Thermal debinding techniques for additive manufacturing and related systems and methods
AssigneeDesktop Metal, Inc.
InventorsJohn Reidy, Nihan Tuncer, Animesh Bose, Christopher Craven, Alexander C. Barbati, Ricardo Fulop, Karl-Heinz Schofalvi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for debinding additively fabricated parts are described that do not require solvent debinding or catalytic debinding, and that may be performed using only thermal debinding in a furnace. As a result, in at least some cases debinding and sintering may take place sequentially within a single furnace. In some embodiments, the techniques may utilize particular materials as binders that allow for a thermal debinding process that does not negatively affect the parts.
Claims23
A method of fabricating a part via additive fabrication according to a three-dimensional (3D) model, the method comprising:
- identifying one or more geometrical regions of the 3D model;
- generating a second 3D model by modifying the one or more geometrical regions of the 3D model to increase porosity of the one or more geometrical regions;
- additively fabricating a part according to the second 3D model from a build material comprising at least one metal powder and a binder;
- and
- heating the part in a furnace to cause at least some of the binder to evaporate and/or sublimate into a gas, wherein portions of the part corresponding to the one or more geometrical regions of the second 3D model provide egress for said gas.
A method of fabricating a part via additive fabrication according to a three-dimensional (3D) model, the method comprising:
- generating a raft structure for the model;
- generating a porous support structure arranged between the raft structure and the model such that the model does not couple directly to the raft structure;
- additively fabricating a part, according to the 3D model, the raft structure and the porous support structure, from a build material comprising at least one metal powder and a binder;
- heating the part in a furnace to cause at least some of the binder to evaporate and/or sublimate into a gas, wherein the porous support structure provides egress for said gas.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of fabricating a part via additive fabrication according to a three-dimensional (3D) model, the method comprising:
- identifying one or more geometrical regions of the 3D model;
- generating instructions for an additive fabrication device to form a part according to the 3D model wherein the part is configured to be formed from a solid exterior shell surrounding infill material, and wherein the solid exterior shell is arranged to have a first thickness within the identified one or more geometrical regions of the 3D model and to have a second thickness, greater than the first thickness, outside the identified one or more geometrical regions of the 3D model;
- additively fabricating the part using the additive fabrication device according to the generated instructions from a build material comprising at least one metal powder and a binder;
- and
- heating the part in a furnace to cause at least some of the binder to evaporate and/or sublimate into a gas, wherein portions of the part corresponding to the one or more geometrical regions of the second 3D model provide egress for said gas.
23-31. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.