Selective laser sintering powder recycle system
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorBrian David Cox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects by laser sintering that includes the use of dense phase pneumatic conveying to internally recycle overflow powder, and to thoroughly blend overflow, recovered and virgin powder to provide a consistent powder feed mix to a laser sintering machine. Overflow powder from the laser sintering machine is recovered and recycled back into the laser sintering machine for reuse. The approach results in a compact and reliable powder recycle system with complete blending and minimum attrition to the handled powder.
Claims9
A laser sintering powder recycle system comprising:
- (a) a laser sintering machine in which a layerwise build process is performed to produce at least one three-dimensional object, the laser sintering machine comprising a dense phase conveying device for transferring an amount of overflow powder from a receiving device within the laser sintering system directly to a powder feed hopper within the laser sintering system, wherein the overflow powder is kept within the laser sintering system;
- (b) a breakout station for receiving a part cake that includes the three-dimensional object from the laser sintering machine and an amount of unfused powder surrounding the three-dimensional object, the breakout station comprising a separation device for separating the unfused powder into recovered powder and spent powder and further comprising a dense phase conveying device for transferring the recovered powder from the breakout station to the powder feed hopper of the laser sintering system;
- (c) a virgin powder supply from which virgin powder is transferred to the powder feed hopper of the laser sintering system;
- and
- (d) a powder processing unit that comprises:
- (i) a recovered powder inlet for receiving the recovered powder from the breakout station;
- (ii) a virgin powder inlet for receiving the virgin powder from the virgin powder supply;
- (iii) a blender vessel for blending and storing combinations of recovered powder and virgin powder;
- and
- (iv) a dense phase conveying device for transferring the combined recovered and virgin powder from the blender vessel to the powder feed hopper of the laser sintering machine.
A breakout station for use with a laser sintering machine in which a layerwise build process is performed to produce at least one three-dimensional object from powder deposited by a powder feed hopper, the breakout station comprising:
- (a) a worktable for receiving a part cake that includes the three-dimensional object from the laser sintering machine and an amount of unfused powder surrounding the three-dimensional object;
- (b) a separation device for separating the unfused powder into recovered powder and spent powder;
- and
- (c) a dense phase conveying system for transferring the recovered powder from the separation device to powder feed hopper,
- wherein the breakout station further comprises a screw feeder to feed the unfused powder from the worktable to the separation device and wherein the dense phase conveying system is in flow communication with a powder processing unit that blends the recovered powder with a virgin powder before transferring the blended powder to the powder feed hopper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.