Composition and method for use in three dimensional printing
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMichael Joseph O'Brien, Thomas Francis McNulty, Kwok Pong Chan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composition suitable for forming a support using a three-dimensional (3D) deposition method is presented. The composition includes a wax including at least one functional group capable of reacting with a build material used in the 3D deposition method, when exposed to an actinic radiation, wherein the functional group is itself substantially non-reactive to the actinic radiation. A method of forming a three dimensional (3D) article is also presented.
Claims14
A method of forming a three dimensional (3D) article, comprising:
- (i) selectively depositing a build material comprising at least one reactive group on a substrate to form a plurality of build layers;
- (ii) selectively depositing a support composition on the substrate to form a plurality of support layers, wherein the support composition comprises a wax functionalized with at least one functional group, the at least one functional group capable of reacting with the at least one reactive group of the build material, when exposed to an actinic radiation in the presence of a photoinitiator;
- (iii) exposing the plurality of support layers and the plurality of build layers to the actinic radiation;
- and
- (iv) reacting a portion of the at least one functional group in the wax with a portion of the build material at an interface of the plurality of build layers and the plurality of support layers, wherein a portion of the support composition is substantially unreacted after exposure to the actinic radiation.
A method of forming a three dimensional (3D) article, comprising:
- (i) selectively depositing a build material on a substrate to form a plurality of build layers;
- (ii) selectively depositing a support composition on the substrate to form a plurality of support layers, wherein the support composition comprises a fatty ester wax functionalized with at least one functional group, the at least one functional group capable of reacting with the at least one reactive group of the build material, when exposed to an actinic radiation in the presence of a photoinitiator, and the support composition is substantially free of the photoinitiator;
- (iii) exposing the plurality of support layers and the plurality of build layers to the actinic radiation;
- (iv) reacting a portion of the at least one functional group in the wax with a portion of the build material at an interface of the plurality of build layers and the plurality of support layers, wherein a portion of the support composition is substantially unreacted after exposure to the actinic radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.