High-performance consumable materials for electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system

A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having an electrophotography engine, a transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a part material to the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material compositionally comprising a charge control agent, and a thermoplastic material having a heat deflection temperature greater than about 150° C., and has a powder form;
• triboelectrically charging the part material to a Q/M ratio having a negative charge or a positive charge, and a magnitude ranging from about 5 micro-Coulombs/gram to about 50 micro-Coulombs/gram;
• developing layers of the three-dimensional part from the charged part material with the electrophotography engine;
• electrostatically attracting the developed layers from the electrophotography engine to the transfer medium;
• moving the attracted layers to the layer transfusion assembly with the transfer medium;
• and
• transfusing the moved layers to previously-printed layers of the three-dimensional part with the layer transfusion assembly.

A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having an electrophotography engine, a belt, a nip roller, and a gantry that moves previously printed layers relative to the nip roller. the method comprising:

• providing a part material to the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material compositionally comprising a charge control agent, and a thermoplastic material having a heat deflection temperature greater than about 150° C., and has a powder form;
• triboelectrically charging the part material to a Q/M ratio having a negative charge or a positive charge, and a magnitude ranging from about 5 micro-Coulombs/gram to about 50 micro-Coulombs/gram;
• developing layers of the three-dimensional part from the charged part material with the electrophotography engine;
• electrostatically attracting the developed layers from the electrophotography engine to the belt;
• heating the developed layers on the belt;
• heating the previously printed layers;
• moving the heated layers to the nip roller;
• and
• registering the heated layers with the previously printed layers proximate the nip roller and transfusing the moved layers to previously-printed layers of the three-dimensional part utilizing heat and pressure over time.