公开(公告)号：US20040081573A1

公开(公告)日：2004-04-29

申请号：US10279141

申请日：2002-10-23

Applicant: 3D SYSTEMS, INC.

Inventor： Kenneth J. Newell

IPC: C22C029/00

CPC classification number: B22F3/26 ,  B22F1/0003 ,  B22F1/0059 ,  B22F3/1125 ,  B22F2998/10 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  Y02P10/295 ,  B22F3/1055

Abstract: A method of fabricating an article, such as a prototype part or a tooling for injection molding, by way of selective laser sintering, using a composite powder system of a metal and/or ceramic powder with a polymer binder comprising thermoplastics and thermoset polymers, and a metal hydride powder to form a nullgreennull article. After removal of unfused material from the green article it is placed in an oven or furnace in a non-reactive atmosphere such as, for example, nitrogen or argon, for subsequent heat treatment to decompose and drive off the binder and sinter the metal substrate particles prior to infiltration by a metal with a lower melting point. During the critical step of decomposing the binders, the metal hydride begins to decompose also and releases an in-situ concentration of hydrogen gas that creates the reducing conditions necessary to thoroughly decompose the polymer fragments so that the hydrocarbon fragments can escape the skeleton structure of the article. It has been found that even with higher loadings of binders, leading to higher desired green strengths, the decomposition of the metal hydride eliminates the blistering phenomena associated with high loadings of some binders.

Abstract translation: 使用包含热塑性塑料和热固性聚合物的聚合物粘合剂的金属和/或陶瓷粉末的复合粉末系统，通过选择性激光烧结制造制品的原型部件或注模成型工具的方法，以及 金属氢化物粉末以形成“绿色”制品。 在从绿色制品中除去未熔融的材料之后，将其放置在非反应性气氛例如氮气或氩气的烘箱或炉中，用于随后的热处理以分解和驱除粘合剂并烧结金属基材颗粒 在由具有较低熔点的金属渗透之前。 在分解粘合剂的关键步骤期间，金属氢化物也开始分解并释放原位浓度的氢气，其产生彻底分解聚合物片段所需的还原条件，使得烃片段可以逸出 文章。 已经发现，即使具有较高的粘合剂负载量，导致更高的所需绿色强度，金属氢化物的分解消除了与一些粘合剂的高负荷相关的起泡现象。

公开(公告)号：US20040182202A1

公开(公告)日：2004-09-23

申请号：US10791079

申请日：2004-03-02

Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.

Inventor： Brad Geving ,  Kris Alan Schmidt ,  Kenneth J. Newell

IPC: C22C029/08

CPC classification number: C22C33/02 ,  B22F2003/248 ,  B22F2998/10 ,  B22F2999/00 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  Y02P10/295 ,  B22F3/1055 ,  B22F3/26 ,  B22F3/24 ,  B22F2202/03

Abstract: A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.

公开(公告)号：US20040183226A1

公开(公告)日：2004-09-23

申请号：US10815510

申请日：2004-04-01

Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.

Inventor： Kenneth J. Newell ,  Stephen A. Ruatta ,  John S. Stockwell

IPC: B29C071/02

CPC classification number: B29C64/40 ,  B29C64/20 ,  B33Y40/00

Abstract: A method for removing supports from a three-dimensional objected formed by selective deposition modeling. The three-dimensional object is formed from a curable phase change material and the supports are formed from a non-curable phase change material. The curable phase change material contains between about 5% to about 25% of a non-reactive wax in order to achieve the desired phase change characteristics of the material. When removing the supports with heat, discoloration undesirably occurs in the three-dimensional object as the non-reactive wax migrates within the object. The method prevents wax migration by cooling the object slowly past the freezing point of the build material such that a temperature differential no greater than about 5null C. is present within the object. With the preferred build material having a freezing point of about 49.5null C., this is achieved by lowering the temperature between about 62null C. to about 52null C. over a period of between about 5 to about 10 minutes so that the temperature of the regions of the object remain substantially equal as the freezing point is crossed during cooling.

Abstract translation: 一种通过选择性沉积建模形成的三维物体去除载体的方法。 三维物体由可固化相变材料形成，并且载体由不可固化的相变材料形成。 可固化相变材料含有约5％至约25％的非反应性蜡，以达到所需材料的相变特性。 当用热量去除载体时，随着非反应性蜡在物体内迁移，三维物体中出现不希望的变色。 该方法通过将物体缓慢地冷却到建筑材料的凝固点来防止蜡迁移，使得物体内存在不大于约5℃的温度差。 使用优选的构建材料具有约49.5℃的凝固点，这是通过在约5-约10分钟的时间内将温度降低至约62℃至约52℃来实现的，使得温度 当冷却期间凝固点交叉时，物体的区域保持基本相等。

公开(公告)号：US20030067098A1

公开(公告)日：2003-04-10

申请号：US10084726

申请日：2002-02-25

Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.

Inventor： Kenneth J. Newell ,  Kris Alan Schmidt ,  Michael Thomas Sherwood

IPC: B06B001/02 ,  B29C071/02

CPC classification number: B29C64/40 ,  B29C64/20 ,  B33Y40/00

Abstract: A method for removing supports from a three-dimensional object formed by solid freeform fabrication. The three-dimensional object and support structure both contain a phase change component in order to achieve the desired phase change characteristics needed for dispensing the material. The method prevents the phase change material within the three-dimensional object from migrating within the object during post processing to remove the support structure.

Abstract translation: 一种用于通过固体自由形成制造形成的三维物体去除载体的方法。 三维物体和支撑结构都包含相变成分，以实现分配材料所需的期望的相变特性。 该方法防止在后处理期间三维物体内的相变材料在物体内迁移以移除支撑结构。

公开(公告)号：US20040226405A1

公开(公告)日：2004-11-18

申请号：US10868710

申请日：2004-06-14

Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.

Inventor： Brad Geving ,  Kris Alan Schmidt ,  Kenneth J. Newell

IPC: C22C001/10

CPC classification number: C22C33/02 ,  B22F2003/248 ,  B22F2998/10 ,  B22F2999/00 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  Y02P10/295 ,  B22F3/1055 ,  B22F3/26 ,  B22F3/24 ,  B22F2202/03

Abstract: A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.

公开(公告)号：US20040184944A1

公开(公告)日：2004-09-23

申请号：US10394312

申请日：2003-03-19

Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.

Inventor： Brad Geving ,  Kris Alan Schmidt ,  Kenneth J. Newell

IPC: B22F003/00

CPC classification number: C22C33/02 ,  B22F2003/248 ,  B22F2998/10 ,  B22F2999/00 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  Y02P10/295 ,  B22F3/1055 ,  B22F3/26 ,  B22F3/24 ,  B22F2202/03

Abstract: A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.

Abstract translation: 提供用于激光烧结的粉末混合物和形成坚韧，坚固，耐磨，耐腐蚀的渗透金属产品的方法。 粉末混合物包括钢合金，聚合物粘合剂和高熔点微细颗粒，它们共混在一起，然后逐层地施加到激光烧结体系中的工作表面，一次暴露一层以将粉末熔合在一起直到 形成高强度的绿色部分，然后将绿色部分在非还原性气体气氛中在有效温度下浸入有效期。 优选的钢是低碳钢。

公开(公告)号：US20020195747A1

公开(公告)日：2002-12-26

申请号：US10052506

申请日：2002-01-17

Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.

Inventor： Charles W. Hull ,  Kenneth J. Newell

IPC: B29C035/08 ,  B29C041/02

CPC classification number: B22F3/008 ,  B22F1/0074 ,  B29C35/00 ,  B29C41/12 ,  B29C64/106 ,  B29C64/124 ,  B29C64/153 ,  B29K2105/0094 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y70/00

Abstract: A method of applying highly viscous paste-like build materials in layers in a solid freeform fabrication apparatus to form three-dimensional objects. A viscosity modifier is first introduced into the build material to establish a low viscosity state and then the material is dispensed in layers on a working surface. The viscosity modifier is then removed from the build material preferably by evaporation, and the layer is selectively solidified to form the three-dimensional object. The method substantially eliminates the undesirable effects of induced shear stress imposed on lower layers when attempting to apply uniform layers of highly viscous materials in solid freeform fabrication techniques. The method allows for the use of highly viscous paste-like materials that can include upwards of 50% by weight of metallic, ceramic, mineral, or polymer powders. Preferably the binder is a photocurable resin or thermocurable material which is selectively solidified to form the three-dimensional objects.

Abstract translation: 一种在固体自由形成制造装置中在层中施加高粘度糊状构建材料以形成三维物体的方法。 首先将粘度调节剂引入构建材料中以建立低粘度状态，然后将材料分层分散在工作表面上。 然后优选通过蒸发从构建材料中除去粘度调节剂，并且该层选择性地固化以形成三维物体。 当试图在固体自由形成制造技术中施加均匀的高粘度材料层时，该方法基本上消除了施加在较低层上的诱导剪切应力的不期望的影响。 该方法允许使用高粘度的糊状材料，其可以包含高达50重量％的金属，陶瓷，矿物或聚合物粉末。 优选地，粘合剂是可光固化树脂或可热固化材料，其被选择性地固化以形成三维物体。