METHODS FOR COMPOSITE FILAMENT THREADING IN THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

摘要

Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to applying the filament from the conduit nozzle.

主权项

1. A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising:
from a supply, supplying a core reinforced filament having a solidified matrix material impregnating reinforcing strands aligned along the core reinforced filament; translating the core reinforced filament to follow a threaded path from the supply to a nozzle outlet of a nozzle; holding an unattached terminal end of the core reinforced filament in a location at a temperature in which the matrix material is unmelted; maintaining the unattached terminal end in a substantially unmelted condition until the unattached terminal end reaches the nozzle outlet; buckling the terminal end at a part adjacent the nozzle outlet by feeding forward the unattached terminal end to abut the part and relatively moving the nozzle outlet and the part; anchoring the buckled terminal end at the nozzle outlet by fusing the matrix material to the part; cutting the core reinforced filament in a location between the supply and the nozzle outlet; and relatively moving the nozzle outlet and the part to deposit a remaining cut segment portion of the core reinforced filament to the part.