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US 6,162,378 AGranted
Method and apparatus for variably controlling the temperature in a selective deposition modeling environment
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorsBryan J. L. Bedal, Joe M. Brown, John Stockwell, Andisheh Vahidkhah
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, system and apparatus for variably controlling the temperature in a selective deposition modeling environment. The temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object is detected. A gas is forced onto a surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object. The forced gas has a characteristic, such as temperature and quantity, that is variably controlled based on the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
Claims38
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a temperature and a surface;
- detecting the temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- forcing a gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is variably controlled based on the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
1 more element
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein each of the formed portions of the three-dimensional object has a geometry and a surface;
- and
- forcing a gas flow in a flow rate onto the surface of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas flow having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas flow is variably controlled based on the geometry of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface;
- and
- forcing the gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, wherein the gas has a quantity and a temperature, and wherein the quantity of gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined quantity of gas value, and wherein the temperature of the gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined temperature of gas value.
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature;
- detecting the temperature of the build environment;
- and
- forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the build environment.
1 more element
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein the three-dimensional object has a temperature, and wherein the portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature;
- detecting the temperature of the build environment;
- detecting the temperature of a formed portion of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the build environment and the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
2 more elements
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein the dispensing head has a dispensing rate;
- detecting the temperature of a build environment, wherein the build environment houses the formed portion of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- modifying the dispensing rate using a minimum layer per second (MLS) technique, wherein the MLS technique incorporates the detected temperature of the build environment.
1 more element
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface;
- forcing a quantity of gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- selecting a thickness and a vertical accumulation rate of the flowable material, wherein the thickness is based on the forced quantity of gas, and wherein the vertical accumulation rate is greater than 1.5 mils/15 seconds.
1 more element
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a temperature and a surface;
- means for detecting the temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- means for forcing a gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is variably controlled based on the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
1 more element
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein each of the formed portions of the three-dimensional object has a geometry and a surface;
- and
- means for forcing a gas onto the surface of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is variably controlled based on the geometry of each formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface;
- and
- means for forcing the gas onto the surface of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object, wherein the gas has a quantity and a temperature, and wherein the quantity of gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined quantity of gas value, and wherein the temperature of the gas is variably controlled based on a pre-determined temperature of gas value.
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature;
- means for detecting the temperature of the build environment;
- and
- means for forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the build environment.
1 more element
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein the three-dimensional object has a temperature, and wherein a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed in a build environment that has a temperature;
- means for detecting the temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- means for forcing a gas through the build environment, the forced gas having a characteristic, and wherein the characteristic of the forced gas is related to the detected temperature of the formed portion of the three-dimensional object.
1 more element
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein the dispensing head has a dispensing rate;
- means for detecting the temperature of a build environment, wherein the build environment houses the formed portion of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- means for modifying the dispensing rate using a minimum layer per second (MLS) technique, wherein the MLS technique incorporates the detected temperature of the build environment.
1 more element
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- means for forming the three-dimensional object in layer-by-layer portions using selective deposition modeling, wherein selective deposition modeling involves using a dispensing head which controllably dispenses a flowable material that solidifies upon being dispensed, and wherein the formed portion of the three-dimensional object has a surface;
- means for forcing a quantity of gas onto the surface of the formed portion of a three-dimensional object;
- and
- means for selecting a thickness and a vertical accumulation rate of the flowable material, wherein the thickness is based on the forced quantity of gas, and wherein the vertical accumulation rate is greater than 1.5 mils/15 seconds.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.