Nanotek Instruments, Inc.

Junhai Liu

Bor Z Jang

Junsheng Yang

Liangwei Wu

Liang Wei Wu

Lijun Pan

A freeform fabrication method for fabricating a 3-D multi-material or multi-color object from successive layers of a primary body-building powder, at least a modifier material and a binder powder in accordance with a computer-aided design of the object. The method including: (a) providing a work surface; (b) feeding a first layer of the primary body-building powder to the work surface; (c) operating an electrophotographic powder deposition device to create a images of at least a modifer powder and a binder powder in accordance with this design; (d) transferring these powder images in a desired sequence to the first layer of a body-building powder; (e) applying energy sources to fuse the binder powder for bonding the powder particles to form a first cross-section of the object; (f) repeating the feeding, operating, transferring, and applying steps to build a second and successive layers of materials in a layer-wise fashion for forming the multiple-layer, multi-material object; and (g) removing un-bonded powder particles, causing the 3-D object to appear.

Layer manufacturing of a multi-material or multi-color 3-D object using electrostatic imaging and lamination

A two-stage method for producing ultra-fine and environmentally stable solid powders from a metal composition including a reactive alloying element. The method includes the steps of: (a) operating a first-stage heating and atomizing means to provide a stream of super-heated fine-sized metal liquid droplets into a chamber of a second-stage atomizing means with the second-stage atomizing means containing a supply of an atomizing fluid medium composed of at least a reactive gas and an inert gas at a predetermined proportion; (b) operating the second-stage atomizing means by directing the atomizing fluid medium into the chamber to impinge upon the stream of super-heated metal liquid droplets to further break up the metal liquid droplets into ultra-fine particles and to allow the reactive gas to react with the reactive alloying element for forming a protective layer on the exterior surface of the particles; and (c) cooling the particles to form ultra-fine solid powders.

Method for producing environmentally stable reactive alloy powders

A solid freeform fabrication process and apparatus for making a three-dimensional object. The process comprises the steps of (1) positioning a material deposition sub-system a selected distance from a target surface, (2) operating this sub-system to deposit materials onto the target surface by carrying out the sub-steps of (a) operating a multiple-channel powder delivery device for supplying selected powder compositions at a predetermined flow rate to travel toward the target surface and (b) operating a focused energy beam to produce a fusion zone through which the powder particles, preferably in micron or nanometer sizes, are melted while in flight, thereby producing liquid droplets traveling to deposit onto the target surface, and (3) during the material deposition process, moving the deposition sub-system and the target surface relative to one another along selected directions in a plane defined by first and second coordinate directions and in a third direction orthogonal to this plane to form deposition materials into a three dimensional shape. These steps are preferably executed under the control of a computer system. Preferably, the system is also operated to generate a support structure for any un-supported feature of the object.

Layer manufacturing using deposition of fused droplets

A two-stage process and apparatus for producing nanometer-scaled powders from a metal, the process including (a) operating a first-stage heating and atomizing device to provide a stream of super-heated fine-sized metal liquid droplets into a chamber of a second-stage atomizing device; (b) operating this second-stage atomizing device by directing an atomizing fluid medium to impinge upon the stream of super-heated metal liquid droplets to further break up the metal liquid droplets into substantially nanometer-sized particles; and (c) cooling these particles to form nanometer-sized solid powders. The first-stage heating and atomizing device preferably includes a twin-wire arc spray device. The second-stage atomizing device preferably includes a vortex jet nozzle.

Process and apparatus for the production of nanometer-sized powders

A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional food object from a design created on a computer, including: (a) providing a support member by which the object is supported while being constructed; (b) operating a material dispensing head for dispensing a strand of food composition in a fluent state with this food composition comprising a volatile ingredient; (c) operating a material treatment device disposed near the strand of food composition to at least partially remove the volatile ingredient for causing the food composition to achieve a rigid state in which the food composition is built up in a 3-D shape of the object; and (d) operating control devices for generating control signals in response to coordinates of the design of the object and controlling the position of the dispensing head relative to the support member in response to the control signals to control dispensing of the food composition for constructing the object while supported with the support member. The method optionally includes an additional step of removing the residual volatile ingredient from the resulting 3-D shape or applying a heat treatment to the 3-D shape upon construction of this shape.

Method for rapidly making a 3-D food object

A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional food object from a design created on a computer, including: (a) providing a support member by which the object is supported while being constructed; (b) operating a material dispensing head for dispensing a continuous or intermittent strand of food composition in a fluent state; this food composition including a liquid ingredient and a primary body-building food material and the dispensed food composition having a rigidity and strength sufficient for permitting the food composition to be built up layer by layer into a three-dimensional shape in a non-solid state; and (c) operating control devices for generating control signals in response to coordinates of the object design and controlling the position of the dispensing head relative to the support member in response to the control signals to control dispensing of the food composition to construct a 3-D shape of this object. The method optionally includes an additional step of applying a heat treatment to the 3-D shape after this 3-D shape is constructed. This method can be used to form an intricate shape of a cake mix, which is then baked in an oven. It can also be used to form a custom-designed decorative shape on the top surface of a pre-made cake.

Rapid prototyping and fabrication method for 3-D food objects

A solid freeform fabrication process and apparatus for making a three-dimensional reinforcement shape. The process comprises the steps of (1) operating a multiple-channel material deposition device for dispensing a liquid adhesive composition and selected reinforcement materials at predetermined proportions onto a work surface; (2) during the material deposition process, moving the deposition device and the work surface relative to each other in an X-Y plane defined by first and second directions and in a Z direction orthogonal to the X-Y plane so that the materials are deposited to form a first layer of the shape; (3) repeating these steps to deposit multiple layers for forming a three-dimensional preform shape; and (4) periodically hardening the adhesive to rigidize individual layers of the preform. These steps are preferably executed under the control of a computer system by taking additional steps of (5) creating a geometry of the shape on the computer with the geometry including a plurality of segments defining the preform shape and each segment being preferably coded with a reinforcement composition defining a specific proportion of different reinforcement materials; (6) generating programmed signals corresponding to each of the segments in a predetermined sequence; and (7) moving the deposition device and the work surface relative to each other in response to these programmed signals. Preferably, the system is also operated to generate a support structure for any un-supported feature of the 3-D preform shape.

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Auburn, AL, United States of America

Junhai Liu