# US 12,005,642 B2 · Sled configurations and methods of operation for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects

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- Number: US 12,005,642 B2
- Document ID: US12005642B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/301,478
- Filed: 2023-04-17
- Published: 2023-08-10
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-04
- Assignees: Stratasys Powder Production Ltd.
- Applicants: Stratasys Powder Production Ltd.
- Inventors: Frederik Tjellesen; Anders Hartmann; Neil Hopkinson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005642B2

## 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 10/14: by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder
- B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
- B22F 12/13: to preheat the material
- B22F 12/224: {for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer}
- B22F 12/45: Two or more
- B22F 12/67: Blades
- B29C 64/20: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B29C 64/205: Means for applying layers
- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/218: Rollers
- B29C 64/236: for motion in a direction within the plane of a layer
- B29C 64/277: using multiple radiation means, e.g. micromirrors or multiple light-emitting diodes [LED]
- B29C 64/282: of the same type, e.g. using different energy levels
- B29C 64/314: Preparation
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/10: Pre-treatment
- B22F 10/68: Cleaning or washing
- B22F 10/73: of powder
- B22F 12/41: characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam
- B22F 12/90: Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- 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
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object from a powder to form each layer of the object. The method includes the steps of driving a powder distribution sled in a first direction to distribute a layer of powder; driving a print sled in the first direction; driving the print sled and the powder distribution sled in a second direction; preheating the layer of powder by activating multiple radiation sources during various ones of the driving steps; during some of the driving steps, depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder; and sintering the powder on which fluid was deposited only in the second direction, by activating the at least one radiation source assembly during various ones of the driving steps in that direction. Repeating the above steps to distribute the next layer of powder.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object from a powder using an apparatus to form each layer of the object, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a build bed having a build area, wherein successive layers of said three-dimensional object are formed in the build bed;
a powder distribution sled operable to distribute a layer of powder within the build area, the powder distribution sled being driveable in a first direction along a first axis, across the build area, and driveable in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, along the first axis; and
a print sled operable to deposit a pattern of radiation absorbing fluid onto the layer of powder within the build area to define the cross section of said object in said layer, the print sled being driveable in the first direction along a second axis across the build area, and driveable in the second direction along the second axis;
wherein the first axis is parallel to, or coaxial with, the second axis;
wherein the powder distribution sled and the print sled are independently movable;
wherein the print sled comprises one or more droplet deposition heads for depositing the radiation absorbing fluid, a first radiation source assembly, and a second radiation source assembly;
wherein the first radiation source assembly is located on one side of the one or more droplet deposition heads, in the second direction relative to the one or more droplet deposition heads, and the second radiation source assembly is located on the other side of the one or more droplet deposition heads, in the first direction relative to the one or more droplet deposition heads; and
wherein the powder distribution sled comprises a powder distribution device for distributing the powder, a third radiation source assembly and a fourth radiation source assembly, wherein the third radiation source assembly is located on one side of the powder distribution device, in the second direction relative to the powder distribution device, and the fourth radiation source assembly is located on the other side of the powder distribution device, in the first direction relative to the powder distribution device;
wherein, to form each layer of said object, the method comprises the steps of:
(a) driving the powder distribution sled in the first direction across at least part of the build area and
(a1) distributing a layer of powder within the build area;
(b) driving the print sled in the first direction across at least part of the build area;
(c) driving the print sled in the second direction;
(d) driving the powder distribution sled in the second direction;
(e) driving the powder distribution sled in the first direction; and
repeating from step (a1) to distribute the next layer of powder within the build area;
wherein the method further comprises preheating the layer of powder by activating the third radiation source assembly during step (e), and optionally by any or all of:
(f1) activating the second radiation source assembly during step (b);
(f2) activating the first radiation source assembly during step (b);
(f3) activating the first radiation source assembly during step (c);
wherein the method further comprises, during step (b) and/or step (c), depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder within the build area using the one or more droplet deposition heads; and
wherein the method further comprises sintering the powder on which fluid was deposited only in the second direction, by any or all of:
(g1) activating the first radiation source assembly during step (c) to sinter the powder underlying the fluid deposited during step (b);
(g2) activating the second radiation source assembly during step (c) to sinter the powder underlying the fluid deposited during step (b) and/or step (c);
(g3) activating the third radiation source assembly during step (d) to sinter the powder underlying the fluid deposited during step (b) and/or step (c);
(g4) activating the fourth radiation source assembly during step (d) to sinter the powder underlying the fluid deposited during step (b) and/or step (c).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein, to form each layer of said object, the method comprises at step (c) the step of depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder; by the first radiation source assembly, at least one of the preheating steps (f2) or (f3); by the second radiation source assembly at least one of the preheating step (f1) and the sintering step (g2); and by the fourth radiation source assembly the sintering step (g4), and wherein the method does not comprise depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder at step (b).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, further comprising the two sintering steps (g2) and (g4).

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, further comprising the sintering step (g3) by the third radiation source assembly.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, further comprising a third sintering step (g3) by the third radiation source assembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein, to form each layer of said object, the method comprises at step (c) the step of depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder; by the first radiation source assembly, at least one of the preheating steps (f2) or (f3); by the second radiation source assembly the sintering step (g2); and by the fourth radiation source assembly the sintering step (g4), and wherein the method does not comprise depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder at step (b).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least two sintering steps.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, further comprising the sintering step (g3) by the third radiation source assembly.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein, to form each layer of said object, the method includes, during step (b), depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder; by the first radiation source assembly, the sintering step (g1); by the second radiation source assembly at least one of the preheating step (f1) and the sintering step (g2); and by the fourth radiation source assembly the sintering step (g4), and wherein the method does not comprise the preheating step (f2) by the first radiation source assembly.

### Claim 10

The method according to 1 wherein, to form each layer of said object, the method includes four sintering steps (g1), (g2), (g3) and (g4).

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising during step (c), depositing a pattern of fluid onto the layer of powder, and sintering the fluid deposited at step (c) by at least one of the sintering steps (g2), (g3) and (g4).