EP0431924A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Three-dimensional printing techniques
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1990-12-05
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-12-05
Abstract
Abstract A process for making a component by (A) depositing a first layer of a powder material in a confined region and then (B) depositing a binder material to selected regions of the layer of powder material to produce a layer of bonded powder material at the selected regions. Such steps are repeated a selected number of times to produce successive layers of selected regions of bonded powder material (C) so as to form the desired component (D). The unbonded powder material is then removed (E). In some cases the component may be further processed as, for example, by heating it to further strengthen the bonding thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Emanuel M. Sachs
- 👤 John S. Haggerty
- 👤 Michael J. Cima
- 👤 Paul A. Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:36
CPC Classifications
B; B22; B22F; B22F3/00; B22F3/004; B05; B05C; B05C19/00; B05C19/04; B22F10/00; B22F10/10; B22F10/14; B22F10/50; B28; B28B; B28B1/00; B28B1/001; B29; B29C; B29C41/00; B29C41/006; B29C41/02; B29C41/12; B29C41/34; B29C41/36; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/106; B29C64/112; B29C64/165; B29C67/00; B29C67/02; B29C67/04; B29C67/24; B29C67/242; B29C67/243; B30; B30B; B30B15/00; B30B15/30; B30B15/302; B33; B33Y; B33Y10/00; B33Y40/00; B33Y40/20; B33Y50/00; B33Y50/02; B33Y70/00; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/07; B41J2/075; B41J2/08; B41J2/085; B41J2/09; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/10; H05K3/102; B22F10/20; B22F10/22; B22F10/30; B22F10/36; B22F10/366; B22F12/00; B22F12/22; B22F12/224; B22F12/50; B22F12/53; B22F12/55; B22F2998/00; G; G05; G05B; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49013; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/01; H05K2203/0104; H05K2203/013; H05K2203/05; H05K2203/0502; H05K2203/0522; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/25; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12014; Y10T428/12021
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A process for making a component comprising the steps of (1) depositing a first layer of a powder material in a confined region; (2) applying a binder material to selected regions of said layer of powder material to produce a first layer of bonded powder material at said selected regions; (3) repeating steps (1) and (2) a selected number of times to produce a selected number of successive layers each having selected regions of bonded powder material, said successive layers forming said component; and (4) removing unbonded powder material from said successive layers forming said component.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said binder material is applied as one or more jet streams thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 and further including the step of further processing said selected number of successive layers of bonded powder material to improve the properties of said component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process in accordance with claim 2 and further including the step of further processing said selected number of successive layers of bonded powder material to improve the properties of said component.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process in accordance with claim 3 or 4 wherein said further processing step includes the step of heating said selected number of successive layers of bonded powder material to further strengthen the bonding of said successive layers of bonded powder materials.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said powder material is deposited in a dry state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process in accordance with claim 6 and further including the step of vibrating said dry powder material to settle said powder material as said layers thereof are deposited.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process in accordance with claim 7 wherein said vibrating step is performed by mechanical vibration of said deposited powder material, by applying accoustic energy to said deposited powder material, or by applying a piezoelectric scraper device to said deposited powder material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said powder material is deposited in a liquid vehicle and further including the step of at least partially drying the powder material before applying said binder material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process in accordance with claim 9 wherein said at least partial drying step is performed by applying infra-red or hot air heat to said deposited layer of powder material or by applying microwaves to said deposited layer of powder material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said binder material is applied as a liquid binder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process in accordance with claim 11 wherein said liquid binder is an aqueous solution of binder material or a colloidal suspension of binder particles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process in accordance with claim 11 wherein said liquid binder comprises binder particles entrained in a carrier liquid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said binder material comprises at least two different binder materials, said two different binder materials being applied to at least two different selected regions of said powder material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said binder material is applied as a single jet stream.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said binder material is applied as a plurality of jet streams in at least one array for providing a linear deposition thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein each of said one or more jet streams of binder material is applied as a continuous jet stream thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 where each of said one or more jet streams is applied as a plurality of separate droplets thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said powder material is a ceramic powder or ceramic fiber and said binder material is an inorganic ceramic material, an organic ceramic material, or a metallic material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said powder material is a metal powder and said binder material is a metallic or a ceramic material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said powder material is a plastic material and said binder material is a solvent for said plastic material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process in accordance with claims 1 or 3 wherein said binder material is at least partially hardened after each layer of binder material is applied.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process in accordance with claim 22 wherein said binder material is hardened by applying heat energy thereto after each layer of binder material is applied.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process in accordance with claim 23 wherein said heat energy is applied as infra-red or microwave heat energy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process in accordance with claim 22 wherein said binder material is hardened by chemical reaction.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process in accordance with claim 25 wherein said powder particles are covered with a coating material and said chemical reaction occurs between said binder material and said coating material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process in accordance with claim 25 wherein said powdered material is deposited in a wet state and said chemical reaction occurs between said binder material and the liquid in said wet powdered material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process in accordance with claim 25 and further including the step of supplying a gaseous material to said binder material, said binder material chemically reacting with said gaseous material to form a gelated binder material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.