3d Systems, Inc.

Dp Polar Gmbh

Altana Ag

Markem-imaje Csat Gmbh

Csat Gesellschaft F&uuml;r Computer-systeme Und Automations-technik Mbh

Csat Gesellschaft F&uuml;r Computer Systeme Und Automations-technik MIT Beschr&auml;nkter Haftung

Gesellschaft Fur Computer Systeme Und Automationstechnik MIT

Mathea, Hans

Hans Mathea

Martin Bohn

In the case of a method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object by means of layer-by-layer material application, a base surface for holding the three-dimensional shaped object, a liquid, flowable or powder-form first material that can solidify, a powder-form second material including thermoplastic powder particles, and a solvent are made available. From the first material, a negative mold layer having a cavity for a shaped-object layer to be produced is produced and solidified. The bottom of the cavity is charged to an electric potential having a first polarity, and the powder particles are charged to a potential having a second polarity. The powder particles are applied to a support surface that is positioned relative to the cavity in such a manner that the powder particles are transferred from the support surface into the cavity and form a shaped-object layer having a positive shape that matches the negative mold in this cavity. The shaped-object layer is sintered by means of the effect of heat. A planar surface is produced by means of material removal, which surface extends over the negative mold layer and the shaped-object layer. The above steps are repeated at least once. Afterward the negative mold layers are dissolved in the solvent.

Method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object by means of layer-by-layer material application

In a method for producing a three-dimensional mold and a three-dimensional shaped object () by means of layer-by-layer material application, geometry data for the shaped object (), a support part () having a base surface () for holding the three-dimensional shaped object (), and a first and a second material () that can be solidified are made available. In the solidified state, the second material () has a greater strength than the solidified first material (). The solidified first material () can dissolve in the solvent. To form a negative-shape layer (), material portions of the flowable first material () are applied to the base surface () and/or to a solidified material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object () situated on this surface, in accordance with the geometry data, in such a manner that the negative-shape layer () has at least one cavity () that has a negative shape of a material layer of the shaped object () to be produced. The negative-shape layer () is solidified. To form a shaped-object layer (), the cavity () is filled with the second material (), and afterward the second material () is solidified. Regions of the solidified negative-shape layer () and/or shaped-object layer () that project beyond a plane arranged at a predetermined distance from the base surface () are removed by means of machining material removal. The steps mentioned above are repeated at least once. The negative-shape layers () are brought into contact with the solvent in such a manner that the solidified first material () dissolves in a solvent.

In a method for producing a solid-body layer, an emitter array is provided. A support is rotationally positioned relative to the emitter array, about an axis of rotation, and material portions of a material that passes through the nozzles are applied to the support and solidified. The center point of the emitter farthest away from the axis of rotation has a first radial distance, and the emitter arranged closest to the axis of rotation has a second radial distance from the axis of rotation. A trigger signal is generated, which defines trigger points. A material dispensing signal is generated and temporarily stored, in each instance, for the individual emitters, as a function of geometry data and/or as a function of the position in which the emitter in question is arranged relative to the support, when the emitter is positioned at the corresponding trigger point. The emitters are controlled at the trigger points in such a manner that only those emitters in which the material dispensing signal is set dispense material. The angle between trigger points that are adjacent to one another corresponds to the angle that a first and a second radial line enclose between them. The first radial line runs from the axis of rotation to the intersection point between a first emitter column and a reference circle line that is concentric to the axis of rotation. The second radial line runs from the axis of rotation to the intersection point between a second emitter column and the reference circle line. The radius of the reference circle line is less than the sum of 90% of the first and 10% of the second distance. The radius is greater than the sum of 10% of the first and 90% of the second distance.

Method for producing at least one solid-body layer in accordance with predetermined geometry data

In a method for producing at least one solid-body layer on a support that can be rotated about an axis of rotation, in accordance with predetermined geometry data, an emitter array having a plurality of emitters configured as material-dispensing nozzles is provided, which nozzles are arranged in emitter columns and emitter rows. Emitter columns that are adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction of an axis of rotation are offset from one another, in the expanse direction of the emitter columns, in each instance, in such a manner that the emitters are arranged at different radial distances DA(i) from the axis of rotation. It holds true that: DA(i) DA(i+1). Print dots are assigned to the geometry data, which dots are offset from one another, in a matrix having multiple rows that run next to one another, in such a manner that it holds true that: PA(j)>PA(j+1), wherein PA(j) is the radial distance of the jprint dot Pof the row in question from the axis of rotation. For print dots Pfor which material is supposed to be dispensed onto the support, at least one material portion, in each instance, is dispensed from the emitter Dof the emitter array assigned to the print dot Pin question. Dispensing of the material portions takes place in print cycles in which the emitter array is triggered to dispense material once, in each instance, at a trigger point assigned to the print cycle in question, in each instance, and the support as well as the emitter array are offset relative to one another, from print cycle to print cycle, in each instance, by an angular distance with reference to the axis of rotation. Printing of all the print dots of a row takes place in a number of print cycles that is greater than the number of emitter columns. The print cycle is selected, for each print dot to be printed, in each instance, in such a manner that the angular difference between the rotational position of the trigger point of the print cycle and the rotational position in which the print dot to be printed is arranged with reference to the axis of rotation when the support is positioned at the trigger point relative to the emitter array is not greater, in terms of amount, than half the angular distance between the trigger points.

Method for producing at least one solid-body layer on a support that can rotate about an axis of rotation

In a method for producing a three-dimensional mold and a three-dimensional shaped object by means of layer-by-layer material application, geometry data for the shaped object, a support part having a base surface for holding the three-dimensional shaped object, and a first and a second material that can be solidified are made available. In the solidified state, the second material includes at least one main component that can be cross-linked by means of treatment with energy, and a latent hardener that can be thermally activated, by means of which chemical cross-linking of the main component can be triggered by means of the effect of heat. To form a negative-shape layer, the first material is applied to the base surface and/or to a solidified material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object situated on this surface, in accordance with the geometry data, in such a manner that the negative-shape layer has at least one cavity that has a negative shape of a material layer of the shaped object to be produced. The negative-shape layer is solidified. To form a shaped-object layer, the cavity is filled with the second material, and afterward its main component is partially cross-linked by means of treatment with energy, and solidified. Regions of the solidified negative-shape layer and/or shaped-object layer that project beyond a plane arranged at a distance from the base surface are removed by means of material removal. The steps mentioned above are repeated at least once. The main component is further cross-linked by means of a heat treatment, and solidified in such a manner that the second material has a greater strength than the solidified first material and the second material after partial cross-linking. The negative-shape layers are removed from the shaped object.

A device for producing a three-dimensional shaped object, including a substrate part having a base surface for holding the shaped object, a first reservoir for holding a flowable first material, a second reservoir for holding a flowable second material, a dispensing mechanism for dispensing material portions of the first material, a material application mechanism including an application roll and a coating mechanism for applying a second material layer of the second material, and a fixation mechanism for solidifying the material layers composed of the first material and the second material. The transfer body rotates about an axis of rotation disposed parallel to the base surface, the dispensing mechanism and the application roll r relative to the substrate part about an axis disposed normal to the base surface, the application roll is conical, and an axis of rotation of the application roll intersects the axis disposed normal to the base surface.

Method and device for producing a three-dimensional shaped object by means of layer-by-layer material application

A device for applying flowable material to a substratum rotated about an axis of rotation, in accordance with image data stored as pixels or vectors of a Cartesian coordinate grid in a first memory, has at least one printing head for discharging material drops of the flowable material, and is arranged above the substratum, and a controller for positioning the substratum in relation to the printing head and controlling the discharge of the material drops. In a second memory, special polar coordinate grid points arranged on circular lines and on first rays having a first angular distance and, in the direction of origin, on further rays having an angular distance from each other that is greater than the first angular distance are stored. The special polar coordinate grid points are transformed into coordinates of the Cartesian coordinate system, and are compared with the pixels of the image file.

Device for applying flowable material to a substratum that can be rotated about an axis of rotation

The invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object without height limitation by means of layer-by-layer material application, wherein geometric data for the shaped object, a substrate part having a base surface for holding the shaped object, flowable first and second material, and a transfer body are provided. Material portions of the flowable first material are applied to the base surface and/or to a solidified material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object located on the base surface in accordance with the geometric data in order to produce a material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object. The material layer consisting of the first material is solidified. A surface region of the transfer body is coated with a layer of the second material, and said layer is brought into contact with the surface of the topmost solidified material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object facing away from the base surface in such a way that the flowable second material is transferred from the transfer body to the surface of the topmost solidified material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object and forms the further material layer on the surface of the topmost solidified material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object, the structure of which further layer corresponds to the structure of the topmost solidified material layer of the three-dimensional shaped object. The further material layer is likewise solidified.

The invention relates to a device for applying flowable material to a substratum (), which can be rotated about an axis of rotation (), in accordance with specified image data, which are stored as pixels or as vectors of a certain Cartesian coordinate grid in a first memory (), has at least one printing head (A,B), which has a plurality of nozzles arranged at a nozzle distance from each other for discharging material drops of the flowable material and is arranged at a vertical distance from the substratum, and a controller () for positioning the substratum () in relation to the at least one printing head (A,B) and the discharge of the material drops. In a second memory (), particular polar coordinate grid points (A,B) of a certain polar coordinate grid are stored, which polar coordinate grid points are arranged on circular lines (R, R) having a predetermined circular-line distance from each other and are arranged on first rays (A), which have a first angular distance from each other and are arranged in the direction of origin on further rays (A) having an angular distance from each other that is greater than the first angular distance. A computer () is present, by means of which the particular polar coordinate grid points (A,B) stored in the second memory () can be transformed into coordinates of the certain Cartesian coordinate system and the Cartesian grid points thus obtained are compared with the pixels of the image file.

Device and method for applying flowable material to a substratum that can be rotated about an axis of rotation

In an apparatus for the electrographic printing or copying of an object wherein a toner is applied to a medium according to the object to be printed or copied and the toner is fixed to the medium by the application of heat, a hot air blower is provided which directs hot air onto the medium and whose inlet is connected to a suction line having an intake end which is arranged remote from the hot air blower in close proximity of the medium being heated.

Apparatus for electrographic printing or copying

Color printer

In a printer with an electrically chargeable image drum, such as a laser or a LED printer, for imprinting a medium by transferring toner to the medium, including, arranged around the image drum, a charging unit, a writing unit and a toner unit, the toner unit is disposed at a predetermined angular distance from the charging unit and a sensor is disposed at essentially the same angular distance from the charging unit to determine the charge of the image unit at the toner location for adjusting the voltage of at least one of the charging unit and the toner unit depending on the charge voltage of the image drum as determined by the sensor.

Electrophotographic or ionographic printer with variable printing speed

In an apparatus for imprinting an unmarked foil with images which are to be arranged within sections of the foil of a predetermined length L, including a printing device, a foil section transport device for moving the foil stepwise in sections of the length L, a cutting device for cutting the foil into the sections and a foil buffer arrangement accommodating a varying length of the foil between the printing device and the transport device, a foil motion sensor is arranged at the exit of the buffer arrangement for sensing the foil movement out of the buffer arrangement and controlling accordingly the speed of the printing device and a foil length sensor is arranged in the buffer arrangement and providing a print initiation signal when the foil length between the end of the foil in the cutting device and the printing device is a predetermined multiple of the foil section length L.

Apparatus for imprinting an unmarked foil

In an apparatus for imprinting an unmarked endless foil with images which are to be arranged within sections of the foil of a predetermined length L including a printing device, a transport device with a foil section indicator provides a signal to a control unit to determine section limits and a buffer arrangement including a first foil movement sensor sensing the movement of the foil from the printer and a second foil movement sensor sensing the foil movement into the transport device is arranged between the printing device and the transport device and the control device to which the first and second foil movement sensors are connected compares the signals and supplies a printing initiation signal when the length of the endless foil between a section limit provided by the foil section indicator and the printing device is a predetermined multiple of the length of the section L.

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Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

Hans Mathea