US 2018/0001557 A1 · THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTERS

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing processes, apparatuses, software, and systems for the production of at least one desired 3D object. The 3D printer system (e.g., comprising a processing chamber, build module, or an unpacking station) described herein may retain a desired (e.g., inert) atmosphere around the material bed and/or 3D object at multiple 3D printing stages. The 3D printer described herein comprises one or more build modules that may have a controller separate from the controller of the processing chamber. The 3D printer described herein comprises a platform that may be automatically constructed. The invention(s) described herein may allow the 3D printing process to occur for a long time without operator intervention and/or down time.

Claims42

Dependent claims

An apparatus for three-dimensional printing of at least one three-dimensional object comprising:

an unpacking station configured to facilitate removal of at least a portion of a starting material of the at least one three-dimensional object from the at least one three-dimensional object, which unpacking station comprises a first atmosphere;
and
a first build module configured to accommodate the at least one three-dimensional object and the starting material, which first build module comprises a second atmosphere, which unpacking station and the first build module are configured to reversibly engage, wherein the unpacking station and/or the first build module are configured to accommodate a pressure above an ambient pressure at least during the removal.

An apparatus for three-dimensional printing of at least one three-dimensional object comprising at least one controller that is configured to direct the following operations:

Operation (a) reversible engaging of (i) a first build module that accommodates the at least one three-dimensional object and a starting material of the at least one three-dimensional object, with (ii) an unpacking station that comprises a first atmosphere, which build module comprises a second atmosphere;
and
Operation (b) removing of at least a portion of the starting material of the at least one three-dimensional object from the at least one three-dimensional object,
wherein the unpacking station and/or the first build module are configured to accommodate a pressure above an ambient pressure at least during the removal.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/634,727Filed 27 Jun 2017

Priority

29 Jun 2016

Published

4 Jan 2018

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification36 codes

B29C 64/153
Using only solid materials: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
B22F 10/32
Process control: of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
B22F 12/222
Driving means: for motion along a direction orthogonal to the plane of a layer
B22F 12/88
Plants, production lines or modules: handling of additively manufactured products, e.g. by robots

Family

Application62/356,465Us provisional application · filed 29 Jun 2016

Application62/421,836Us provisional application · filed 14 Nov 2016

Application62/472,320Us provisional application · filed 16 Mar 2017

Application62/506,149Us provisional application · filed 15 May 2017

US 10,286,452 B2Related patent

US 2018/0001557 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Three-dimensional printing and three-dimensional printers

Life of this patent

Three-dimensional printing and three-dimensional printers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42