Method and apparatus for monitoring saturation levels of solvents used during rapid prototyping processes
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorVictor Slaughter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A monitoring device and method is disclosed for monitoring the saturation level of resin in solvent baths, such as those used to remove resin from objects form by stereolithography. The monitoring device operates by monitoring an electrical characteristic, such as impedance, of the solvent bath as the resin-to-solvent ratio of the bath increases during use. Signals are provided by the monitoring device to the operator of the liquid storage device containing the solvent bath in a manner allowing the operator to determine when the solvent bath has reached the end of its useful life.
Claims21
A method comprising:
- forming at least a portion of an object by curing resin;
- providing a storage device containing a liquid, the liquid comprising solvent and dissolved resin, the liquid having a ratio of the dissolved resin to the solvent;
- removing an amount of resin from the object via the liquid in a manner such that the amount of resin becomes dissolved in the liquid and thereby increases the ratio of the dissolved resin to the solvent of the liquid, the increase of the ratio altering an electrical characteristic of the liquid;
- and
- utilizing changes in the electrical characteristic of the liquid as an indicator of the ratio of the dissolved resin to the solvent of the liquid.
A method comprising:
- forming at least a portion of an object by curing resin;
- providing a storage device containing a liquid, the liquid comprising solvent and dissolved resin, the liquid having at least one electrical characteristic;
- removing an amount of resin from the object via the liquid in a manner such that the amount of resin becomes dissolved in the liquid and thereby alters the electrical characteristic of the liquid;
- removing an amount of the liquid from the storage device and adding solvent to the storage device in response to a measurement of the electrical characteristic of the liquid, the solvent added to the storage device thereby altering the electrical characteristic of the liquid in the storage device.
A method comprising:
- providing a storage device containing a liquid, the liquid comprising solvent and solute, the liquid having a ratio of the solute to the solvent;
- removing an amount of material from an object via the liquid in a manner such that the amount of material becomes additional solute in the liquid and thereby increases the ratio of the solute to the solvent of the liquid, the increase of the ratio altering an electrical characteristic of the liquid;
- and
- utilizing changes in the electrical characteristic of the liquid as an indicator of the ratio of the solute to the solvent of the liquid.
An assembly comprising:
- a storage device that is configured and adapted to store liquid;
- an amount of liquid stored in the storage device, the liquid comprising solvent and dissolved resin;
- and
- a monitoring device in communication with the liquid in the storage device, the monitoring device being adapted and configured to pass an electric current through at least some of the liquid and to produce a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of conditions of conductivity of the liquid in the storage device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.