Use and production of coated filaments for extrusion-based 3D printing processes
AssigneeEvonik Industries AG
InventorsMarkus Pridoehl, Ulrike Behrens, Stefan Bernhardt, Ann-Kristin Klaar, Samuel von Karsa-Wilberforce
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a novel process for the production of coated filaments for subsequent application as print in extrusion-based 3D printers, e.g. FDM printers (fused deposition modelling printers). The filaments are coated in a separate process outside of the printer, and can also be used in a conventional extrusion printer. The present invention further relates to the coating device for application of the coating to the filament and to a roll containing the coated filaments.
Claims13
A process for extrusion-based 3D printing, the process comprising steps of:
- applying a coating composition onto a filament, wherein the filament is comprised of a thermoplastic polymer and the coating composition is comprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting of an additive, a pigment, and an ink;
- fixing the applied coating composition on the filament to obtain a coated filament, the coated filament being comprised of a filament portion and a coating portion on a surface of the filament portion;
- conveying the coated filament to a printing head;
- melting the filament portion of the coated filament in the printing head to obtain a coated melted filament, the coated melted filament being comprised of a melted filament and a coating layer on a surface of the melted filament;
- and
- extruding a plurality of strands of the coated melted filament onto a substrate to form a three dimensional object, wherein
- the melted filament and the coating layer do not substantially mix during the extrusion of the coated melted filament;
- and
- the coating layer remains on the surface of the melted filament during the extrusion of the plurality of strands of the coated melted filament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.