3D Model Stress Reduction via Modified Sacrificial Material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 3D modeling processes often result in stress fractures, hairline cracks, and breaks during the dewaxing process due to differences in thermal expansion and conductivity between sacrificial and model materials, particularly in models with thin walls or intricate features, leading to unacceptable final products and increased manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

Adding a fine additive to the sacrificial material to enhance thermal conductivity, reduce thermal expansion, and create stress-absorbing sites, ensuring uniform dispersion and suspension, thereby minimizing stress transmission and imperfections during dewaxing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If heat is applied during dewaxing to separate sacrificial material from model material, then the sacrificial material is effectively removed, but stress fractures and cracks occur in the model due to thermal expansion differences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedewaxing effectivenessVSAvoidmodel integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the thermal properties of the sacrificial material through additive incorporation. The additive alters the coefficient of thermal expansion and thermal conductivity parameters, allowing the sacrificial material to expand and conduct heat more similarly to the model material during dewaxing, thereby reducing thermal stress and preventing cracks while maintaining effective material removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by incorporating additives into the sacrificial material formulation. This creates a modified sacrificial material with enhanced thermal properties that better match the model material, reducing thermal expansion mismatch and stress transmission during the heating process while maintaining the sacrificial material's primary function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Temperature

If the sacrificial material has high thermal conductivity, then heat distribution is improved during dewaxing, but stress transmission to the model material increases causing fractures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat distribution uniformityVSAvoidmodel stress resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the thermal conductivity parameter of the sacrificial material through additive selection and concentration. The additive modifies thermal conductivity to achieve optimal heat distribution while simultaneously adjusting the coefficient of thermal expansion to reduce stress transmission, balancing both thermal performance and structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If the sacrificial material has low thermal expansion, then stress transmission is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases due to material formulation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestress transmission resistanceVSAvoidmaterial formulation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the coefficient of thermal expansion parameter of the sacrificial material through simple additive incorporation. The additive naturally adjusts the thermal expansion characteristics to better match the model material, reducing stress transmission without requiring complex multi-component formulations or sophisticated material synthesis processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively reduces the occurrence of stress fractures, hairline cracks, and breaks in 3D models, improving their quality and reducing the need for re-manufacturing, by ensuring consistent thermal expansion and strength properties across the model material.

Implementation Method 1

Adding a fine additive to the sacrificial material to enhance thermal conductivity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conductivity: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

reduce thermal expansion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS9114571B2Method for reducing stress in three dimensional model

Publication Date: 2015.08.25 SOLIDSCAPE INC

AI summary

An apparatus and method of fabricating a three-dimensional model which reduces occurrence of one a hairline crack(s), stress fracture(s), break(s), flaw(s) and/or other imperfection(s) in the final three-dimensional model. The method comprising the steps of selecting the model material, selecting the sacrificial material, and adding at least one additive to the sacrificial material for at least one of increasing the thermal conductivity, decreasing a coefficient of thermal expansion or decreasing an ability of the sacrificial material to transmit stress to the model material. The three-dimensional composite model is built by depositing a plurality of layers one on top of another. Following completion of the three-dimensional composite model, using at least one of the increase in the thermal conductivity, the decrease in the coefficient of thermal expansion and the decrease in the ability of the composite sacrificial material to transmit stress to the model material for removing the composite sacrificial material from the model material without creating any hairline crack(s), stress fracture(s), break(s), flaw(s) and/or other imperfection(s) in the final three-dimensional model.