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US 2012/0258250 A1Published application
Extrusion-based additive manufacturing process with part annealing
AssigneeStratasys, Inc.
InventorLuke M.B. Rodgers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for building a three-dimensional part, the method comprising providing a printed three-dimensional part and support structure, where the support structure comprises at least two polymers having different glass transition temperatures. The method also comprises annealing the three-dimensional part.
Claims20
A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
- printing a support structure from a support material with the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system using a layer-based additive manufacturing technique, wherein the support material comprises at least two polymers having different glass transition temperatures and that are substantially immiscible with each other;
- in coordination with the printing of the support structure, printing the three-dimensional part from a part material with the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system using the layer-based additive manufacturing technique;
- heating the printed support structure and the printed three-dimensional part to at least one temperature that is above a glass transition temperature of the part material, and that is below a glass transition temperature of at least one of the polymers of the support material;
- and
- cooling the heated support structure and the heated three-dimensional part.
2 more elements
A method for building a three-dimensional part, the method comprising:
- providing a three-dimensional part and a support structure, wherein the three-dimensional part is printed from a part material using a layer-based additive manufacturing technique, and wherein the support structure is printed from a support material in coordination with the three-dimensional part using the layer-based additive manufacturing technique, the support material comprising:
- a first polymer having a first glass transition temperature;
- and
- a second polymer that is substantially immiscible with the first polymer, the second polymer having a second glass transition temperature that is higher than the first glass transition temperature of the first polymer;
- heating the provided three-dimensional part and the support structure to at least one temperature that is above a glass transition temperature of the part material, that is above the first glass transition temperature of the first polymer of the support material, and that is below the second glass transition temperature of the second polymer of the support material;
- and
- cooling the heated three-dimensional part and the heated support structure.
4 more elements
A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
- providing a support material to the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the support material comprising a first polymer having a first glass transition temperature and a second polymer having a second glass transition temperature;
- providing a part material to the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the part material having a glass transition temperature that is less than the second glass transition temperature of the second polymer of the support material;
- heating a build environment of the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system to at least one temperature that is above the glass transition temperature of the part material, that is above the first glass transition temperature of the first polymer of the support material, and that is below the second glass transition temperature of the second polymer of the support material;
- printing a support structure in the heated build environment from the support material in coordination with printing the three-dimensional part in the heated build environment from the part material;
- and
- cooling the printed support structure and the printed three-dimensional part.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.