3D Printer for Additive Manufacturing of a Multilayer Component, Printing Method and Component

Abstract

In an embodiment a 3D printer for additive manufacturing of a multilayer component includes a work surface, at least two movable dispensers configured to coat the work surface with one of at least two different raw materials in each case, wherein at least a part of the respective raw material is addable to the component as a layer in a manufacturing step, and at least two movable recovering devices configured to selectively recover the respective raw material which is not consumed when a layer is added to the component and return the recovered raw material to a respective associated dispenser.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A 3D printer for additive manufacturing of a multilayer component, the 3D printer comprising: a work surface; at least two movable dispensers configured to coat the work surface with one of at least two different raw materials in each case, wherein at least a part of the respective raw material is addable to the component as a layer in a manufacturing step; and at least two movable recovering devices configured to: selectively recover the respective raw material which is not consumed when a layer is added to the component; and return the recovered raw material to a respective associated dispenser.

17. The 3D printer according to claim 16, further comprising: a window in the work surface, the window being permeable to radiation; a radiation source arranged under the window, the radiation source configured to irradiate raw material through the window so that the raw material is curable; a building plate configured to receive the component at an underside, the building plate being arranged above the work surface and parallel thereto, and configured to be raised and lowered normal to the work surface; and a positioning system configured to: raise and lower the building plate normal to the work surface; and determine a distance between the component and the work surface.

18. The 3D printer according to claim 16, wherein each of the raw materials includes a paste comprising either a ceramic, a metallic, or an organic powder and a photopolymerizable organic binder.

19. The 3D printer according to claim 16, wherein the dispenser and a recovering device are implemented in one element.

20. The 3D printer according to claim 16, wherein at least two dispensers are implemented in one element.

21. The 3D printer according to claim 16, wherein at least two recovering devices are implemented in one element.

22. The 3D printer according to claim 16, wherein the dispensers comprise a container configured to store raw material and a coating device configured to coat the work surface with raw material.

23. The 3D printer according to claim 16, further comprising at least two troughs placed at different edges of the work surface, wherein the movable recovering devices are configured to push unused raw material into an associated trough.

24. The 3D printer according to claim 16, further comprising a cleaning device configured to clean raw material from the component.

25. The 3D printer according to claim 24, wherein the cleaning device is movable laterally along a surface of the component by a drive system.

26. The 3D printer according to claim 24, further comprising a return device provided for each of the cleaning devices, wherein each return device comprises a conveying device configured to return the recovered raw material to the respectively associated dispenser.

27. A method for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional multilayer component, the method comprising: applying, by a dispenser, a layer of a first raw material to a work surface, the dispenser moving laterally across the work surface, wherein a layer thickness of the first raw material corresponds at least to a desired layer thickness of a layer to be added to the component; bringing the layer of the first raw material into contact with a surface of the component to be coated on the work surface and structurally curing a portion of the first raw material to form a new structured layer of the component; lifting the component comprising the new layer off the work surface; removing, by a first recovering device, a remaining first raw material from the work surface, the first recovering device moving laterally across the work surface and returning the first raw material to a first dispenser; and repeating the aforementioned process steps with a second raw material and a second dispenser, wherein a second recovering device is provided so that the first and second raw materials are selectively returnable to a corresponding dispenser.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the work surface has a window permeable to radiation, the window has dimensions at least equal to layers to be added, wherein a building plate with the component is positioned above the window, wherein the building plate is lowered normal to the window until a distance between the surface of the component and the work surface corresponds to a desired layer thickness of a new structured layer to be added to the component, wherein the first raw material is structured and cured into a new layer by irradiating the multilayer component through the window, and wherein the building plate with the component and the new layer adhering to it is lifted off the work surface.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising: removing, by moving a cleaning device laterally along the surface of the component, excess first or second raw material from the surface of the component; and returning, by an associated return device, the excess first or second raw materials to the corresponding dispenser.

30. A component comprising: a plurality of layers which are delimited from each other along a flat surface, which include different materials, and which are directly chemically bonded to each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] The invention is explained in more detail below in embodiment examples based on figures. However, the invention is not limited to the forms and examples described or illustrated. The scope of protection is based only on the features disclosed in the claims.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a first embodiment of the 3D printer with two dispensers and recovering devices in one element;

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the first embodiment of the 3D printer;

[0079] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of the first embodiment of the 3D printer in a clean-up step of the printing process;

[0080] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a second embodiment of the 3D printer with two dispensers and recovering devices in two separate elements;

[0081] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a third embodiment of the 3D printer with four dispensers and recovering devices each in a top view; and

[0082] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a printed multilayer component.

[0083] The figures are schematic representations. The figures do not represent true-to-scale illustrations of the 3D printer. Dimensions and proportions may differ from those shown in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0084] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the 3D printer 1. The 3D printer 1 is designed to print with two different raw materials. The 3D printer 1 comprises a movable element 2, which comprises two dispensers 3a and 3b and two recovering devices 4a and 4b. The dispensers 3 are configured, for example, as die coaters. The recovering devices 4 are designed, for example, as wipers.

[0085] The movable element 2 is movably mounted above a work surface 5. The element 2 is dimensioned, for example, in such a way that its longer extension can cover at least a section of the work surface 5 required for the printing process. This includes all areas of the work surface 5 on which raw material is to be applied during the printing process. By one-dimensional lateral movement in the plane normal to its longer side, the element 2 can thus reach any required section of the work surface 5.

[0086] The element 2 is divided into a first unit (on the right in the figure) and a second unit (on the left in the figure). The first unit is used for application and recovery of the first raw material. The second unit is used for application and recovery of the second raw material.

[0087] Each unit also includes a container 6 for storing raw material. These containers 6 can be filled by supplying devices 7. A first supplying device 7a for filling a first container 6a is provided at a first side of the work surface 5, and a supplying device 7b for filling a second container 6b is provided at a second side of the work surface 5. The supplying devices 7 can be filled from the outside with newly added raw material. Furthermore, the supplying devices 7 can receive recovered raw material which has not been consumed in the printing process.

[0088] To fill the containers 6a or 6b of the element 2, the element 2 is moved to the first or second side of the work surface 5. For example, if the element 2 is at the edge of the first side of the work surface 5, the first container 6a can be filled by the first supplying device 7a. The same applies to the second side.

[0089] Two troughs 8 are further provided directly at the edge of the work surface 5 on the first and second sides of the work surface 5. The first recovering device 4a, which is designed as a wiper, wipes the remaining raw material into the first trough 8a when moving over the work surface 5. This trough 8a is connected to the supplying device 7a via a first hose 9a. The hose 9a comprises a pump which also conveys the raw material from the trough 8a to the supplying device 7a. The same applies to the second side.

[0090] The work surface 5 further includes a radiation permeable window which occupies most of the surface. Below the window, a projector 10 is arranged to irradiate the raw material between the window and existing components 11, which is to be added as a new layer to the components 11, in a predetermined pattern, thereby structuring and curing it. Exemplary light beams 10b are shown in the figure. The pattern may be defined, for example, in the form of a mask applied to the projector 10. Alternatively, the pattern may be digitally pre-programmed, for example.

[0091] The pattern can be designed in such a way that the new layer covers only an area of the underside of the previous component ii after printing on the component 11. In a later printing process, another layer can thus also be printed laterally next to an existing layer.

[0092] Several components 11 are attached to a building plate 12. The number of possible attached components 11 depends on the geometry of the components 11 and the building plate 12. In the present example, four components 11 are attached to the building plate 12. The building plate 12 includes an underside with high surface roughness to which the components 11 adhere well. The building plate 12 is arranged parallel to the work surface 5 above it.

[0093] Using a positioning system 13, the building plate 12 with the components 11 can be raised and lowered normal to the work surface 5. For this purpose, the positioning system 13 is positioned centrally above the work surface 5 and vertically to it.

[0094] Furthermore, the 3D printer 1 comprises a cleaning device 14 that can be moved along the undersides of the components 11 by a drive system. Said drive system is therefore positioned parallel to the building plate 12 at a sufficiently large distance above the work surface 5 and in front of or behind the positioning system 13. In this case, the cleaning device 14 is designed as a blade which can scrape unused raw material from the components 11.

[0095] FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the 3D printer 1 in plan view. Between the two troughs 8a and 8b is the work surface 5, which is permeable to radiation. The first trough 8a is connected to the first supplying device 7a by the first tube 9a. The same applies to the second side. Each trough with hose and supplying device is associated with a specific raw material. The raw materials are not mixed during the printing process. Thus, the purity of the raw materials is maintained so that they can be reused in the process.

[0096] The movable element 2 extends over a width B of the work surface 5 required for the printing operation, and includes two dispensers 3a and 3b, two recovering devices 4a and 4b, and two containers 6a and 6b for applying, recovering and storing the two raw materials.

[0097] The movable element 2 can be moved over a length L of the work surface 5 required for the printing process from the first edge with the first trough 8a to the second edge with the second trough 8b. Thus, both the dispensers 3a and 3b and the recovering devices 4a and 4b can cover the entire length L.

[0098] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the first container 6a is filled with new raw material. The element 2 moves from the first to the second side to wipe remaining raw material (shaded area) of the previous printing operation into the second trough 8b and simultaneously apply a second raw material (dotted area) on its right side by the first dispenser 3a.

[0099] Other elements of the 3D printer 1 that are present in the sectional view in FIG. 1 but are located above the work surface 5 are not shown again in FIG. 2 for clarity.

[0100] In an exemplary method, in a first step A, the first dispenser 3a applies a first raw material as previously described onto the work surface 5. The lateral movement of the dispenser 3a over the work surface 5 allows to completely coat the latter with raw material.

[0101] After complete coating by applying the raw material to the work surface, the building plate 12 is lowered by the positioning system 13 (see FIG. 1) in a step B to such an extent that the building plate 12 comes into contact with the raw material applied to the work surface 5 and the distance between the building plate 12 and the work surface 5 corresponds to the desired thickness of the new layer. Excess raw material is displaced here to the edges of the building plate 9 during printing of the first layer.

[0102] Then, in step C, the raw material under the building plate 12 is exposed to radiation from a projector 10 according to a desired pattern or structure. The radiation cures the material by photopolymerizing the organic binder and forms a first layer of components 11 that adheres to the building plate 12. The building plate 12 can now be lifted using the positioning system 13, leaving the majority of the remaining uncured raw material on the work surface 5.

[0103] After lifting the building plate 12 with the components 11 adhering to it, which is shown in FIG. 3., the work surface is completely cleaned of the remaining raw material in step D as previously described by the movable recovering device 4a, which is designed as a wiper in this case. For this purpose, the remaining raw material is pushed, for example, into the trough 8a provided for this purpose. At the same time, new raw material can already be applied from a second dispenser 3b of the same element 2.

[0104] In parallel, in step E, the underside of the newly printed layer is cleaned by traversing the surface of the component ii with the cleaning device 14 (see FIG. 3). The raw material thus recovered is also returned to the associated dispenser 3.

[0105] Once the first layer has been printed and cleaned and the first raw material has been completely removed from the work surface 5, a second and then further layers can be applied to the component 11 by repeating the aforementioned process steps with a different cured structure, if necessary.

[0106] If a different raw material is provided for the second or a further layer and the individual dispensers 3 are designed in individual, separate elements (cf. second embodiment example), the first dispenser 3a is moved to the edge of the associated side of the work surface 5 so that it does not block the further printing process. Instead, a second or alternatively a third dispenser is inserted from a second or third side of the work surface 5 and the entire process is repeated with a further raw material.

[0107] Since then at least one layer of the component 11 already adheres to the building plate 12, in a step F corresponding to step B the component 11 is lowered to such an extent that the distance between the component ii and the work surface 5 corresponds to the thickness of a desired new layer. Excess raw material is now displaced to the edges of the existing layers of the components 11.

[0108] The first raw material is, for example, a ceramic raw material containing an organic binder. The second raw material is, for example, a metallic paste which also contains the organic binder. Further layers may again contain the same or further different raw materials. Each layer can be applied with a different structure or as a different pattern, so that a component with any external geometrical shape and any internal structure can be generated.

[0109] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment example of the 3D printer 1. The second embodiment example is essentially similar to the first embodiment example. However, in contrast to the first embodiment example, the 3D printer 1 now comprises two separate and separately movable elements 2a and 2b. Such an embodiment was also mentioned in the previously described method. Each building element 2 comprises a dispenser 3, a recovering device 4 and a container 6, respectively. A building element 2 is assigned to a raw material, respectively. The two elements 2a and 2b can be moved laterally over the work surface 5 separately and independently of each other.

[0110] For example, the first raw material (hatched) can first be applied from the dispenser 3b to the work surface 5 by moving the building element 2b over the work surface 5 from the trough 8b to the trough 8a. For this purpose, the container 6b of the building element 2b has previously been filled with corresponding raw material by the supplying device 7b. During this process, the element 2a is located motionless at the edge of the work surface 5 to which the trough 8a is attached, so that it does not obstruct the element 2b.

[0111] Once the first raw material has been completely applied, the actual printing process is carried out analogously to steps B, C and E of the first embodiment. The element 2b is located on the side of the trough 8a during the printing process. After printing, the element 2b moves back toward the trough 8b to completely remove the remaining uncured raw material from the work surface 5 by the recovering device 4b.

[0112] Then, in a further step, a second raw material (dotted) can be applied to the work surface 5 by the dispenser 3a of the element 2a analogously to the first raw material. For this purpose, the element 2b moves from the trough 8a to the trough 8b. Such independent elements 2 facilitate above all the integration of further elements 2 for printing with three, four or more raw materials.

[0113] In the present FIG. 4, the second raw material has already been applied to the entire area of the work surface 5 used for the printing process.

[0114] FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment example of the 3D printer 1, which is substantially similar to the previous two embodiment examples. Here, the 3D printer 1 comprises four separate and separately movable elements 2, each comprising dispensers 3, recovering devices 4 and containers 6.

[0115] Other elements of the 3D printer 1 located above the work surface 5 are omitted in FIG. 5 for clarity.

[0116] The third embodiment of the 3D printer differs from the previous embodiments in the following modifications. In addition to the troughs, hoses, and supplying devices on the first and second sides, troughs 8c, 8d, hoses 9c, 9d, and supplying devices 7c, 7d for two additional raw materials are provided on the other two sides of the work surface 5. The printer can thus print with four different raw materials.

[0117] The work surface 5 has a square shape so that the troughs 8a, 8b and elements 2a, 2b are arranged parallel to each other on first and second sides, while the two additional troughs 8c, 8d and elements 2C, 2d are arranged vertically thereto. The two additional troughs and elements are again arranged parallel to each other.

[0118] In the present example, the movable elements 2b, c and d are located at the edge of the work surface 5 next to their respective trough 9b, c and d. These elements are not in active use.

[0119] On the other hand, the element 2a, which has been filled at the first side by the supplying device 7a, moves over the work surface 5 to coat the work surface 5 with a first raw material (dotted).

[0120] FIG. 6 shows schematically an example and of a printed multilayer component 11. Here, the component 11 comprises four vertically stacked planes 15a to 15d, which comprise six layers 16a to 16f. The first and third planes (15a, 15c) from the bottom each comprise two layers (16a, 16b, 16d, 16e). The top layer 16f corresponds to the layer produced first in the printing process. The lowest layers 16a and 16b in the figure were manufactured last in the printing process.

[0121] Component 11 comprises layers of three different materials, which are represented by different hatchings. One of the three materials is a metal, the others are two different polymers or ceramics.

[0122] The boundary between the layers each extends along a planar interface parallel to the outer sides 17 of the component 11. The individual layers may fully encompass a horizontal plane of the component 11, as in the second and fourth layers (16c, 16f) from below in the present component 11, but the layers may also be laterally adjacent to each other as in the first and third planes (15a, 15c) of the component 11.

[0123] The layer thicknesses of the component 11 can vary. The uppermost layer 16f in the component 11 shown is thinner, and the lowermost two layers 16a and 16b are thicker than the other layers of the component 11.

[0124] No further intermediate layers or bonding layers, such as adhesive layers, exist between the layers described.

[0125] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by means of the preferred embodiment examples, the present invention is not restricted by the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived by the skilled person without exceeding the scope of protection of the invention.