Bonded abrasive articles and methods of manufacture
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsKnut Schumacher, Jean-Luc Rifaut, Tilo Remhof, Benjamin J. Muenstermann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for forming an abrasive article is presented. The system includes a workspace and an abrasive material dispenser that deposits a layer of abrasive material onto the workspace. The system also includes a leveler that levels a surface of abrasive material on the workspace. The system also includes a binder jet printer that dispenses a liquid binder onto the layer of abrasive material. The workspace is on a moving surface that moves the workspace between a dispensing position under the dispenser, a leveling position under the leveler, and a printing position, under the printer.
Claims19
A method of forming an abrasive article, comprising:
- depositing a layer of an abrasive mixture onto a dispensing surface from an abrasive mixture dispenser at an abrasive mixture depositing location;
- moving the dispensing surface from the abrasive mixture depositing location to a leveling location;
- leveling the layer of the abrasive mixture at the leveling location, which is separate from the abrasive mixture depositing location, using a leveling tool, such that the layer has a substantially smooth surface;
- moving the dispensing surface from the leveling location to a liquid dispensing station;
- applying a liquid material from a liquid dispenser at the liquid dispensing station, which is separate from the abrasive mixture depositing location and separate from the leveling location to the compacted layer of abrasive mixture;
- moving the dispensing surface from the liquid dispensing station to a setting station;
- allowing the layer of abrasive mixture and dispensed liquid to set at the setting station, which is separate from the abrasive mixture depositing location, separate from the leveling location and separate from the setting station;
- repeating the steps of depositing, leveling, applying and setting to form a multilayered abrasive article.
A system for forming an abrasive article, comprising:
- a workspace;
- an abrasive material dispenser that deposits a layer of abrasive material onto the workspace, while the workspace is at a dispensing position;
- a leveler that levels a surface of abrasive material on the workspace, while the workspace is at a leveling position;
- a binder jet printer that dispenses a liquid binder onto the layer of abrasive material, while the workspace is at a printing position;
- wherein the dispensing position, the leveling position, and the printing position are in physically separate locations from one another;
- and
- wherein the workspace is on a moving surface that moves the workspace between the dispensing position under the dispenser, the leveling position under the leveler, and the printing position under the printer.
An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a printing workspace;
- a series of printing assemblies;
- wherein each of the printing assemblies is a modular printing assembly,
- wherein each of the modular printing assembly comprises a particle dispensing unit and a liquid dispensing unit;
- wherein the particle dispensing unit and the liquid dispensing unit of each of the printing assemblies are at physically separate locations from one another;
- wherein the printing workspace moves relative to the series of printing assemblies;
- wherein each of the series of printing assemblies deposits a layer of an abrasive mixture on the printing workspace and each of the series of printing assemblies deposits liquid on the abrasive mixture, such that, after the printing workspace passes through the series of printing assemblies, an abrasive article is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.