Sabic Global Technologies B.v.

Richard Schouwenaar

Amit Kulkarni

Matteo Terragni

Hao Gu

Hendrikus Petrus Cornelis Van Heerbeek

Lanti Yang

Ulrich Hofmann

Zahir Bashir

Zahir Basheer

The present invention relates to a process for moulding a polymeric object, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substantially flat horizontally positioned layer of a material, the layer being a film or sheet; (b) providing a layer of a thermoplastic powder onto the layer provided under (a); (c) subjecting a pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder to irradiation to heat the pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder to a temperature at which the thermoplastic fuses or sinters onto at least a part of the flat layer of material; (d) terminating the exposure to irradiation; (e) providing a further layer of the thermoplastic powder onto the layer provided under (b); (f) subjecting a pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder of the layer provided under (e) to irradiation to heat the pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder to a temperature at which the thermoplastic fuses or sinters onto at least a part of the flat layer of the material fused under (c); (g) terminating the exposure to irradiation; (h) repeating steps (e)-(g) for as many cycles as required to complete the shape of the desired polymeric object; (i) removing the fraction of thermoplastic powder that has not been fused or sintered; and (j) optionally removing the substantially flat layer as provided under (a) from the polymeric object; wherein the surface area of the substantially flat layer of material is at least 200% of the surface area of that layer produced under steps (c)-(h) having the largest surface area. Such process allows for the production of small series or uniquely designed objects at low energy consumption wherein the objects exhibit high dimensional stability.

Process for shaping a polymeric object

In one embodiment, a tool, comprising: a tool stationary portion comprising a nozzle and a film gate; and a tool movable portion comprising a shut off pin opposite the nozzle and the film gate; wherein the shut off pin prevents polymer melt in the nozzle from leaking into a cavity of the tool after injection of polymer into the tool.

Shut off nozzle system and methods for making and using the same

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Kapelle, Netherlands

Richard Schouwenaar