PRINTING ARRANGEMENT AND A METHOD OF PRINTING OBJECTS

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a printing arrangement (1) for printing an object. The printing arrangement (1) comprises: a printing chamber (10) adapted to provide, during use, a hermetically sealed environment; a first temperature sensor (14a) adapted to measure a temperature of a filament from a filament source (11); first heating means (15a) for heating the filament to a target filament temperature; a printing head adapted to deposit, during use, the heated filament into the printing chamber (10) in accordance with a 3D object model stored in a memory module (16), wherein the printing arrangement (1) further comprises: a first humidity sensor (17) adapted to measure the humidity in the printing chamber (10), and first humidity adjustment means (30) adapted to enable adjustment of the humidity in the printing chamber (10) to a target printing chamber humidity. A method (S100) of printing objects is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A printing arrangement for printing an object, the printing arrangement comprising a printing chamber adapted to provide, during use, a hermetically sealed environment; a first temperature sensor adapted to measure a temperature of a filament from a filament source; first heating means for heating the filament to a target filament temperature; a printing head adapted to deposit, during use, the heated filament into the printing chamber in accordance with a 3D object model stored in a memory module, wherein the printing arrangement further comprises a first humidity sensor adapted to measure the humidity in the printing chamber, and first humidity adjustment means adapted to enable adjustment of the humidity in the printing chamber to a target printing chamber humidity.

2. The printing arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a second temperature sensor adapted to measure a temperature of the printing chamber, and second heating means adapted to heat the printing chamber to a target printing chamber temperature.

3. The printing arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a filament chamber for housing the filament source.

4. The printing arrangement according to claim 3, further comprising a second humidity sensor adapted to measure the humidity in the filament chamber, and second humidity adjustment means adapted to adjust humidity in the filament chamber to a target filament chamber humidity.

5. The printing arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the first and second humidity adjustment means are the same.

6. The printing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second humidity adjustment means is a dehumidifier.

7. The printing arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a pressure sensor adapted to measure the pressure in the printing chamber, and pressure control means adapted to control the pressure in the printing chamber to a target printing chamber pressure.

8. A method for printing an object, comprising the steps of: receiving, in a memory module, a 3D model of the object; providing a printing chamber that, during use, is hermetically sealed; measuring, by means of a first temperature sensor, a temperature of a filament from a filament source; heating, by means of a first heating means, the filament to a target filament temperature; depositing, by means of a printing head, the filament heated to the target temperature into the printing chamber in accordance with the 3D model, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: measuring, by means of a first humidity sensor, the humidity in the printing chamber, and controlling, by means of a first humidity adjustment means, the humidity in the printing chamber to a target printing chamber humidity.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of measuring, by means of a second temperature sensor, a temperature of the printing chamber, and heating, by means of second heating means, the printing chamber to a target printing chamber temperature.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of measuring, by means of a second humidity sensor, the humidity in the filament chamber, and controlling, by means of a second humidity adjustment means, the humidity in the filament chamber to a target filament chamber humidity.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first and second humidity adjustment means are the same.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first and/or second humidity adjustment means is a dehumidifier.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of measuring, by means of a pressure sensor, the pressure in the printing chamber, and controlling the pressure in the printing chamber to a target printing chamber pressure.

14. (canceled)

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the target printing chamber humidity is 0%-15%.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the printing arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0060] FIGS. 2a-2c show various views of the printing arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 shows an illustration of the printing chamber of the printing arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0061] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of the steps of the method according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0062] FIG. 5 illustrates a graph representing absolute tensile strength measurements of objects printed by the present invention and of objects printed by a conventional solution.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0063] The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the printing arrangement 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The printing arrangement 1 comprises a printing chamber 10 adapted to provide, during use, a hermetically sealed environment. The printing arrangement 1 further comprises a first temperature sensor 14a adapted to measure a temperature of a filament source 11. The printing arrangement 1 further comprises a first heating means 15 a for heating the filament to a target filament temperature. The printing arrangement 1 further comprises a printing head 11 adapted to deposit, during use, the heated filament into the printing chamber 10 in accordance with a 3D object model stored in a memory module 16. The printing arrangement 1 further comprises a first humidity sensor 17 adapted to measure the humidity in the printing chamber 10. The printing arrangement 1 further comprises first humidity adjustment means 30 adapted to enable adjustment of the humidity in the printing chamber 10 to a target printing chamber humidity.

[0065] The printing arrangement 1 may according to one embodiment further comprise a second temperature sensor 14b adapted to measure a temperature of the printing chamber 10 and second heating means 15 b adapted to heat the printing chamber to a target printing chamber temperature.

[0066] The printing arrangement 1 may further comprise a second humidity sensor 22 adapted to measure the humidity in the filament chamber 20, and second humidity adjustment means adapted to adjust humidity in the filament chamber 20 to a target chamber humidity. The first and second humidity adjustment means may be the same as shown in FIG. 1 and may be a dehumidifier fluidly connected to the printing chamber 10 and the filament chamber 20 by means of conduits 41, 42, 43, 44.

[0067] The dehumidifier 30 may comprise a dehumidifier unit 31 by which moisture in air entering the dehumidifier is removed, thus reducing the humidity.

[0068] The dehumidifier 30 is fluidly connected to the printing chamber 10 via an inlet conduit 41 extending between a dehumidifier outlet 321 and a printing chamber inlet 131, and via an outlet conduit 42 extending between a printing chamber outlet 132 and a dehumidifier inlet 322. Thus, an air flow loop is formed between the dehumidifier 30 and the printing chamber 10.

[0069] The dehumidifier 30 is fluidly connected to the filament chamber 10 via an inlet conduit 43 extending between a dehumidifier outlet 311 and a filament chamber inlet 211, and via an outlet conduit 44 extending between a filament chamber outlet 213 and a dehumidifier inlet 313. Thus, an air flow loop is formed between the dehumidifier 30 and the filament chamber 10.

[0070] The printing chamber 1 may further comprise a pressure sensor 18 adapted to measure the pressure in the printing chamber 10. The printing chamber 1 may further comprise pressure control means adapted to control the pressure in the printing chamber 10 to a target printing chamber pressure.

[0071] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the printing arrangement 1 according to one embodiment. The printing chamber 1 comprises a printing chamber 10, a filament chamber 20, and a dehumidifier 30. The dehumidifier 30 is fluidly connected to both the printing chamber 10 and the filament chamber 20 by means of two separate air flow loops defined by the conduits 41a, 41b, 42a, 42b and the conduits 43a, 43b, 44a, 44b respectively.

[0072] FIGS. 3a-3c show the printing arrangement 1 from a plurality of side views. FIG. 3a shows a front side view of the printing arrangement 1. FIG. 3b show a left side view (left side as seen in FIG. 3a). FIG. 3c show a top view.

[0073] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of the steps of the method S100 according to one embodiment of the invention. The method S100 comprises the step of receiving S1, in memory module, a 3D model of an object to be printed. The method S100 further comprises the step of providing S2 a printing chamber 10 that, during use, is hermetically sealed. The method S100 further comprises the step of measuring S3, by means of a first temperature sensor, a temperature of a filament from a filament source. The method S100 further comprises a step of heating S4, by means of a first heating means, the filament to a target filament temperature. The method S100 further comprises a step of depositing S5, by means of a printing head, the filament heated to the target temperature into the printing chamber 10 in accordance with said 3D model. The method S100 further comprises a step of measuring S6, by means of a first humidity sensor, the humidity in the printing chamber 10. The method S100 further comprises a step of controlling S7, by means of a first humidity adjustment means 30, the humidity in the printing chamber 10 to a target printing chamber humidity.

[0074] The method S100 may also comprise a step of measuring S8, by means of a second temperature sensor, a temperature of the printing chamber 10. The method S100 may further comprise a step of heating S9, by means of second heating means, the printing chamber 10 to a target printing chamber temperature.

[0075] The method S100 may also comprise a step of measuring S10, by means of a second humidity sensor, the humidity in the filament chamber 20. The method S100 may also comprise a step of controlling S11, by means of a second humidity adjustment means, the humidity in the filament chamber 20 to a target filament chamber humidity.

[0076] The first and second humidity adjustment means may be the same. The humidity adjustment means may be a dehumidifier.

[0077] The method S100 may further comprise a step of measuring S12, by means of a pressure sensor, the pressure in the printing chamber 10. The method S100 may further comprise a step of controlling S13 the pressure in the printing chamber 10 to a target printing chamber pressure.

[0078] The target printing chamber humidity may be controlled to be within 0%-15%, preferably within 0%-10%, more preferably within 0%-5%.

[0079] FIG. 5 illustrates absolute tensile strength of objects printed by means of the present invention (Test 1) and absolute tensile strength of objects printed by means of a conventional solution (Test 2). The absolute tensile strength measurements for Test 1 and Test 2 for various elongations, specifically 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, are reproduced in table 1 below. The increase in absolute tensile strength in Test 1 as compared to Test 2 is also shown in table 1 and was about +32% to +35% depending on the elongation. This shows that objects printed by the present invention have improved quality.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Absolute tensile strength measurements for Test 1 and Test 2 for various elongations. Elongation Test 1 - Absolute Test 2 - Absolute Increase (mm) tensile strength (N) tensile strength (N) (%) 1 1000 750 +33.3% 2 1550 1150 +34.7% 3 1760 1330 +32.3%

[0080] In FIG. 5, the mean standard deviations for Test 1 and Test 2 are indicated by dashed lines. The mean standard deviation for test 1 is about 1%. The mean standard deviation for test 2 is about 4%. This further illustrates that there is a significant reduced variance in absolute tensile strength for objects printed by the present invention.

[0081] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.