Extrusion deposition of non-polymers with laser trace

Abstract

A computer controlled additive manufacturing process in which a non-polymer material and a non-polymer liquid binder are combined to form a paste that is extruded into the volume enclosed by the target model after which a laser beam of sufficient energy is guided along the same extrusion path to remove some portion of liquid binder, transition the material from paste form into solid form, and/or bond the material to surrounding material.

Claims

1. A computer controlled additive manufacturing process in which a non-polymer model material consisting of micron sized powder and a non-polymer liquid binder are combined to form a paste that is extruded into the volume enclosed by the target model after which a laser beam of sufficient energy is guided along the same extrusion path to alter the model material's physical properties.

2. The process in claim 1 in which the laser transition action assists in bonding the non-polymer model material in paste form to the surrounding material as its physical properties are altered.

3. The process in claim 1 in which the target model material consists of between 60 and 90 percent micron sized powder combined with 40 to 10 percent liquid binder, by weight, to form the target model material paste.

4. A computer controlled additive manufacturing process in which a non-polymer support structure material consisting of micron sized powder and non-polymer liquid binder combined to form a paste that is extruded into the volume needed to support future model material extrusion after which a laser beam of sufficient energy is guided along the same extrusion path to alter support material's physical properties.

5. The process in claim 4 in which the laser transition action assists in bonding the non-polymer support material in paste form to the surrounding material as its physical properties are altered.

6. The process in claim 4 in which the non-polymer support material consists of between 60 and 90 percent micron sized powder combined with 40 to 10 percent of liquid binder, by weight, to form the target support material paste.

7. A computer controlled additive manufacturing process in which a non-polymer paste is extruded into the volume enclosed by the target model after which a laser beam of sufficient energy is guided along the same extrusion path to alter the physical properties of the previously deposited paste.

8. The process in claim 7 in which the laser energy is sufficient to reduce the liquid content of the deposited paste.

9. The process in claim 7 in which the laser transition action assists in bonding the paste material to the surrounding material as it is altered.

10. The process in claim 7 in which the laser transition action changes the flavor of the previously deposited paste material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1—Multi-tool fabrication machine without any tools installed. The fabrication apparatus 1 consists of an electronics cabinet 2 that contains such items as a power supply, computer, and relays. The electronics cabinet 2 coordinates the movement of the X-Axis 3, Y-Axis 4, and Z-Axis 5. The coordinated motion of the three axes provide controlled relative positioning of the build platform 6 to the tool carriage 7.

[0039] FIG. 2—Extrusion tool 8 and laser tool 9 mounted in the tool carriage 7. The extrusion tool 8 is depositing model material in paste form onto the surface of a partially built model 10.

[0040] FIG. 3—Extrusion of model material in paste form 12 from the material extrusion device 11 through the extrusion nozzle 13 to form a bead of extruded model material 14.

[0041] FIG. 4—Subsequent steps of extrusion then laser trace showing the extruded model material 14 being transformed by the laser tool 9 into cured model material 15.

PROCESS DETAILS

[0042] An apparatus such as the one shown in FIG. 1 can be used to execute this process. It contains an electronics cabinet 2 that houses power regulation components, a computer, and various other electronics for controlling the components of the machine. The electronics control stepper motors that can position the tool carriage 7 in the X-Axis 3, Y-Axis 4, or Z-Axis 5 relative to the build platform 6. FIG. 2 shows what the embodiment of both the extrusion tool 8 and laser tool 9 may look like. The extrusion tool 8 is nothing more than a motorized way of controlling the squeezing of a syringe with model material paste in it through an extrusion nozzle. There are a variety of other ways, such as air pressure, gear pump, or peristaltic pump could be used to push material out of the extrusion nozzle. FIG. 3 demonstrates this concept. The material extrusion device 11 fits into the extrusion tool 8 where model material in paste form 12 is squeezed out of it through an extrusion nozzle 13 to form a bead of extruded model material 14 as the electronics position the tool in accordance with the shape of the desired target model data.

[0043] As seen in FIG. 4, once an extruded model material 14 bead has been formed, and before it is covered with a subsequent bead of material, a laser tool 9 generates a laser beam that traces along the same deposition path to alter the properties of the model material in paste form 14 changing it, in this case, to cure model material 15.

[0044] Once all the material in the layer has been deposited by the extrusion tool 8, and has been traced by the laser tool 9, the tool carriage increments the thickness of one layer in the Z-Axis 5 and the next layer of the partially built model 10 is deposited and traced in the same manner.