Stratasys, Inc.

Clint Newell

Timothy Diekmann

Jason Robert Nixon

A method for 3D printing a part with an additive manufacturing system includes printing a first portion of a part in a layerwise manner and analyzing a topology of the first portion of the part. The method includes determining a tool path for printing a second portion of the part on a surface of the first portion of the part, and pre-heating the first portion of the part along the tool path as a function of the topological analysis of the first portion of the part. The method includes printing the second portion of the part along the tool path.

Method of analyzing and utilizing surface topology for targeted local thermal management in additive manufacturing systems

A method of printing a 3D part with an additive manufacturing system includes printing a first portion of the part and pre-heating the first portion of the part along an upcoming tool path to a temperature at or above a material-specific bonding temperature and below a degradation temperature of the material. Material is extruding material onto the first portion along the pre-heated tool path while the temperature along the part surface remains at or above a material-specific bonding temperature and below the degradation temperature of the material thereby forming a newly extruded road. The method includes cooling the newly extruded road along the pre-heated tool path to remove heat imparted by the preheating step such that a thermally stable temperature is reached, wherein the preheating, extruding and cooling is performed in less than ten seconds.

Methods of printing 3D parts with localized thermal cycling

A multiple axis robotic additive manufacturing system includes a robotic arm movable in six degrees of freedom. The system includes a build platform movable in at least two degrees of freedom and independent of the movement of the robotic arm to position the part being built to counteract effects of gravity based upon part geometry. The system includes an extruder mounted at an end of the robotic arm. The extruder is configured to extrude at least part material with a plurality of flow rates, wherein movement of the robotic arm and the build platform are synchronized with the flow rate of the extruded material to build the 3D part.

Multiple axis robotic additive manufacturing system and methods

A method of printing a hollow part with a robotic additive manufacturing system includes extruding thermoplastic material onto a build platform movable in at least two degrees of freedom in a helical pattern along a continuous 3D tool path with an extruder mounted on a robotic arm, to thereby print a hollow member having a length and a diameter. The method includes orienting the hollow member during printing by moving the build platform based on a geometry of the hollow member wherein the movement of the build platform and the movement of the robotic arm are synchronized to print the part without support structures.

Method of printing an unsupported part with a robotic additive manufacturing system

A method for additive manufacturing a part using fused deposition modeling 3D printing technology includes projecting a laser image from one or more laser emitters onto a previously printed bead or beads of thermoplastic material forming a portion of the part, along a tool path for a next bead in a subsequent part layer. The laser image has a width of between about 50% to 75% of a commanded beadwidth of the next bead, and is moved along a tool path that is generally transverse to the width thereof, to thereby selectively irradiate and heat the previously printed thermoplastic material to at least a bonding temperature thereof but below a degradation temperature. A bead of thermoplastic material is extruded from an extrusion head and deposited along the tool path while at least a top surface portion of the irradiated material remains at or above its bonding temperature, so that strong adhesion occurs between part layers.

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Eden Prairie, MN, United States of America

Clint Newell