METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MONITORING MELT ZONES IN POLYMER THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

摘要

Technologies are generally described for controlling fabrication of a 3D printed article by monitoring a temperature of an active growth region during a 3D printing of polymer material. A polymer material may be doped with one or more fluorescent molecules, which may be excited during a 3D printing of the polymer material. An intensity of light emitted from the fluorescent molecules may be determined to create a fluorescence intensity map, which may be converted into a temperature map in order to monitor a temperature of the active growth region, and generate one or more instructions based on the monitored temperature. One or more characteristics of the active growth region may then be modulated based on the instructions provided. Modulating characteristics of the active growth region based on the monitored temperature may allow better process control, which may be used to enhance a speed and resolution of 3D printing systems.

主权项

1. A method to monitor a temperature of an active growth region during a three-dimensional (3D) printing of a polymer material, the method comprising:
doping the polymer material with one or more fluorescent molecules; exciting the one or more fluorescent molecules during the 3D printing of the polymer material; determining an intensity of light emitted from the one or more fluorescent molecules to create a fluorescence intensity map; and converting the fluorescence intensity map into a temperature map.