Precision system for additive fabrication

• Main Authors: ELLSON, Gregory, ZHANG, Yan, WANG, Wenshou, VIDIMCE, Kiril, RAMOS, Javier, MATUSIK, Wojciech, CHEN, Desai
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.07.2021
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; ADHESIVES; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; CHEMISTRY; COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES ORLACQUERS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; DYES; FILLING PASTES; INKS; METALLURGY; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; PAINTS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POLISHES; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR; WOODSTAINS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

An approach to precision additive fabrication uses jetting of cationic compositions in conjunction with a non-contact (e.g., optical) feedback approach. By not requiring contact to control the surface geometry of the object being manufactured, the approach is tolerant of the relative slow curing of the cationic composition, while maintaining the benefit of control of the deposition processes according to feedback during the fabrication processes. This approach provides a way to manufacture precision objects and benefit from material properties of the fabricated objects, for example, with isotropic properties, which may be at least partially a result of the slow curing, and flexible structures, which may not be attainable using conventional jetted acrylates.