Draw control for extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems
AssigneeStratasys, Inc.
InventorsJ. Samuel Batchelder, Ronald G. Schloesser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for improving part quality for a printed three-dimensional part, the method comprising moving a print head nozzle along a substantially linear segment of a tool path at a tip height above a previous layer of the three-dimensional part while extruding a flowable material, and producing an extruded road from the extruded flowable material having a road height above the previous layer, where the tip height is greater than the road height due at least in part to draw on the extruded road.
Claims19
A method for improving part quality for a printed three-dimensional part, the method comprising:
- providing a print head retained by an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the print head comprising a nozzle;
- and
- moving the nozzle along a substantially linear segment of a tool path at a tip height above a previous layer of the three-dimensional part while extruding a flowable material;
- producing an extruded road from the extruded flowable material having a road height above the previous layer, and wherein the tip height ranges from about 150% to about 250% of the road height due at least in part to draw on the extruded road, wherein the printed three-dimensional part is substantially free of surface cresting.
A method for improving part quality for a printed three-dimensional part, the method comprising:
- providing a print head retained by the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the print head comprising a nozzle;
- and
- moving the nozzle along a tool path at a first tip height above a previous layer of the three-dimensional part;
- extruding a flowable material from the nozzle moving at the first tip height to produce a first portion of an extruded road having a first amount of draw;
- lowering the nozzle from the first tip height to a second tip height above the previous layer at a corner vertex of the tool path;
- moving the nozzle along the tool path at the second tip height;
- extruding the flowable material from the nozzle moving at the second tip height to produce a second portion of the extruded road having a second amount of draw lower than the first amount of draw or substantially no draw.
A method for improving part quality for a printed three-dimensional part, the method comprising:
- providing a print head retained by an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the print head comprising a nozzle;
- and
- moving the nozzle along a tool path above a previous layer of the three-dimensional part;
- extruding a flowable material from the moving nozzle to produce an extruded road;
- sensing draw levels of the extruded road;
- and
- adjusting at least one extrusion setting based on the sensed draw levels to print the printed three-dimensional part substantially free of surface cresting, wherein the at least one extrusion setting is selected from the group consisting of a height of the moving nozzle, a velocity of the moving nozzle, and a volumetric flow rate of the flowable material extruded from the nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.