Pellet-Based Fused Deposition Modeling 3-D Print Process for Production Manufacturing

Abstract

A device and method manufacture an object for a user by fused deposition. A screw conveyor conveys a plurality of solid thermoplastic pellets from a hopper to a barrel. A heating element, coupled to the barrel, melts the solid thermoplastic pellets within the barrel, thereby producing a thermoplastic liquid. The thermoplastic liquid is extruded through a nozzle that caps one end of the barrel, the extruded thermoplastic liquid thereafter solidifying into the object. A computerized control system controls both a flow rate of the thermoplastic liquid, by adjusting rotation of a motor coupled to the screw conveyor, and a position of the nozzle above the build surface according to a three-dimensional shape of the object. The device and method are particularly suited for mass production of customized shoes and other objects, whereby thermoplastic material can be easily combined with customized colorants and blowing agents.

Claims

1. A device for manufacturing an object according to a fused deposition process, the device comprising: a build surface on which the object is manufactured; an extruder for depositing a thermoplastic liquid onto the build surface to form the object, the extruder comprising: a nozzle for extruding the thermoplastic liquid, a barrel for holding the thermoplastic liquid, the barrel having a first end that is capped by the nozzle and having a second end, a heating element, coupled to the first end of the barrel, for producing the thermoplastic liquid by melting solid thermoplastic pellets, a heat sink, coupled to the barrel between the first end and the second end, for constraining heat generated by the heating element, a hopper for containing the solid thermoplastic pellets, a screw conveyor for conveying the solid thermoplastic pellets from the hopper into the second end of the barrel, wherein the screw conveyor extends into the second end of the barrel past the heat sink, and a motor for rotating the screw conveyor; and a control system for controlling both a flow rate of the thermoplastic liquid, by adjusting rotation of the motor, and a position of the nozzle above the build surface according to a three-dimensional shape of the object.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a carriage onto which the extruder is mounted, the carriage being controlled by the control system for moving the nozzle along an axis parallel to the build surface.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the solid thermoplastic pellets are flexible or elastomeric.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the deposited thermoplastic liquid includes an additive customized by a designer of the object.

5. The device according to claim 4, further comprising a port for introducing the additive into the barrel at a rate controlled by the control system.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the additive is one or more of: a colorant, a chemical blowing agent, and a physical blowing agent.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the screw conveyor comprises an auger having a thread pitch that decreases between a portion of the screw conveyor near the hopper and an end of the screw conveyor.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the barrel is grooved along at least a portion of the length of the barrel.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control system controls the position of the nozzle according to one or more measurements of biomechanics of a user of the object.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a second extruder for depositing a different thermoplastic liquid onto the build surface, wherein the control system controls both a flow rate of the second thermoplastic liquid and the position of the second extruder above the build surface.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises a portion of a shoe or other footwear.

12. A method of manufacturing an object according to a fused deposition process, the method comprising: using a screw conveyor to convey a plurality of solid thermoplastic pellets from a hopper to a barrel; using a heating element, coupled to the barrel, to melt the solid thermoplastic pellets within the barrel, thereby producing a thermoplastic liquid; and extruding the thermoplastic liquid onto a build surface, through a nozzle that caps one end of the barrel, the extruded thermoplastic liquid thereafter solidifying into the object, wherein a control system controls both a flow rate of the thermoplastic liquid, by adjusting rotation of a motor coupled to the screw conveyor, and a position of the nozzle above the build surface according to a three-dimensional shape of the object.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the solid thermoplastic pellets are flexible or elastomeric.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising introducing an additive, customized by a designer of the object, into the thermoplastic liquid either by mixing the additive with the solid thermoplastic pellets in the hopper or by mixing the additive into the barrel through a port on the barrel.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the additive is one or more of: a colorant, a chemical blowing agent, and a physical blowing agent.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the screw conveyor comprises an auger having a thread pitch that decreases between a portion of the screw conveyor near the hopper and an end of the screw conveyor.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising controlling, by the control system, the position of the nozzle according to one or more measurements of biomechanics of a user of the object.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising using a second extruder to deposit a different thermoplastic liquid onto the build surface, wherein the control system controls both a flow rate of the second thermoplastic liquid and the position of the second extruder above the build surface.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the object comprises a portion of a shoe or other footwear.

20. A non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium comprising computer program code that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to operate an extruder, thereby causing performance of a method comprising: using a screw conveyor to convey a plurality of solid thermoplastic pellets from a hopper to a barrel; using a heating element, coupled to the barrel, to melt the solid thermoplastic pellets within the barrel, thereby producing a thermoplastic liquid; and extruding the thermoplastic liquid onto a build surface, through a nozzle that caps one end of the barrel, the extruded thermoplastic liquid thereafter solidifying into the object, wherein the computer controls both a flow rate of the thermoplastic liquid, by adjusting a rotational speed of a motor coupled to the screw conveyor, and a position of the nozzle above the build surface according to a three-dimensional shape of the object.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The foregoing features of the illustrated embodiments will be more readily understood by consulting the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a series of device embodiments of the invention, which may be used for the mass production of objects;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a front view of an extruder device embodiment of the invention, in the process of manufacturing an object;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the extruder device of FIG. 2, identifying various components;

[0020] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the extruder device of FIG. 2, identifying further components;

[0021] FIGS. 5A and 5B show longitudinal views of interior grooves in an uncapped barrel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

[0022] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for a method of manufacturing an object in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a series of device embodiments of the invention, which may be used for the mass production of objects. It is contemplated that embodiments of the invention, such as those shown in FIG. 1, may be used to provide mass production of customized objects that include various features not produced by existing 3D printers.

[0024] Customized footwear may be designed using a customization process. Such a process begins with a shoe designer or a user taking measurements of the user's foot to produce a 3D model of the foot. This model may be stored in any standard data format known in the art. Next, the model may be uploaded to a design customization website. Once there, the user may select a particular style of shoe to construct, based on a template. The user may select a color of the shoe (or portions thereof), as well as any other attributes of the shoe to meet any intended use. Such other attributes may include, for example, structural durability, weight, component material, and so on. Optionally, a shoe designer with expertise in biomechanics may modify the customized shoe design further, to ensure that the shoe will be form fitting where required, loose or flexible where required, to account for various foot anomalies (such as bunions), to provide padding to enhance comfort, to accommodate for anatomical changes that occur with weight bearing activities, and so on. In any event, the finalized shoe design information, including what materials must be present at what three-dimensional locations, is provided to a control system that controls a 3D printer in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Such control systems are known in the art, and are typically either special purpose, embedded systems, or computer systems having software for programming them to actuate servos and motors to control the extruder.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a front view of an extruder device embodiment of the invention, in the process of manufacturing an object. The view shows a portion of an object 10 (in this case, a footwear) in the process of being built. The object 10 is made of fused thermoplastic, as described in more detail below. The object 10 rests on a build platform 12. Such build platforms are common in the art of 3D printing, and provide a sturdy base on which the object 10 can be constructed. The object 10 is manufactured by depositing small beads of melted thermoplastic from an extruder 14, described in more detail below. The thermoplastic is solid at room temperature, and as it cools, it solidifies into the desired shape.

[0026] 3D printing devices have a mechanism for moving an extruder 14 in three dimensions relative to the build platform 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the extruder 14 is mounted on a carriage 16 that permits the extruder 14 to slide back and forth along an X-axis parallel to the build surface (left to right), using a belt and motors to control the exact position of the extruder 14. Either the carriage 16 or the build platform 12 may move in a perpendicular Y-axis (front to back) to position the extruder 14 correctly. The extruder 14 may be lifted and lowered along a vertical Z-axis using screws and motors that adjust the height of the extruder mounting bracket on the carriage 16. The movement of the carriage 16 via a stepper or servo motor is controlled with a 3D printer control system and software, as known in the art.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the extruder 14 of FIG. 2, identifying various components. The extruder 14 includes a hopper containing solid thermoplastic pellets 20. These pellets, or granules, are eventually melted to form droplets of liquid that are precisely placed to solidify into the object 10. Typical pellets are 3 mm to 5 mm in diameter. The hopper is coupled to the extruder using a hopper base 22.

[0028] Pellets in the hopper base are drawn into a screw conveyor 32 (shown in FIG. 4) by the force of gravity. The screw conveyor 32 is rotated by a motor 24, visible at the top of the extruder. The motor 24 is preferably geared, and may be a stepper or servo motor. Rotating the screw conveyor 32 causes the pellets to be drawn down, at a precisely controlled rate, into a barrel 34 (shown in FIG. 4) to be melted. The rate of extrusion is controlled with a 3D printer controller and software that determine the rotational speed of the motor 24. If the screw is grooved spirally in a right-hand direction, then a counter-clockwise rotation will extrude the material and a clockwise rotation will retract the material.

[0029] Controlling the flow rate is crucial. In 3D printers for large-scale industrial projects, liquid thermoplastics are subjected to a great deal of pressure. Such large pressures would be destructive to the extruder 14. In particular, the motor 24 can only rotate the screw conveyor 32 against small resistive pressures, and attempting to rotate it against a larger pressure may damage the motor 24.

[0030] A heating element 26 is coupled to the barrel 34. The heating element 26 melts the thermoplastic pellets in the barrel 34, forming a thermoplastic liquid that is extruded from a nozzle 36 (shown in FIG. 4). More detail of the construction of the heating element 26 is shown in FIG. 4 and described below.

[0031] The extruder 14 may include a cooling unit that surrounds the barrel 34 near its top to prevent the pellets from prematurely melting and bridging inside the hopper. In the pictured embodiment, the cooling unit consists of a heat sink 28 surrounding the barrel 34, and a fan 30 that cools the heat sink 28. The heat sink 28 conductively absorbs heat generated by the heating element 26, constraining the heat to a lower portion of the barrel 34. The fan 30 convectively dissipates heat captured by the heat sink 28. In another embodiment, the cooling unit consists of a water-cooled aluminum block that surrounds the barrel 34, where the block conductively absorbs heat from the heating element 26 and the water conductively absorbs, then carries away, heat from the block. A person having ordinary skill in the art may appreciate other configurations of the cooling unit.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the extruder device of FIG. 2, identifying further components. The screw conveyor 32, barrel 34, and nozzle 36 mentioned above are visible. Also visible are the constituent components of the heating element 26; namely, a heating block 38, two heating cartridges 40a, 40b, and a thermocouple 42.

[0033] The feed conveyor 32 is a screw or auger coupled to a motor 24 at one end. The feed conveyor 32 is positioned such that one portion traverses the hopper base 22 to draw in solid thermoplastic pellets, and the other portion traverses the inside of the barrel 34 to safely deposit the pellets within. The screw is preferably between 8 mm and 15 mm in diameter.

[0034] The barrel 34 preferably has 6-12 grooves that are between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm deep on its internal surface, that run for at least a portion of the length of the barrel 34 beginning at the top near the hopper base 22. The barrel is preferably between 40 mm and 80 mm in length and the grooved section is preferably between 20 mm and 60 mm in length. A view of these grooves is provided in FIGS. 5A, 5B. The purpose of the grooves is to improve the feeding of the pellets, which is a concern given the much smaller size of the screw and barrel as compared to the significantly larger sizes used in prior art injection molding and plastic extrusion manufacturing. In particular, the surface of the screw must be very smooth, while the surface of the barrel must be rough. Providing these grooves aids in evening out the fluid flow.

[0035] The nozzle 36 preferably has a diameter between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm. This diameter is larger than standard desktop 3D printer nozzles, which are typically 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm. The wider nozzle improves printing speed. A narrower diameter is used when extruding foam, since the foaming agent causes the extruded thermoplastic to expand to approximately 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0036] A heating element 26 is placed toward the end of the barrel. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the heating element 26 includes an aluminum heating block 38 that is machined such that the end of the barrel 34 can be fitted into its top, an extrusion nozzle 36 can be fitted into its bottom, and heating cartridges 40 and a thermocouple 42 can be fitted into the sides. The heating cartridges 40 may be standard resistive cartridges known in the art, that heat to a high temperature when a current is passed through them. The thermocouple 42 may be used by the control system to monitor the actual temperature of the heating block 38. If the temperature is not optimal, the control system may raise or lower it by adjusting the amount of current that passes through the heating cartridges 40. In this way, the control system may act as a closed-loop controller to keep the heating element 26 at an optimal melt temperature.

[0037] In one embodiment, an individual 3D printer may contain multiple extruders 14. This embodiment can be used to enable the printing of multiple materials without the need to refill the hopper. Two pellet extruders are each mounted onto their own individual carriages that move along a horizontal axis. In this embodiment, the idle extruder is parked off to the side of the build platform while the active pellet extruder extrudes. This embodiment eliminates potential drooling from the idle pellet extruder.

[0038] The physical properties of the extruded liquid may be altered in several different ways. Various suitable thermoplastic materials may be used, including polyurethane, nylon, polyether block amide, or other such materials known in the art. To alter the density of the manufactured object, additives including chemical blowing agents and cellular expanding agents can be mixed together with the pellets and placed into the hopper that will result in foam being extruded from the nozzle. Structural materials like carbon fiber filaments for strength also may be added. Alternatively, additives can be fed separately through a port toward the end of the barrel. For example, a physical blowing agent in the form of a gas or a supercritical fluid is fed through the port; the blowing agent expands when exposed to the heat of the heating element 26, forming bubbles that turn the liquid into a foam. The use of a port advantageously permits introduction of the additives by the control system at a precisely controlled rate, for example by controlling the flow rate of a precision pump. In this manner, the control system can vary the composition of the deposited thermoplastic liquid over time, in a customizable manner, to form a 3D printed object with a non-uniform composition of materials.

[0039] In one embodiment the spiral grooves of the screw are such that the space for the material inside the screw and barrel is greater at the top near the hopper than it is at the bottom near the nozzle.

[0040] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for a method of manufacturing an object in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The method begins with a process 50, which uses a screw conveyor to convey a plurality of solid thermoplastic pellets from a hopper to a barrel. The method continues with a process 52, which uses a heating element, coupled to the barrel, to melt the solid thermoplastic pellets within the barrel, thereby producing a thermoplastic liquid. The method concludes with a process 54, which extrudes the thermoplastic liquid onto a build surface, through a nozzle that caps one end of the barrel, the extruded thermoplastic liquid thereafter solidifying into the object. Throughout the processes of FIG. 6, a control system controls both a flow rate of the thermoplastic liquid, by adjusting rotation of a stepper or servo motor coupled to the screw conveyor, and a position of the nozzle above the build surface according to a three-dimensional shape of the object.

[0041] Although various exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made which will achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing from the true scope of the invention.

[0042] The present invention may be embodied in many different forms, including, but in no way limited to, computer program logic for use with a processor (e.g., a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, or general purpose computer), programmable logic for use with a programmable logic device (e.g., a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other PLD), discrete components, integrated circuitry (e.g., an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)), or any other means including any combination thereof.

[0043] Computer program logic implementing all or part of the functionality previously described herein may be embodied in various forms, including, but in no way limited to, a source code form, a computer executable form, and various intermediate forms (e.g., forms generated by an assembler, compiler, linker, or locator). Source code may include a series of computer program instructions implemented in any of various programming languages (e.g., an object code, an assembly language, or a high-level language such as Fortran, C, C++, JAVA, or HTML) for use with various operating systems or operating environments. The source code may define and use various data structures and communication messages. The source code may be in a computer executable form (e.g., via an interpreter), or the source code may be converted (e.g., via a translator, assembler, or compiler) into a computer executable form.

[0044] The computer program may be fixed in any form (e.g., source code form, computer executable form, or an intermediate form) either permanently or transitorily in a tangible storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory device (e.g., a RAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or Flash-Programmable RAM), a magnetic memory device (e.g., a diskette or fixed disk), an optical memory device (e.g., a CD-ROM), a PC card (e.g., PCMCIA card), or other memory device. The computer program may be fixed in any form in a signal that is transmittable to a computer using any of various communication technologies, including, but in no way limited to, analog technologies, digital technologies, optical technologies, wireless technologies (e.g., Bluetooth), networking technologies, and internetworking technologies. The computer program may be distributed in any form as a removable storage medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation (e.g., shrink wrapped software), preloaded with a computer system (e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk), or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over the communication system (e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web).

[0045] Hardware logic (including programmable logic for use with a programmable logic device) implementing all or part of the functionality previously described herein may be designed using traditional manual methods, or may be designed, captured, simulated, or documented electronically using various tools, such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), a hardware description language (e.g., VHDL or AHDL), or a PLD programming language (e.g., PALASM, ABEL, or CUPL).

[0046] Programmable logic may be fixed either permanently or transitorily in a tangible storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory device (e.g., a RAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or Flash-Programmable RAM), a magnetic memory device (e.g., a diskette or fixed disk), an optical memory device (e.g., a CD-ROM), or other memory device. The programmable logic may be fixed in a signal that is transmittable to a computer using any of various communication technologies, including, but in no way limited to, analog technologies, digital technologies, optical technologies, wireless technologies (e.g., Bluetooth), networking technologies, and internetworking technologies. The programmable logic may be distributed as a removable storage medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation (e.g., shrink wrapped software), preloaded with a computer system (e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk), or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over the communication system (e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web).