METAL DROP EJECTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) OBJECT PRINTER WITH DOUBLE THERMAL LAYER INSULATION FOR THE BUILD PLATFORM TRANSLATIONAL MECHANISM

• Main Authors: Herrmann, Douglas K, Sambhy, Varun
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.12.2022
• 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; CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus has a plurality of thermally insulative members that float in a volume of heat transfer lubricating fluid in which a X-Y translation mechanism moves to position a platform opposite an ejector. The apparatus also includes a housing having an internal volume in which the platform and X-Y translation mechanism are located. The heat transfer lubricating fluid can be a molten salt, such as a molten fluoride, chloride, or nitrate molten salt. The thermally insulative members can be spheres made of zirconium oxide or zirconium dioxide. The thermally insulative layer formed by the members floating in the fluid protects the X-Y mechanism while the housing helps keep the surface temperature of the object being formed on the platform in an optimal range for bonding of melted metal drops ejected from the ejector to a surface of a metal object being formed on the platform.