US 7,767,130 B2 · Method and device for production of a three-dimensional article

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for production of a three-dimensional article from a material, by means of layered application. According to the invention, a dropwise application is carried out, whereby drops of reaction components are ejected by a nozzle arrangement (3) and applied to a base reaction component (2), arranged on a substrate (1). The material for the three-dimensional article is formed in layers, with reaction of the base reaction component (2) with reaction components on contact, whereby the material is formed on a reaction of the base reaction component with one of the reaction components to give a material with one material property and on another reaction of the base reaction component with another of the reaction components to give a material with another material property. On production of the three-dimensional article, an article section is produced in which a gradual transition between the one material property and the other material property is generated.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional item using a layer by layer application onto a building platform comprising:

a. applying a drop by drop application from a jet assembly;
b. creating a first material property by reacting a first reaction component and a basic component;
c. creating a second material property by chemically reacting a second different reaction component and the basic component;
and
d. repeating steps a, b, and c several times to form the three-dimensional item;
wherein the three-dimensional item has a first end comprised predominately of the first material property, a second end comprised predominately of the second different material property, and an intermediate area in-between the first end and the second end containing both the first material property and the second different material property so that a gradual transition between the first end and the second end is made.

3 more elements

A method for the production of a three dimensional article from a material, the method comprising:

a. ejecting a plurality of base component drops from a first nozzle onto a construction platform in a predetermined pattern that includes at least two hydrogen atoms reactive against isocyanates;
b. ejecting a plurality of initial reaction component drops with a second nozzle unto the base component drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;
c. ejecting a plurality of different initial reaction component drops with a third nozzle unto at least the base component drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;
d. repeating steps a through c for producing individual layers until the three dimensional article is complete;
and
e. controlling temperature and volume of the base component drops, the initial reaction component drops, and the different initial reaction component drops;
wherein the base component drops, initial reaction component drops, and different initial reaction component drops are ejected in a predetermined volume;
wherein a first material property is produced when the initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;
wherein a second material property is produced when the different initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;
wherein the three dimensional article has a first end comprised of the first material property and a second end comprised of the second material property and an intermediate area between the first end and the second end that has a gradual transition between the first material and the second material;
and
wherein the complete three dimensional article includes crosslinked plastics being formed with the aid of a polyaddition reaction.

9 more elements

A method for producing a three dimensional article comprising:

a. ejecting a plurality of base component drops, with a predetermined volume, from a first nozzle unto a construction platform in a predetermined pattern that includes at least two hydrogen atoms reactive against isocyanates;
b. ejecting a plurality of initial reaction component drops, with a predetermined volume, with a second nozzle unto the first drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;
c. ejecting a plurality of different initial reaction component drops, with a predetermined volume, with a third nozzle unto at least the first drops in a predetermined pattern that includes at least an organic polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanate prepolymer, or a combination thereof;
d. repeating steps a through c for producing individual layers until the three dimensional article is complete;
e. applying a predetermined pressure to the first nozzle, the second nozzle, and the third nozzle at predetermined times;
f. controlling the volume of the base component drops, the initial reaction component drops, and the different initial reaction component drops;
g. controlling temperature of the first nozzle, second nozzle, and third nozzle, wherein the temperature of the first nozzle, second nozzle, and third nozzle are between 50° C. and 90° C.;
h. controlling the construction atmosphere around the construction platform, wherein the temperature and humidity are controlled;
and
i. varying the volume of the initial reaction component drops and the different initial reaction component drops released from the first nozzle and the second nozzle based upon the thickness of the previous individual layer until the three dimensional article is complete;
wherein a first material property is produced when the initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;
wherein a second material property is produced when the different initial reaction component drops react with the base component drops;
wherein the three dimensional article has a first end comprised of the first material property and a second end comprised of the second material property and an intermediate area between the first end and the second end that has a gradual transition between the first material property and the second material property;
and
wherein the complete three dimensional article includes a crosslinked polymeric structure.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and device for production of a three-dimensional article

Life of this patent

Method and device for production of a three-dimensional article

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20