System and method for enabling fused deposition metal 3d printing
AssigneeRobotic Research OpCo, LLC
InventorsAlberto Daniel LACAZE, Karl Nicholas MURPHY
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Abstract
A metal fused deposition printer can use the thixotropic properties of a metal (e.g., alloy) to control the viscosity of the material being deposited. The viscosity of the metal can be controlled by shearing the metal before, during, or after the deposition process. Use of the thixotropic properties can allow the viscosity of the metal to be controlled independent of the temperature of the metal. This can allow for more precise control of the temperature differential between the layer being deposited and the substrate layer, for example, such that the temperatures are substantially the same.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming, via a liquefier, a metal into a slurry, the liquefier comprising a heating element and a shearing device, the forming comprising controlling the heating element and the shearing device to cause the metal to have a first temperature and to achieve a viscosity within a thixotropic range of the metal;
- and
- depositing, via an extrusion nozzle in communication with the liquefier, the formed slurry onto a substrate, the substrate being at a second temperature during the depositing,
- wherein the first temperature is substantially the same as the second temperature.
A system comprising:
- a printing chamber;
- a multi-axis positioning table disposed in the printing chamber and comprising a substrate;
- a liquefier comprising a heating element and a shearing device, the heating element and the shearing device being independently controllable to affect properties of a metal printing material;
- and
- an extrusion nozzle coupled to receive the metal printing material from the liquefier and deposit the metal printing material onto the substrate,
- wherein the liquefier is configured to control the heating element and the shearing device to cause the metal printing material to have a first temperature and a viscosity in a thixotropic range of the metal printing material, and
- the printing chamber is configured to maintain a temperature therein such that the substrate has a second temperature substantially the same as the first temperature of the metal printing material deposited on the substrate from the extrusion nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.