Hybrid additive manufacturing with dual phase-change materials
AssigneeInkbit, LLC
InventorsJavier Ramos, Richard Woudenberg, Wojciech Matusik
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Abstract
A method includes manufacturing a kernel that comprises a quantity of a phase-change material and heating the thermoplastic past a softening temperature thereof. This softening temperature is greater than the phase-change material's melting temperature. The method continues with pressing this heated thermoplastic onto a contact surface of the kernel and the thermoplastic to cool to below its softening temperature. As a result, the thermoplastic assumes a profile that depends, at least in part, on the contact surface's profile. The method continues with separating the kernel from the thermoplastic.
Claims22
A method comprising
- manufacturing a kernel that comprises a quantity of a phase-change material, said kernel having a contact surface, said contact surface having a profile,
- heating a thermoplastic past a softening temperature thereof, said softening temperature being greater than a melting temperature of said phase-change material,
- pressing said thermoplastic onto said contact surface of said kernel, and
- allowing said thermoplastic to cool to below said softening temperature, whereby said thermoplastic assumes a profile that depends, at least in part, on said profile of said kernel's contact surface, and
- separating said kernel from said thermoplastic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.