3m Innovative Properties Company

Carsten Franke

Robert L W Smithson

Malte Korten

Negus B Adefris

Brian D Goers

Brian A Shukla

Olester Benson, Jr

Jayshree Seth

John P Baetzold

Michael A Kropp

Thomas J Anderson

Serkan Yurt

Klaus Hintzer

Kenneth L Smith

Moses Mekala David

Ta-Hua Yu

David F Slama

Gallus Schechner

Helmar B Mayr

Joseph C Dingeldein

Michael F Weber

Shandon Dee Hart

Richard John Pokorny

Ahmed Salih Abuelyaman

Daniel J Skamser

James D Hansen

Robin Edgar Wright

Bradley Dene Craig

Steven J Keipert

Adrian S Eckert

Michael Jahns

Bryan C Feisel

Gioacchino Raia

Christian A Richter

Mark B O'Neill

Bruce E Tait

Timothy D Dunbar

Thomas J Ludemann

Michael C Dadalas

Elizaveta Y Plotnikov

Michael C Harper

Alexander J Huffman

Maiken Givot

Sebastian F Zehentmaier

Brent R Hansen

Michael S Berger

Jeffrey N Bartow

Jay Arthur Esch

Fee Zentis

Gabriele H Gottschalk-Gaudig

Karen J Calverley

Lucas D Crestik

Setareh Niknezhad

Daniel S Bates

Jesse R Behnke

Bastian P Kirchner

Zeba Parkar

Jeffrey A Peterson

Bert T Chien

Kevin B Newhouse

Joan M Strobel

Bernd Gangnus

Anja Friedrich

Huiwen Tai

Gregory A Kobussen

Xuan Jiang

Tianyu Wu

John F Van Derlofske, Iii

Chris J Tanley

Brent A Hedding

Bernhard Hofmann

Timothy J Edman

Terence A Lee

Andreas M Geldmacher

Per Miles Nelson

Chiu Ping Wong

Robert Leland Wee Smithson

Wolfgang Neumann

Ellen R Bösl

Michael L Smith

Kyle Taggart

Stanley T Mann

Meghan A Bradley

Ronald L Holmes

Donovan C Karg, Jr

Mark T Reed

Olester Benson

Robert LW Smithson

The present disclosure provides a method for building a three-dimensional object using a printable composition including high viscosity polymerizable components. The method includes the steps of a) providing a printable composition comprising a high viscosity polymerizable component and a temporary solvent; b) selectively curing the printable composition to form an article representing the shape of the three-dimensional object; and c) removing a substantial amount of the temporary solvent from the article. The method is particularly well suited to making an orthodontic clear tray aligner. Also disclosed are a variety of printable compositions including high viscosity polymerizable components, such as polyurethane methacrylates, and temporary solvents.

Printable compositions including highly viscous components and methods of creating 3D articles therefrom

A method of forming a vitreous bond abrasive article is presented that includes receiving, by a manufacturing device having one or more processors, a digital object comprising data specifying a plurality of layers of a vitreous bond abrasive article precursor. The vitreous bond abrasive article precursor includes abrasive particles bonded together by a vitreous bond precursor material and an organic compound. The vitreous bond abrasive article precursor further comprises at least one of: at least one tortuous cooling channel extending at least partially through the vitreous bond abrasive article precursor or at least one arcuate cooling channel extending at least partially through the vitreous bond abrasive article precursor. The method also includes generating, with the manufacturing device by an additive manufacturing process, the vitreous bond abrasive article precursor based on the digital object.

Vitreous bonded abrasive articles and methods of manufacture thereof

Continuous additive manufacturing apparatuses are provided. An apparatus includes an actinic radiation-transparent substrate having a major surface and an irradiation source configured to direct actinic radiation through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate at predetermined dosages at predetermined locations. The apparatus further includes a means for depositing a composition onto the major surface of the actinic radiation-transparent substrate and a means for conveying the actinic radiation-transparent substrate or the irradiation source with respect to each other.

Continuous additive manufacturing apparatus

A continuous method of manufacturing adhesives is provided. The method includes obtaining an actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition disposed on a major surface of an actinic radiation-transparent substrate and irradiating a first portion of the actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate for a first irradiation dosage. The method further includes moving the actinic radiation-transparent substrate and irradiating a second portion of the actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate for a second irradiation dosage. Optionally, the method also includes irradiating a third portion of the actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate prior to moving the substrate. The first irradiation dosage and the third irradiation dosage are often not the same, thereby forming an integral adhesive having a variable thickness in an axis normal to the actinic radiation-transparent substrate.

Continuous additive manufacturing methods

Methods of making metal bond abrasive articles via powder bed jetting are disclosed. Metal bond abrasive articles prepared by the method include abrasive articles having arcuate or tortuous cooling channels, abrasive segments, abrasive wheels, and rotary dental tools.

Methods of making metal bond abrasive articles and metal bond abrasive articles

A radiation curable composition including at least one radiation hardenable component, a photo-initiator, and a filler material having a population of particulates in an amount greater than or equal to 50% by weight of the printable composition. The population of particulates exhibits a median diameter (D50) of greater than or equal to 0.3 micrometer on a volume-average basis as determined using the Particle Size Test Method, and the radiation curable composition exhibits a viscosity of less than or equal to 150 Pa s when measured using the Viscosity Test Method. A method, apparatus, and systems for producing composite articles by selectively exposing a portion of the radiation curable composition to a source of actinic radiation to at least partially cure the exposed portion of the radiation curable composition, thereby forming a hardened layer, preferably by an additive manufacturing process such as stereophotolithography, are also described. The composite articles may include composite dental restorations.

Radiation curable compositions and composite articles made using an additive manufacturing process

A device for progressively building up an object from a light hardenable material. The device has a perforated build platform for the object. The build platform forms a build surface that faces a light source. The build platform and the light source are positionable relative to each other by computer control. The device is further configured for supplying the light hardenable material through the perforation of the build platform for building up the object. The invention enables the making of colored objects by stereolithography.

Device and method for progressively building up an object from a light hardenable material

A method of making an adhesive is provided, including obtaining an actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition disposed against a surface of an actinic radiation-transparent substrate and irradiating a first portion of the actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate for a first irradiation dosage. The method further includes irradiating a second portion of the actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate for a second irradiation dosage. The first portion and the second portion are adjacent to or overlapping with each other and the first irradiation dosage and the second irradiation dosage are not the same. The method forms an integral adhesive having a variable thickness in an axis normal to the surface of the actinic radiation-transparent substrate. Also, an adhesive article is provided, including a substrate having a major surface and an integral adhesive disposed on the major surface of the substrate. Further, methods are provided, including receiving, by a manufacturing device having one or more processors, a digital object comprising data specifying an article; and generating, with the manufacturing device by an additive manufacturing process, the article based on the digital object. A system is provided, including a display that displays a 3D model of an article; and one or more processors that, in response to the 3D model selected by a user, cause a 3D printer to create a physical object of an article.

Additive manufacturing methods for adhesives and adhesive articles

A method of making an adhesive is provided, including obtaining an actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition disposed against a surface of an actinic radiation-transparent substrate and irradiating a first portion of the actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate for a first irradiation dosage. The method further includes irradiating a second portion of the actinic radiation-polymerizable adhesive precursor composition through the actinic radiation-transparent substrate for a second irradiation dosage. The first portion and the second portion are adjacent to or overlapping with each other and the first irradiation dosage and the second irradiation dosage are not the same. The method forms an integral adhesive having a variable thickness in an axis normal to the surface of the actinic radiation-transparent substrate. Also, an adhesive article is provided, including a substrate having a major surface and an integral adhesive disposed on the major surface of the substrate.

Provided are methods for making shaped fluoropolymer by additive processing using a polymerizable binder. Also are 3D printable compositions for making shaped fluoropolymer articles and articles comprising a shaped fluoropolymer.

Additive processing of fluoropolymers

Provided are method of producing a shaped fluoropolymer articles. The methods include subjecting a composition comprising a fluoropolymer to additive processing in an additive processing device. Also provided are articles obtained with the methods and 3D-printable compositions.

A method of building up a dental object includes steps of (i) determining the three-dimensional shape of the object; (ii) mixing at least a first and a second component to form a hardenable composition; (iii) depositing the hardenable composition through a nozzle; (iv) performing steps (ii) and (iii) in combination with moving the nozzle by computer control based on said data. The invention helps providing an object like a dental restoration at maximized geometric and optical quality.

Method of and system for building up a dental object

The present disclosure provides methods of making a vitreous bond abrasive article and a metal bond abrasive article. The methods include sequential steps. Step a) includes a subprocess including sequentially: i) depositing a layer of loose powder particles in a confined region; and ii) selectively applying heat via conduction or irradiation, to heat treat an area of the layer of loose powder particles. The loose powder particles include abrasive particles and organic compound particles, as well as vitreous bond precursor particles or metal particles. The layer of loose powder particles has substantially uniform thickness. Step b) includes independently carrying out step a) a number of times to generate an abrasive article preform comprising the bonded powder particles and remaining loose powder particles. Step c) includes separating remaining loose powder particles from the abrasive article preform. Step d) includes heating the abrasive article preform to provide the vitreous bond abrasive article comprising the abrasive particles retained in a vitreous bond material, or to provide the metal bond abrasive article. A method of making a metal bond abrasive optionally includes infusing an abrasive article preform with a molten lower melting metal and solidifying the molten lower melting metal to provide the metal bond abrasive article. The present disclosure further provides a vitreous bond abrasive article precursor and a metal bond abrasive article precursor.

Methods of making metal bond and vitreous bond abrasive articles, and abrasive article precursors

The present disclosure provides methods of making a vitreous bond abrasive article and a metal bond abrasive article. An abrasive article preform is produced by an additive manufacturing sub-process comprising the deposition of a layer of loose powder particles in a confined region and selective heating via conduction or irradiation to heat treat an area of the layer of loose powder particles. The loose powder particles include abrasive particles and organic compound particles, as well as vitreous bond precursor particles or metal particles. The abrasive article preform produced by additive manufacturing is subsequently heated to provide the vitreous bond abrasive article comprising the abrasive particles retained in a vitreous bond material, or to provide the metal bond abrasive article. Also, the methods include receiving, by an additive manufacturing device having a processor, a digital object specifying data for an abrasive article, and generating the abrasive article with the manufacturing device.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Carsten Franke