single-layer objects and second patterned single-layer objects on the first and second carrier substrates, respectively. The patterned single-layer objects are assembled into a three-dimensional object on the assembly plate of the assembly station. A controller controls the sequences and patterns of the patterned single-layer objects formed at the printer modules, and a sequence of assembly of the first patterned single-layer objects and the second patterned single-layer objects into the three-dimensional object on the assembly plate. The first transfer module transfers the first patterned single-layer objects from the first carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a first transfer zone and the second transfer module transfers the second patterned single-layer objects from the second carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a second transfer zone. The first and second printer modules are configured to deposit first and second materials under first and second deposition conditions, respectively. The first and second materials are different and/or the first and second deposition conditions are different.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system comprising:
a carrier substrate configured to be displaced along a direction of travel while the three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system is in operation;
a printer module over the carrier substrate, the printer module comprising a plurality of material storage devices and a plurality of dispensing devices configured to dispense fluidized material onto the carrier substrate, each of the dispensing devices being connected to one of the plurality of material storage devices;
a binder printer located downstream along the carrier substrate from the plurality of dispensing devices according to the direction of travel of the carrier substrate, the binder printer being configured to deposit a liquid binding material on the fluidized material dispensed onto the carrier substrate by the printer module to fix a predetermined pattern in the fluidized material;
a compaction device located downstream from the plurality of dispensing devices and upstream from the binder printer according to the direction of travel of the carrier substrate, the compaction device being configured to apply a controlled pressure orthogonal to the carrier substrate to increase a compaction of the fluidized material to a predetermined compaction range prior to the binder printer depositing the liquid binding material on the fluidized material; and
a fusion device downstream from the binder printer according to the direction of travel of the carrier substrate and configured to solidify the liquid binding material deposited by the binder printer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the printer module comprises a jetted binder printer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein materials in the plurality of material storage devices are different than one another.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of dispensing devices comprises a roller to spread fluidized particles on the carrier substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of material storage devices comprises a fluidized powder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the compaction device is configured to control the predetermined compaction range of each material layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the compaction device comprises a pressure plate assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the compaction device is configured to compact the material to a density of at least 40% of a theoretical density.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the fusion device is configured to solidify the liquid binding material using radiant energy.