Methods for composite filament fabrication in three dimensional printing
AssigneeMarkforged, Inc.
InventorsGregory Thomas Mark, Antoni S. Gozdz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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 drag the filament from the conduit nozzle.
Claims29
A method for additively manufacturing a part in successive layers, the method comprising:
- supplying a reinforced filament having a matrix material impregnating a plurality of reinforcing strands aligned along the reinforced filament;
- receiving the reinforced filament at a shearing region moved together with a nozzle;
- shearing the reinforced filament at the shearing region;
- guiding the reinforced filament to drag through the nozzle;
- heating the reinforced filament at the nozzle as the reinforced filament is displaced out of the nozzle;
- applying mechanical pressure by pressing with the nozzle to continuously compact the reinforced filament into a previously added layer of the part as the reinforced filament is fused into the part.
A method for additively manufacturing a part in successive layers, the method comprising:
- supplying a reinforced filament having a matrix material impregnating a plurality of reinforcing strands aligned along the reinforced filament;
- feeding forward the reinforced filament into a nozzle;
- receiving the fed forward reinforced filament at a shearing region moved together with the nozzle;
- shearing the reinforced filament in the shearing region;
- guiding the reinforced filament to drag through the nozzle;
- heating the reinforced filament at a heated zone as the reinforced filament is displaced out of the nozzle;
- dragging forward the reinforced filament through the nozzle by applying a force at least via the plurality of reinforcing strands;
- and
- pressing with mechanical pressure to compact the reinforced filament into a previously added layer of the part.
A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising:
- supplying a reinforced filament having a matrix material impregnating a plurality of reinforcing strands aligned along the reinforced filament;
- feeding forward the reinforced filament into a nozzle;
- heating the reinforced filament as the reinforced filament is displaced out of the nozzle;
- applying pressure with the nozzle to continuously compact the reinforced filament into the part as the reinforced filament is fused into the part;
- dragging forward the reinforced filament through the nozzle by applying a force at least via the plurality of reinforcing strands;
- and
- relatively moving the nozzle and the part in at least four degrees of freedom, including at least one pivot, to permit the nozzle to trace an outer contour of the part.
A method for additively manufacturing a part in successive layers, the method comprising:
- supplying a reinforced filament having a matrix material impregnating a plurality of reinforcing strands aligned along the reinforced filament;
- feeding forward the reinforced filament into a nozzle;
- receiving the fed forward reinforced filament at a shearing region moved together with the nozzle;
- shearing the reinforced filament in the shearing region;
- guiding the reinforced filament to drag through a nozzle;
- heating the reinforced filament at a heated zone as the reinforced filament is displaced out of the nozzle;
- pressing with mechanical pressure with the nozzle to continuously compact the reinforced filament into a previously added layer of the part as the reinforced filament is fused into the part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.