METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A COMPONENT BY FUSED FILAMENT FABRICATION AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COMPONENT

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a component by fused filament fabrication includes a substrate plate for depositing layers of the component. The substrate plate is magnetized before depositing a first layer of the component on the substrate plate by the fused filament fabrication, the first layer including a first substance that contains magnetic material. At least one further layer of the component including a second substance that does not contain a magnetic material is deposited on the first layer by the fused filament fabrication, and the substrate plate is demagnetized after forming the component.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing a component by fused filament fabrication comprising a substrate plate for depositing layers of the component, wherein the substrate plate is magnetized before depositing a first layer of the component on the substrate plate by the fused filament fabrication, the first layer comprising a first substance that contains magnetic material, and at least one further layer of the component comprising a second substance that does not contain a magnetic material that is deposited on the first layer by the fused filament fabrication, and the substrate plate is demagnetized after forming the component.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a first printing head for depositing the first layer having magnetic material and a second printing head for depositing the at least one further layer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate plate comprises an electromagnet for the magnetization.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate plate is heated.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate plate is magnetized by passing a current.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is chosen from the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt, and alloys thereof.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a polymer substance.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one further layer comprises a polymer substance.

9. An apparatus for producing a component by fused filament fabrication comprising a substrate plate for depositing layers of the component, wherein the substrate plate is magnetized before depositing a first layer of the component on the substrate plate by the fused filament fabrication, the first layer comprising a first substance that contains magnetic material, further layers of the component comprising a second substance that does not contain a magnetic material that are deposited on the first layer by the fused filament fabrication, and the substrate plate is demagnetized after forming the component, and a first printing head for depositing the first layer having magnetic material and a second printing head for depositing at least one of the further layers.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the substrate plate comprises an electromagnet for the magnetization.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the substrate plate is heated.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the substrate plate comprises an electromagnet for the magnetization.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the substrate plate is magnetized by passing a current.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the magnetic material is chosen from the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt, and alloys thereof.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first layer comprises a polymer substance.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the further layers comprises a polymer substance.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0033] In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic side view of an apparatus according to one variation of the present disclosure; and

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic bottom view of a substrate plate according to one variation of the present disclosure.

[0036] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus 10 for producing a component 12 by fused filament fabrication. The apparatus 10 comprises a substrate plate 14 and two printing heads 16, 18.

[0039] The component 12 is produced layerwise, and in this example comprises three layers 20, 22, 24. The bottom, first layer 20 comprises a first substance having magnetic material. In one form, the first substance is a polymer substance to which, for example, iron particles are added (indicated by dots). The further layers, for example the second and third layers 22, 24 as shown, comprise a second substance the second substance comprising a polymer substance having no magnetic material.

[0040] The first layer 20 of the first substance having the magnetic material is applied using the first printing head 16, and the further layers 22, 24 of the second substance are applied using the second printing head 18. The two printing heads 16, 18 can be moved in a known manner in the x, y, and z directions in order to generate the desired geometry of the individual layers 20, 22, 24, and ultimately the geometry of the component 12.

[0041] To achieve better adhesion of the deposited layers 20, 22, 24 on the substrate plate 14, the substrate plate 14 is magnetizable and heatable. One form of the substrate plate 14 is shown in detail in FIG. 2. To generate the magnetic field, the substrate plate 14 comprises an electromagnet in the form of a coil 26, which surrounds an iron core 28. A magnetic field is formed by passing a current. The substrate plate 14 furthermore comprises a resistive heater in the form of a wire 30 arranged in a sinuous line, by which the substrate plate 14 can be heated.

[0042] Before the first layer 20 having the magnetic material is then deposited by the first printing head 16, the magnetization is activated by passing a current through the coil 26. Furthermore, the substrate plate 14 is heated to a temperature which counteracts contraction of the first layer 20 after the deposition. The first layer 20 having the magnetic material, which has now been deposited, is then bound to the substrate plate 14 by the magnetic field. Subsequently, the further layers 22, 24 are deposited onto the first layer 20 by the second printing head 18. After the deposition of the top layer, i.e., layer 24, the current through the coil 26 and also through the wire 30 is switched off and the magnetization of the substrate plate 14 is deactivated, so that the component 12 can be removed easily from the substrate plate 14.

[0043] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values indicating mechanical/thermal properties, compositional percentages, dimensions and/or tolerances, or other characteristics are to be understood as modified by the word about or approximately in describing the scope of the present disclosure. This modification is desired for various reasons including industrial practice, material, manufacturing, and assembly tolerances, and testing capability.

[0044] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.

[0045] The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.