Method for forming three-dimensional objects from sheet metal
AssigneeMasterwork, Inc.
InventorStephan C. Shepherd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for chemically milling sheet metal to form three-dimensional objects comprising masking the sheet metal by selectively applying a resist material to opposite sides of the sheet metal to form a design, applying an etchant to the masked metal which erodes the metal according to the design, and simultaneously forming connecting tabs and score lines. The tabs and score lines allow certain design portions to be bent to different planes to form the three-dimensional object.
Claims5
A method for forming three-dimensional metallic objects from sheet metal comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing first and second films of a desired design;
- (b) applying a light sensitive resist material to opposite sides of the sheet metal;
- (c) retouching said first film by eliminating a selected line on said first film, placing said first film over a first side of the sheet metal, placing said second film over a second side of the sheet metal;
- (d) registering said first film with said second film to assure proper alignment of the design on the sheet metal;
- (e) securing said first and second films in the registered position to form a masked assembly;
- (f) exposing said masked assembly to light of a wavelength which will render said resist material insoluble;
- (g) removing said first and second films;
- (h) washing unexposed resist material from said masked assembly with a rinse agent;
- (i) drying the exposed masked assembly;
- (j) applying an etchant to said exposed masked assembly in a controlled manner thereby forming openings in the sheet metal corresponding to said desired design and forming score lines on said second side of the sheet metal;
- (k) washing said etchant from said masked assembly;
- (l) removing said exposed resist material from said sheet metal;
- and
- (m) bending portions of said etched metal to different planes to form a crease along said score lines whereby an object incorporating design portions in different planes is formed, said adjacent design portions being joined to one another by said crease.
A method for forming a three-dimensional object from sheet metal comprising the steps of:
- (a) masking selected portions of the sheet metal with a resist to form identical designs on opposite sides of said sheet metal;
- (b) exposing the masked metal to an etchant a length of time effective to erode the metal a desired amount in the shape of said design and leaving portions of said design connected to adjacent portions by small tabs;
- (c) rinsing the etchant from the metal;
- (d) removing the resist from the metal;
- and
- (e) bending said adjacent portions of said design to form a sharp bend along said tabs and thereby resulting in a three-dimensional object of intricate design.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.