METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A MODULAR HEATER TO IMPROVE LAYER BONDING IN A METAL DROP EJECTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) OBJECT PRINTER

• Main Authors: DERGHAM, Ali R, HOOVER, Linn C, HERRMANN, Douglas K, ATWOOD, Christopher D, RUIZ, Erwin, BRYL, Derek A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 15.09.2021
• 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; CASTING; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

A method operates a three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing system to maintain a temperature of an uppermost layer of a 3D metal object being formed within a temperature range conducive for bonding between the uppermost layer and a next layer to be formed. A controller of the system compares a temperature of the uppermost layer with at least a low end temperature of the temperature range and operates an electrical resistance switching network using 3D model data to provide electrical power selectively to heating elements in a modular heater to heat the 3D metal object being formed when the temperature indicated by the signal from the sensor is less than the predetermined temperature.