Methods for composite filament threading in three dimensional printing
AssigneeMarkforged, Inc.
InventorsGregory Thomas Mark, Antoni S. Gozdz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to applying the filament from the conduit nozzle.
Claims30
A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising:
- from a supply, supplying a core reinforced filament having a solidified matrix material impregnating reinforcing strands aligned along the core reinforced filament;
- translating the core reinforced filament to follow a threaded path from the supply to a nozzle outlet of a nozzle;
- holding an unattached terminal end of the core reinforced filament in a location at a temperature in which the matrix material is unmelted;
- maintaining the unattached terminal end in a substantially unmelted condition until the unattached terminal end reaches the nozzle outlet;
- buckling the terminal end adjacent the nozzle outlet by feeding forward the unattached terminal end to abut the part and relatively moving the nozzle outlet and the part;
- anchoring the buckled terminal end at the nozzle outlet by fusing the matrix material to the part;
- cutting the core reinforced filament in a location between the supply and the nozzle outlet;
- and
- relatively moving the nozzle outlet and the part to deposit a remaining cut segment portion of the core reinforced filament to the part.
A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising:
- from a supply, supplying a core reinforced filament having a matrix material impregnating reinforcing strands aligned along the core reinforced filament;
- translating the core reinforced filament to follow a threaded path from the supply to a nozzle outlet of a nozzle;
- holding an unattached terminal end of the core reinforced filament in a location upstream along the threaded path from the nozzle outlet;
- driving the core reinforced filament forward via a guide tube preventing buckling of the core reinforced filament until the unattached terminal end is fed to the nozzle outlet;
- buckling the terminal end adjacent the nozzle outlet by feeding forward the unattached terminal end to abut the part and relatively moving the nozzle outlet and build platform;
- anchoring the buckled terminal end at the nozzle outlet by fusing the matrix material to the part;
- cutting the core reinforced filament in a location upstream along the threaded path of the nozzle outlet;
- and
- relatively moving the nozzle outlet and build platform to deposit a remaining cut segment portion of the core reinforced filament to the part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.