Semi-crystalline consumable materials for use in extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems
AssigneeStratasys, Inc.
InventorsJames K. Mikulak, Carl R. Deckard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a first portion of a first semi-crystalline polymeric material, and a second portion of a second semi-crystalline polymeric material, and where the second semi-crystalline polymeric material has a crystallization temperature that is greater than a crystallization temperature of the first semi-crystalline polymeric material.
Claims20
A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the consumable filament comprising:
- a first portion extending along a longitudinal length of the consumable filament, the first portion compositionally comprising a first semi-crystalline polymeric material having a first peak crystallization temperature;
- and
- a second portion extending along the longitudinal length of the consumable filament and at least partially encasing the first portion, the second portion compositionally comprising a second semi-crystalline polymeric material having a second peak crystallization temperature that is greater than the first peak crystallization temperature, wherein the consumable filament has an average cross-sectional area ranging from about 0.5 square millimeters to about 8 square millimeters, and wherein the second portion has an average volume ranging from about 5% to about 50% of an average volume of the consumable filament.
A three-dimensional object built with an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the three-dimensional object comprising:
- a plurality of solidified layers each comprising roads extruded with the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system from a consumable filament having a core portion and a shell portion, wherein the core portion compositionally comprises a first semi-crystalline polymeric material having a first peak crystallization temperature, and the shell portion comprising a second semi-crystalline polymeric material having a second peak crystallization temperature that is greater than the first peak crystallization temperature;
- wherein at least a portion of the roads of the plurality of solidified layers at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament.
A method for building a three-dimensional object with an additive manufacturing system having a heated build chamber and an extrusion head, the method comprising:
- feeding a consumable filament to the extrusion head, the consumable filament comprising a first portion and a second portion at least partially encasing the first portion, wherein the first portion compositionally comprises a first semi-crystalline polymeric material, and wherein the second portion compositionally comprises a second semi-crystalline polymeric material having a peak crystallization temperature that is greater than a peak crystallization temperature of the first semi-crystalline polymeric material;
- melting the fed consumable filament in the extrusion head to form a molten material;
- depositing the molten material in the heated build chamber as an extruded road that defines at least a portion of a layer of the three-dimensional object, wherein the extruded road compositionally comprises the first semi-crystalline polymeric material and the second semi-crystalline polymeric material;
- crystallizing at least a portion of the second semi-crystalline polymeric material of the extruded road prior to formation of a subsequent layer of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- crystallizing at least a portion of the first semi-crystalline polymeric material of the extruded road after crystallizing the portion of the second semi-crystalline polymeric material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.