Powder Bed Fusion Systems, Apparatus, and Processes for Multi-Material Part Production

摘要

Powder bed fusion systems, apparatus, and processes for the production of multi-material parts are provided, in which the material composition varies throughout the part, including different regions within a particular layer. Present embodiments include the capability to selectively deliver fusion-inducing energy over the part bed as each layer of the part is made, rather than uniformly over the part bed, and include those wherein a digital light processing (DLP) projector interfaces with the thermal source to direct the application of energy from the thermal source.

主权项

1. A system configured for fabricating a three-dimensional object layer-by-layer using thermal energy sufficient to induce fusion of one or more materials, comprising:
a part bed surface where the object is formed; material depositing means configured to deposit a plurality of materials one layer at a time in an area defined by the part bed surface; a laser-based thermal source configured to selectively direct energy to the materials, wherein the system is configured so that the amount of thermal energy absorbed varies by region of a layer, a micromirror array for selectively directing energy from the laser to the part bed surface; a digital light processing (DLP) projector; and a controller having memory operationally connected to the material depositing means, the thermal source, the micromirror array, and the DLP projector; wherein the micromirror array is operationally connected to the thermal source and the digital light processing projector for reflecting energy from the thermal source, and wherein a first material and a second material deposited in said area define different location-specific regions of a layer, and the system is further configured to vary the energy intensity directed from the thermal source to the respective regions.