# US 12,005,644 B2 · Apparatus, system and method for a hybrid additive manufacturing nozzle

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- Number: US 12,005,644 B2
- Document ID: US12005644B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/417,042
- Filed: 2019-12-18
- Published: 2022-03-10
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-19
- Assignees: Jabil Inc.
- Applicants: Jabil Inc.
- Inventors: Scott Klimczak; Luke Rodgers; Darin Burgess
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005644B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/295: Heating elements
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B29C 64/227: Driving means
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- 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)
- 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

An additive manufacturing apparatus, system, and method. The apparatus, system and method are for a hybrid additive manufacturing print nozzle that may include a delivery conduit; an extruder capable of extruding print material through the delivery conduit; a high thermal mass heater about the delivery conduit proximate to the extruder; a low thermal mass heater about the delivery conduit distal from the extruder and proximate to an exit from the delivery conduit; and a controller capable of executing at least a print build using the print material, and of controlling both the high thermal mass heater and the lower thermal mass heater.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An additive manufacturing print nozzle, comprising:
a delivery conduit;
an extruder capable of extruding print material through the delivery conduit;
a high thermal mass heater about the delivery conduit proximate to the extruder;
a low thermal mass heater about the delivery conduit distal from the extruder and proximate to an exit from the delivery conduit; and
a controller capable of executing at least a print build using the print material, and of controlling both the high thermal mass heater and the low thermal mass heater.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the controlling is substantially simultaneous.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the high thermal mass heater liquefies the print material by large temperature increase and the low thermal mass heater adjusts a temperature of the print material in small increments.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The nozzle of claim 3, wherein the temperature refinement is in a range of +1-1 degree C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, further comprising at least two sensors, at least one being corresponded to the low thermal mass heater and at least one being corresponded to the high thermal mass heater.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The nozzle of claim 5, wherein the controller controls responsively at least to data from the at least two sensors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The nozzle of claim 6, wherein the data from the at least two sensors comprise a feed rate from the extruder.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The nozzle of claim 6, wherein the data from the at least two sensors comprise energy delivered to the low thermal mass heater.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The nozzle of claim 6, wherein the data from the at least two sensors comprise energy delivered to the high thermal mass heater.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, further comprising at least one heat sink more proximate to the extruder than the high thermal mass heater.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The nozzle of claim 10, wherein the heat sink prevents reverse flow of the print material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the low thermal mass heater comprises a nichrome heater.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a correlation of feed rates to high thermal mass heater temperatures.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a correlation of feed rates to low thermal mass heater temperatures.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the extruder comprises at least one motor, and wherein a load on the at least one motor is decreased by actuation of both the high and the low thermal mass heater.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The nozzle of claim 1, wherein liquefication of the print material is partially provided by the low thermal mass heater, and is partly provided by the high thermal mass heater.