Method of additive layer manufacturing
AssigneeCambridge Enterprise Limited
InventorsDavid Michael ROPER, Serena Michelle BEST, Kyung-Ah KWON, Ruth Elizabeth CAMERON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various methods of additive layer manufacturing, and objects obtainable by such manufacturing, are disclosed. In particular, there is provided a method of additive layer manufacturing comprising depositing a layer of a material on a surface, and controlling the deposition to vary a material property of the material within the layer. There is also provided a method of additive layer manufacturing comprising depositing at least one layer of material on a sacrificial layer, the layer of material having a thickness of 400 microns or less, wherein the sacrificial layer is located on a base surface.
Claims45
A method of additive layer manufacturing comprising:
- depositing a layer of a material on a surface;
- and
- controlling the deposition to vary a material property of the material within the layer.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the material property is refractive index.
The method according to any preceding claims, wherein the material property is retardation.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the material property is birefringence.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling includes varying the relative speed of a print head and the surface on which the layer of material is deposited.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling includes varying the rate at which material is fed to a print head.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling includes varying the extrusion factor, the extrusion factor being the ratio of the length of filament extruded by a print head to the distance travelled by the print head.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling comprises varying the distance between a print head and the surface on which the layer of material is deposited.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling comprises varying an extensional force applied to the material to thereby vary the material property.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling comprises varying a strain rate applied to the material to thereby vary the material property.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling comprises spatially and/or temporally varying the temperature of the surface on which the material is deposited to thereby vary the material property.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the material property is degree of crystallinity.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the controlling comprises controlling orientation of crystallisation by controlling polymer chain alignment within the layer.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the method comprises sequentially depositing two layers of material, and the deposition is controlled to vary the thickness of both layers.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the method comprises sequentially depositing a plurality of layers of material, and the deposition is controlled to vary at least one material property along at least one layer.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the layer of material is deposited on a sacrificial layer, the layer of material having a thickness of 200 microns or less, wherein the sacrificial layer is located on a base surface.
The method according to any preceding claim, comprising forming a photonic device.
A photonic device comprising one or more layers of polymeric material, wherein at least one material property varies within at least one layer.
A cardiac stent comprising a plurality of elongate struts, wherein at least one strut comprises at least one layer, and wherein at least one material property varies within the layer.
A method of additive layer manufacturing comprising depositing at least one layer of material on a sacrificial layer, the layer of material having a thickness of 400 microns or less;
- wherein the sacrificial layer is located on a base surface.
An object obtainable by the method of any preceding method claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.