阅读说明：本技术 用于三维(3d)打印机的构建材料回收 (Build material recovery for three-dimensional (3D) printers ) 是由 韦斯利·R·沙尔克 贾丝廷·M·罗曼 兰德尔·韦斯特 罗伯特·劳伦斯·温比尔纳 于 2017-07-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：用于三维(3D)打印机的构建材料回收系统可以包括：选择性固化装置,用于使用构建材料创建3D物体；构建处理装置,用于将3D物体从未熔合的构建材料中分离；材料分离与调节装置,用于调节未熔合的构建材料；以及材料存储装置,用于存储所调节的构建材料。(A build material recovery system for a three-dimensional (3D) printer may include: a selective solidification device to create a 3D object using build material; build processing means for separating the 3D object from unfused build material; a material separation and conditioning device for conditioning unfused build material; and a material storage device for storing the conditioned build material.)

1. A build material recovery system for a three-dimensional (3D) printer, comprising:

a selective solidification device to create a 3D object using build material;

build processing means for separating the 3D object from unfused build material;

a material separation and conditioning device for conditioning the unfused build material; and

a material storage device for storing the conditioned build material.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising the build processing apparatus to:

separating the 3D object from unfused build material using a gas flow to extract the unfused build material from the selective solidification module; and

transporting the unfused build material to the material separation and conditioning device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising the build processing apparatus to:

separating the 3D object from unfused build material using vibration to extract the unfused build material from the selective solidification module; and

transporting the unfused build material to the material separation and conditioning device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising the material separation and conditioning device to:

separating the unfused build material from air;

removing particles whose size exceeds a threshold; and

conditioning the unfused build material prior to delivery to the material storage device or a selective solidification device.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising the material separation and conditioning device to:

separating the unfused build material from air;

removing contaminants from the unfused build material; and

conditioning the unfused build material prior to delivery to the material storage device or a selective solidification device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising the material separation and conditioning device to condition the unfused build material using at least one of cooling, deionizing, deagglomerating, humidifying, and drying the unfused build material.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transfer device to transfer the conditioned build material from the material storage device to the selective solidification device for a different 3D object.

8. A method of build material recycling for a three-dimensional (3D) printer, comprising:

selectively curing the 3D object using the build material;

separating the 3D object from unfused build material;

preparing the unfused build material comprising, repeatedly:

conditioning the unfused build material;

classifying the unfused build material; and

removing contaminants from the unfused build material; and

in response to reaching the threshold preparation state, the prepared build material is transferred to a material storage device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transporting the prepared build material from the material storage device for selective curing of different 3D objects.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising mixing the prepared build material with fresh build material during transport.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

collecting waste material after sorting and removing contaminants from the unfused build material.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising transferring the conditioned build material from the material storage device to the selective solidification device for use in the 3D object.

13. A build material recovery system for a three-dimensional (3D) printer, comprising:

a selective solidification device to create a 3D object using build material;

build processing means for separating the 3D object from unfused build material;

a material separation and conditioning device for:

conditioning the unfused build material;

removing contaminants from the unfused build material; and

removing build material having a size that exceeds a threshold value from the unfused build material; and

a transmission device for:

transferring the separated and conditioned build material to a material storage device for storage;

mixing the conditioned build material with fresh build material in a specific ratio; and

delivering the mixed conditioned build material and fresh build material to the selective solidification device to create different 3D objects.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a 3D object recovery zone for 3D object recovery after separation of unfused material.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the system is integrated within the 3D printer.

Background

Three-dimensional (3D) printers can be used to create different 3D objects. The 3D printer may utilize additive manufacturing techniques to create the 3D object. For example, the 3D printer may deposit material in successive layers in a selective curing device of the 3D printer to create the 3D object. The material may be selectively fused or otherwise cured to form a continuous layer of the 3D object.

Drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a method of build material recycling for a 3D printer consistent with the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a build material recovery system for a 3D printer consistent with the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 illustrates another example of a method of build material recycling for a 3D printer consistent with the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Some 3D printers may utilize build material to create 3D objects. The build material may be in powder and/or granular form. The 3D printer may apply build material in successive layers in a selective curing device to create a 3D object. The build material may be selectively fused or cured, and the next successive layer of build material may be applied to the selective curing device.

As used herein, the term "3D printer" may refer, for example, to a device that may create a physical 3D object during a build process of the 3D printer, in some examples, the 3D printer may utilize a 3D digital model to create the 3D object. The 3D printer may create the 3D object by depositing build material, such as powder, and binder material or fusing agent, for example, in a selective curing device of the 3D printer. As used herein, the term "selective curing device" may, for example, refer to an area of a 3D printer in which a 3D object may be created. For example, the build material may be selectively cured within the build chamber by a selective curing device. The build chamber may be an area in which the 3D object is formed. Build material may be deposited in successive layers in a selective solidification device to create a 3D object. In some examples, the 3D printer may utilize powder bed fusion and other types of 3D printing to create the 3D object. For example, "selective curing" may refer to different types of 3D printing (and curing of 3D objects, such as, for example, selective heat sintering, selective laser sintering, adhesive jet curing, stereolithography, digital light processing, heat fusing and fusing agents, selective laser melting, electron beam melting, or laminate object manufacturing, among others.

In some examples, not all of the build material supplied to the selective solidification device of the 3D printer may be utilized during the build process of the 3D object in the 3D printer. For example, the build material supplied to the selective solidification device may form part of the 3D object or may be used during a 3D printing process without being solidified. For example, occasional build material may be air-borne and/or may fall outside the area of the build platform during the build process, and/or excess build material may be left behind at the end of the build process. When recovered from the selective solidification apparatus, incidental and/or excess build material may be reused during the same build process and/or in subsequent build processes. As used herein, incidental and/or excess build material may be referred to as "unfused or uncured build material.

Some methods of recovering unfused build material include removing containers (e.g., "build units") containing 3D objects, and manually removing unfused build material. For example, a user may manually screen build and unfused build material to remove 3D objects from the unfused build material. Unfused build material may be manually placed elsewhere for future build use or disposal.

Build material recycling according to the present disclosure may include a build material recycling system for a 3D printer integrated within the 3D printer. For example, some examples may include recycling unfused build material during and/or after a build process, recycling the recycled build material, and providing the recycled build material to a selective solidification device of a 3D printer for use in an ongoing or subsequent build process. The building material recovery system can recycle and condition the unfused build material for use in the build process or store it for future use.

Such examples may reduce the amount of lost build material, contaminated build material (e.g., contaminated with bugs, hair, other build material, etc.), and human contact with build material. Further, examples that include conditioning the build material may result in an improved condition of the recycled build material, resulting in an improved 3D object.

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a method 100 of build material recycling for 3D printers consistent with the present disclosure. At 102 and 104, recycled build material and/or fresh build material may be loaded into the selective consolidation apparatus to create a 3D object at 106. For example, a mixture of build materials may be loaded into a selective solidification device. The mixing may range from 100% fresh build material to 100% recycled build material with a gradient between the two.

As used herein, recycled build material includes build material recovered from a previous or current selective solidification process, and fresh build material includes new build material that is not a result of the recovery and/or recycling. Selective curing may include using mixed recycled and fresh build material, using only fresh build material, or using only recycled build material. For example, a particular blend ratio may be required for a particular 3D object. Example mixing ratios may include, but are not limited to: 100% fresh, 0% recycle; 20% fresh, 80% recycled; and 0% fresh, 100% recycle.

At 106, the 3D object may be created using selective curing, such as, for example, selective heat sintering, selective laser sintering, adhesive jet curing, stereolithography, digital light processing, hot melt/fused deposition modeling, selective laser melting, electron beam melting, laminate object manufacturing, and the like.

At 108, unfused build material may be extracted from the selective solidification device. For example, unfused build material may be separated from the 3D object by a build processing apparatus. In some examples, the build processing apparatus may separate the 3D object from the unfused build material using air flow and/or vibration to extract the unfused build material from the selective solidification module. For example, the gas flow and/or vibration may last for a period of time throughout the extraction process.

In some examples, the separating may include a situation where little air passes through the selective solidification device and/or the holes at the bottom of the 3D printed object recycling area. For example, the apertures may allow unfused build material to flow from the selective solidification device and/or the 3D printed object recovery zone, but the airflow may not pass until separation is complete. With respect to vibration, the vibration causes unfused build material to move around, causing it to enter the hole and be pulled back through the transport device. The unfused build material may be transferred to a material separation and conditioning device.

The 3D object may be recovered at 110. For example, a 3D object (which may also be referred to as a printed object) may be retrieved from a 3D printed object recovery zone. The 3D printed object recycling area may include a container that holds the 3D object. It may have a lid for the user to lift to access the 3D object, and in some examples, the 3D printed object recovery area may include task lighting and tools for cleaning the 3D object. In some cases, the 3D printed object recycling area may include a platform that automatically raises to present the 3D printed object. In some examples, the 3D printed object recovery zone may include an air flow or vacuum source to collect unfused build material.

At 112, unfused build material may be separated from air using a material separation and conditioning device. In some examples, the separation may include cyclonic separation or blow/settling tank separation, or the like. For example, for a portion of the material cycle, unfused build material may be transported in an air stream. In such examples, unfused build material from the selective solidification device and/or the 3D printed object recovery zone may be conveyed pneumatically. To recover the unfused build material, the air/build material mixture may be separated.

After separation, waste may be collected at 114. In some examples, particles may remain in the air stream. In such examples, a filter may be used to achieve the desired separation (e.g., complete separation). Those removed particles may be waste that is trapped in the filter and, therefore, eventually do not enter the recycled build material. For example, a screen, which may include a screen, may process the recycled build material. What remains on the screen is waste, while what passes through can be used as recycled building material. For example, examples of waste left on the screen may include impurities such as fibers or hair.

The material separation and conditioning device may condition unfused build material at 116, 118, and/or 124. Unfused build material can be adjusted to improve the condition of the unfused build material and increase efficiency in subsequent or the same build processes. Conditioning types 1, 2, and 3 may be the same or different conditioning types, and may include, for example, cooling the build material, de-ionizing the build material, and adding or removing humidity from the build material, among others. The adjustment may result in desired properties of the unfused build material, such as a desired size, shape, consistency, and/or a neutral state (e.g., without static electricity). In some examples, these properties may be specified for a particular 3D object.

At 120, the material separation and conditioning device may sort and/or remove contaminants from the unfused build material. Classification may include, for example, removing particles within a particular size of unfused build material. In other words, particles in unfused build material that exceed a threshold (e.g., too large or too small) may be removed. Particles that exceed the threshold may be undesirable, such that they may result in a defective build if used in a build process. In some examples, a sieve may be used to separate desired particles from undesired particles during classification. In some examples, multiple screens may be used. For example, different screen sizes may be used to separate different particle sizes. At 122, particles that exceed the threshold may be collected and/or removed as waste.

The adjustments at 116, 118, 124 and the sorting and/or contaminant removal at 120 may occur in different orders, and in some examples may not occur in the order shown in fig. 1. Although three types of conditioning and one type of classification and contaminant removal are shown in fig. 1, more or fewer types of conditioning, classification, and/or contaminant removal may be utilized. The combination of adjustments, classification, and/or contaminant removal may be determined based on which combination results in the most efficient build process (e.g., desired state, size, texture, etc. of the build material).

At 126, after conditioning and/or contaminant removal, the unfused build material may be transferred to a material storage device for storage of the unfused build material. The material storage means may comprise, for example, a container or hopper or material box to feed the selective curing means for the 3D object.

Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a build material recovery system 230 for a 3D printer consistent with the present disclosure. In some examples, system 230 may be integrated within a 3D printer. For example, the system 230 may be at least partially contained within a housing of a 3D printer. In some examples, fresh and/or recycled build material and reagents may be loaded into the system 230 (e.g., via a cassette), and 3D objects, waste, unused build material, cassettes, containers, hoppers, or other products may come out of the 3D printer. Other products, waste, etc. may be collected and contained in the system 230 and the 3D printer containing system 230.

System 230 may include a selective curing device 234 for creating a 3D object using build material. The selective curing device 234 may include carriages 256-1, 256-2 and a third carriage (not shown in fig. 2) for creating the 3D object, as well as a reagent kit 240 (e.g., a color reagent kit, a thermal reagent kit, etc.). The third carriage may operate substantially perpendicular to carriages 256-1 and 256-2. The carriages 256-1 and 256-2 may be in series with each other and may operate on the same track. In some examples, carriages 256-1 and 256-2 may work with a third carriage to create a 3D object. The third carriage may include an applicator for applying build material during selective curing. The carriers may be supplied with build material from material storage devices 252 and 254 and reagents may be supplied from reagent cartridges 240 via reagent delivery system 238 for a selective curing process.

Carriage 256-1 may drop build material (e.g., material supplied from material storage devices 252 and 254), and carriage 256-2 may house a printhead for applying reagents supplied from reagent cartridge 240. Carriages 256-1 and 256-2 and a third carriage may work in concert to fuse build material layer by layer until the 3D object is complete. For example, carriage 256-1 may heat and coat the layer of build material while carriage 256-2 prints onto the powder. During selective solidification, certain build materials may not absorb energy, thereby rendering them unfused (e.g., loose, uncured, powdered, etc.). Upon completion of the 3D object, unfused build material may be recycled for future build or storage. In some examples, during selective solidification, unfused build material may be recovered and used in the current build (e.g., in-job recycling). In some examples, the reclamation may be automatic such that reclamation may be performed with limited or no user input and/or with limited or no prompting.

In some examples, the selective curing device may be enclosed during the selective curing process, and a gas flow or vacuum source may be present. In such examples, unfused (e.g., airborne) build material may be collected by an air flow or vacuum source for use in a current selective curing process and/or a future selective curing process.

The system 230 may include a fresh build material cartridge 248 and a recycled build material cartridge 232. An example build material cartridge 250 is shown external to the system 230. Fresh build material cartridge 246 may contain fresh build material that is supplied to storage device 252. The recycled material cartridge 232 may contain recycled build material that is fed to one of two recycled material storage devices 254-1. Another recycled material storage device 254-2 may be fed directly from build processing device 242 and material separation and conditioning device 244. Although two recycled material storage devices 254 and one fresh material storage device 252 are shown, there may be more or fewer. When a build material cartridge 246, 232 has a low level of build material, the remainder may be deposited into its respective build material storage device 252, 254-1, and the now empty build material cartridge may be replaced with a full build material cartridge, such as cartridge 250. This may prevent system 230 from depleting build material in the middle of the selective curing process. In some examples, build material in the build material storage 254 may be loaded into a material cartridge, such as the cartridge 250, for use in other systems, 3D printers, or 3D objects or stored for future build. In some cases, the build material cartridges 246, 232 may be completely emptied into the material storage devices 252 and 254-1, respectively.

The user may collect the 3D object from the 3D printed object recycling area 236. For example, the 3D printed object recycling area 236 may be an area where a 3D object is placed when completed, and a user may dust the 3D object, view and inspect the 3D object, and so on. In some examples, the base of the 3D printed object recycling region 236 may have holes to pass unfused build material for the build material recycling process. The 3D printed object reclaim zone 236 can be closed until the 3D object is completed and the lid is lifted manually or automatically.

After the 3D object is created, build processing device 242 may be used to separate the 3D object from unfused build material. Build processing device 242 may use air flow and/or vibration to extract unfused build material from selective curing module 234 and/or 3D printed object recovery area 236. For example, air, vibration, or a combination of the two may be used to pull loose, unfused build material away from the 3D object. In some examples, build processing device 242 may subsequently transfer unfused build material to material separation and conditioning device 244.

Material separation and conditioning device 244 may separate unfused build material from air, remove particles above a threshold size, remove contaminants from unfused build material, and/or condition unfused build material prior to delivery to material storage device 254 or selective solidification device 234 or material cartridge 232. Conditioning may include, for example, cooling, deionizing, deagglomerating (e.g., crushing, grinding, etc.), humidifying, and/or drying the build material, etc.

Material storage 254 may store the conditioned build material. A doser at the bottom of each of build material storage devices 252, 254 may be used to feed the build in selective solidification device 234 through transport 248. For example, system 230 may include a transport device 248 that may be used as a build material delivery system to transport build material throughout system 230. The build material may be pneumatically transported through the system 230. For example, system 230 may include a pneumatic system for transporting build material between build material storage devices 252 and 254, and another pneumatic system for separating and extracting unfused build material and having a vacuum function that includes drawing air through holes in 3D print recovery area 236 or build processing device 242 during separation of fused and unfused build material.

The term "pneumatic" may for example refer to the use of a gas that can be pressurized to work precisely on a body. For example, pressurized gas may be used to move build material from one location to another location in a 3D printer. The pressurized gas may be used to move build material in a conduit included in the 3D printer. The conduit may be part of a build material delivery system 248. As used herein, the term "gas" may, for example, refer to a substance that expands to fill the available space. In some examples, the gas may be a mixture of gases.

In some examples, transport 248 may transport conditioned, separated, decontaminated, and/or mixed build material from material storage 254 to selective curing device 234 for different builds or storage in material cartridge 232. For example, build material may be transferred to a third carriage to be coated during selective curing. The transfer means may comprise, for example, a pneumatic system as described above.

In some examples, transport 248 may be used to mix recycled build material from material storage 254 with fresh build material from material storage 252. For example, the dosers at the bottom of material storage devices 254 and 252 may dose a particular amount (e.g., by volume, mass, etc.) of build material at approximately the same time, such that the build material may mix during delivery to selective solidification device 234. As used herein, substantially simultaneously may include ingredients without meaningful interruption or within a particular margin, range, and/or threshold time. Mixing may be carried out in a specific ratio, for example, mixing with 80% recycle and 20% fresh. However, examples are not limited thereto. The build material used in the 3D object may be all fresh, all recycled, or a combination of both. The particular proportions may differ based on, for example, user preference, type of 3D object, and/or availability of build material, etc.

The system 230 and 3D printer housing may be a closed system comprising: removable components, such as build material cartridges 246 and 232, build material storage devices 252 and 254, and other portions of system 230, including filters, screens, reagents, and kits, portions of build processing device 242, portions of material separation and conditioning device 244, portions of selective curing device 234, portions of 3D printed object recovery zone 236, and portions of transport device 248, among other components. For example, these components may be removed for cleaning and/or repair, or to replace build material.

Fig. 3 illustrates another example of a method 360 of build material recycling for a 3D printer consistent with the present disclosure. In some examples, method 360 may be performed automatically. As used herein, automatically may include performing method 360 with limited or no user input and/or limited or no prompting.

At 362, the method 360 may include selectively curing the 3D object using the build material. For example, the build material may be a mixture of recycled and fresh build material, and at 364, method 360 may include separating the 3D object from unfused build material, in some examples, curing the 3D object may include using a particular ratio of recycled and fresh build material, and in some examples may include using only one of these types of build material. In some examples, unfused build material may be separated using a build processing device and/or a material separation and conditioning device.

At 366, the method 360 can include preparing an unfused build material. Preparing the unfused build material may include iteratively conditioning the unfused build material at 368, sorting the unfused build material at 370, and removing contaminants from the unfused build material at 372. For example, unfused build material may be conditioned, classified, and/or decontaminated until a desired threshold state (e.g., size, shape, texture, consistency, etc.) of the build material is met. In some examples, the waste material may be collected after sorting and removing contaminants from unfused build material. For example, contaminants found in the build material may be removed as waste.

At 374, the method 360 may include transferring the prepared build material to a material storage device in response to reaching a threshold preparation state. For example, once a desired threshold state is met, the prepared build material may be transported by a transport device for selective curing of different 3D objects or the same 3D object. In some examples, the prepared build material may be mixed with fresh build material during transport.

As used herein, "logic" is an alternative or additional processing resource that performs the particular actions and/or elements described herein. Logic may comprise hardware. The hardware may include processing resources such as circuitry that is distinct from machine-readable instructions on a machine-readable medium. Further, as used herein, "a" thing may refer to one or more of such things. For example, "widget" may refer to one widget or a plurality of widgets.

The figures follow a numbering convention in which the first digit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and the remaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing. Similar elements or components between different figures may be identified by the use of similar digits. For example, 102 may reference element "02" in FIG. 1, and similar elements may reference element 202 in FIG. 2.

The above specification, examples and data provide a description of the method and use of the method and system of the present disclosure. Since many examples can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the systems and methods of the present disclosure, this specification sets forth only some of the many possible example configurations and implementations.