METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTED COMPOSITES BASED ON FLATTENED SUBSTRATE SHEETS

摘要

A 3D object according to the invention involves substrate layers infiltrated by a hardened material. The 3D object may be fabricated by a method comprising the following steps: Flatten a substrate layer. Position powder on all or part of a substrate layer. Repeat this step for the remaining substrate layers. Stack the substrate layers. Transform the powder into a substance that flows and subsequently hardens into the hardened material. The hardened material solidifies in a spatial pattern that infiltrates positive regions in the substrate layers and does not infiltrate negative regions in the substrate layers. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is carbon fiber and excess substrate is removed by abrasion.

主权项

1. A method of fabricating a three dimensional (“3D”) object, comprising:
pre-processing each of a plurality of substrate layers to reduce planar inconsistencies or imperfections; positioning powder on all or part of at least one of the plurality of substrate layers; repeating the powder positioning for remaining layers in the plurality of substrate layers; stacking the substrate layers in a predetermined order for creating the three dimensional (“3D”) object; transforming at least some of the powder into a substance that flows and subsequently hardens into hardened material, wherein the hardened material is disposed in a spatial pattern that infiltrates or coats at least one positive region in the plurality of substrate layers and does not substantially infiltrate or coat at least one negative region in the plurality of substrate layers; and removing at least some of the negative regions from the stacked substrate layers to form the 3D object, the 3D object comprising the portions of the stacked plurality of substrate layers that are infiltrated or coated by and bound together by the hardened material.