Patent · US Expired

Three dimensional printing methods

US6146567A · kind A · utility

175Cited by
29References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 14, 1998
Grant dateNov 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 14, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P10/25
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A system for producing three dimensional components by bonding together successive layers of a porous material with droplets of a binder material. A binder printhead has an array of nozzles which controllably supply jets of binder material droplets to the layers of porous material. The printhead is scanned in a raster scan fashion over each layer of porous material along a first scan axis in one direction to provide first fast scanning paths of droplets. The printhead is then moved laterally of such one direction and is then moved along the fast-scan axis in the opposite direction to provide second fast scanning paths of droplets which are interlaced with the first scanning paths. The supply of the droplets to the porous material can be controlled so as to control the overlapping thereof to produce various desired surface and interior characteristics of the components.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.