Electrostatic 3-D printer using layer and mechanical planer

• Main Authors: Nowak, William J, Alvarez, Jorge A, McConville, Paul J, Liu, Chu-heng, Clark, Robert A, Zona, Michael F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.05.2019
• 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; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CINEMATOGRAPHY; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; HOLOGRAPHY; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS; MAGNETOGRAPHY; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A three-dimensional (3-D) printer includes build and support material development stations positioned to transfer layers of build and support materials to an intermediate transfer surface. The intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of the build and support materials to a platen each time the platen contacts the intermediate transfer surface. A sensor detects the thickness of the layer on the platen, and a mechanical planer is positioned to contact and level the layer on the platen as the platen moves past the mechanical planer. Additionally, a feedback loop is electrically connected to the sensor and the mechanical planer. The mechanical planer adjusts the amount of the build material and the support material removed from the layer based on the thickness of the layer on the platen, as determined by the sensor.