# US 2018/0023219 A1 · Resin powder for solid freeform fabrication, device for solid freeform fabrication object, and method of manufacturing solid freeform fabrication object

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- Number: US 2018/0023219 A1
- Document ID: US20180023219A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/656,214
- Filed: 2017-07-21
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Akira SAITO; Shigenori YAGUCHI; Yasuyuki YAMASHITA; Kiichi KAMODA; Yasuo SUZUKI; Nozomu TAMOTO; Hitoshi IWATSUKI; Shinzo HIGUCHI; Sohichiroh IIDA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023219A1

## CPC

- D01F 6/665: {from polyetherketones, e.g. PEEK}
- B05D 3/06: by exposure to radiation (B05D3/02 takes precedence {; plasma treatment B05D3/141})
- B29B 9/12: characterised by structure or composition
- B29B 9/16: Auxiliary treatment of granules
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- C08J 3/12: Powdering or granulating
- C08K 3/046: {Carbon nanorods, nanowires, nanoplatelets or nanofibres}
- C08K 3/16: Halogen-containing compounds
- C08K 3/2279: {of antimony}
- C08K 5/1575: Six-membered rings
- C08K 5/527: Cyclic esters
- C08K 7/14: Glass
- C08K 7/20: Glass
- D01F 1/07: for making fire- or flame-proof filaments
- D01F 1/10: Other agents for modifying properties
- D01F 6/06: from polypropylene
- D01F 6/66: from polyethers
- D01F 6/80: from copolyamides
- D01F 6/84: from copolyesters
- B29B 2009/125: {Micropellets, microgranules, microparticles}
- B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
- C08J 2323/12: Polypropene
- C08J 2329/14: Homopolymers or copolymers of acetals or ketals obtained by polymerisation of unsaturated acetals or ketals or by after-treatment of polymers of unsaturated alcohols
- C08J 2367/02: Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; (C08J2367/06 takes precedence)
- C08J 2371/00: Characterised by the use of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain; Derivatives of such polymers
- C08J 2377/06: Polyamides derived from polyamines and polycarboxylic acids (C08J2377/10 takes precedence)
- Y10T 428/2982: Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
- D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A resin powder for solid freeform fabrication includes a particle having a pillar-like form, wherein the ratio of the height of the particle to the diameter or the long side of the bottom of the particle is 0.5 to 2.0, the particle has a 50 percent cumulative volume particle diameter of from 5 to 200 μm, and the ratio (Mv/Mn) of the volume average particle diameter (Mv) to the number average particle diameter (Mn) of the particle is 2.00 or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A resin powder for solid freeform fabrication comprising:
a particle having a pillar-like form,
wherein a ratio of a height of the particle to a diameter or a long side of a bottom of the particle is 0.5 to 2.0,
wherein the particle has a 50 percent cumulative volume particle diameter of from 5 to 200 μm, and
wherein a ratio (Mv/Mn) of a volume average particle diameter (Mv) to a number average particle diameter (Mn) of the particle is 2.00 or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the particle is a significantly cylindrical form having a bottom having a diameter of from 5 to 200 μm and a height of 5 to 200 μm or the particle is a cuboid having each side of a bottom of from 5 to 200 μm and a height of from 5 to 200 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the ratio (Mv/Mn) is 1.30 or less.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the resin powder has a specific gravity of 0.8 g/mL or greater.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the height to the diameter or the long side is 0.7 to 2.0.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the resin powder has a melting point of 100 degrees C. or higher as measured according to ISO 3146.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, satisfying at least one of the following relations (1) to (3):
(1): Tmf1>Tmf2 and (Tmf1−Tmf2)≧3 degrees C., where Tmf1 represents a melting starting temperature of an endothermic peak as the resin powder is heated to a temperature 30 degrees C. higher than a melting point of the resin powder at a temperature rising speed of 10 degrees C. per minute for a first time and Tmf2 represents a melting starting temperature of an endothermic peak as the resin powder is heated for the first time, cooled down to −30 degrees C. or lower at a temperature falling speed of 10 degrees C. per minute, and heated to the temperature 30 degrees C. higher than the melting point at a temperature rising speed of 10 degrees C. per minute for a second time, and both Tmf1 and Tmf2 are measured in differential scanning calorimetry measuring according to ISO 3146, wherein the melting starting temperature of the endothermic peak represents a temperature at a point −15 mW lower from a straight line parallel to X axis drawn from a site where quantity of heat becomes constant after endotherm at the melting point is finished to a lower temperature side,
(2): Cd1>Cd2 and (Cd1−Cd2)≧3 percent, where Cd1 represents a crystallinity obtained from an energy amount of the endothermic peak when the resin powder is heated to a temperature 30 degrees C. higher than the melting point of the resin powder at a temperature rising speed of 10 degrees C. per minute for a first time and Cd2 represents a crystallinity obtained from an energy amount of the endothermic peak as the resin powder is heated for the first time, cooled down to −30 degrees C. or lower at a temperature falling speed of 10 degrees C. per minute, and heated to the temperature 30 degrees C. higher than the melting point at a temperature rising speed of 10 degrees C. per minute for a second time, and both Cd1 and Cd2 are measured in differential scanning calorimetry measuring according to ISO 3146, and
(3): C×1>C×2 and (C×1−C×2)≧3 percent, where C×1 represents a crystallinity of the resin powder obtained by X-ray diffraction measuring and C×2 represents a crystallinity obtained by X-ray diffraction measuring as the resin powder is heated to the temperature 30 degrees C. higher than the melting point thereof at a temperature rising speed of 10 degrees C. per minute, cooled down to −30 degrees C. or lower at a temperature falling speed of 10 degrees C. per minute, and thereafter heated to the temperature 30 degrees C. higher than the melting point at a temperature rising speed of 10 degrees C. per minute in nitrogen atmosphere.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the resin powder has a 50 percent cumulative volume particle diameter of from 20 to 70 μm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, further comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, polyamide, polyester, polyarylketone, polyphenylene sulfide, a liquid crystal polymer, polyacetal, polyimide, and a fluorochemical resin.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The resin powder according to claim 9, wherein polyamide includes at least one member selected from the group including aromatic polyamide consisting of polyamide 410, polyamide 4T, polyamide 6, polyamide 66, polyamide MXD6, polyamide 610, polyamide 6T, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, polyamide 9T, polyamide 10T, and aramid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The resin powder according to claim 9, wherein polyester includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and polylactate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The resin powder according to claim 9, wherein polyaryl ketone includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyether ether ketone, polyether ketone, and polyether ketone ketone.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the resin powder has an average circularity of 0.83 or greater in a range in which the resin powder has a particle diameter of from 0.5 to 200 μm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, further comprising a toughening agent.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, further comprising a flame retardant.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The resin powder according to claim 1, wherein the particle having a pillar-like form accounts for 30 percent by mass or more of the resin powder.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A device for manufacturing a solid freeform fabrication object, comprising:
a layer forming device configured to form a layer including the resin powder of claim 1; and
a powder attaching device configured to attach the resin powder to each other in a selected area of the layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A method of manufacturing a solid freeform fabrication object, comprising:
forming a layer including the resin powder of claim 1;
irradiating the layer with electromagnetic wave to melt the layer;
cooling down the layer;
curing the layer; and
repeating the forming, the irradiating, the cooling down, and the curing the layer.