Acoustic Transfuse 3D Printing Layer Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
In three-dimensional (3-D) printing using electrostatic processes, the mechanical integrity of thin printed materials is compromised, and the transfer process can impose stripping shear forces that damage or smear the material, especially as the stack of layers grows and becomes taller, making it difficult to transfer newly developed layers onto existing layers using only electrostatic forces.
Innovation Solution
The use of acoustic vibrational energy to launch build and support materials across small transfer gaps from an intermediate transfer belt onto previously formed 3-D part layers, combined with control processes and material selections to ensure high-quality production, including the use of an intermediate transfer belt, charge neutralization, and a platen that synchronously moves with the belt to transfer layers cleanly without smearing, and a curing station to bond layers together.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If electrostatic forces are used to transfer layers onto existing layers, then the transfer process is simple, but the mechanical integrity of thin printed materials is compromised and material is damaged or smeared
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ultrasonic vibration to the intermediate transfer belt at the transfer station to facilitate layer transfer. The vibration causes the belt to oscillate at high frequency, which helps launch the printed layers off the belt and onto the platen without requiring strong adhesive forces that would damage the thin printed material. This resolves the contradiction by enabling simple electrostatic transfer while preserving material integrity through controlled mechanical vibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate transfer belt as a mediator between the printing process and the final platen. The belt receives layers via electrostatic attraction, then uses ultrasonic vibration to transfer them to the platen. This intermediary approach separates the transfer functions, allowing gentle pickup and controlled release, thus maintaining material integrity while keeping the overall process simple.
2Device complexity
If only electrostatic forces are used for transfer, then the process is simple, but transfer becomes difficult as the stack of layers grows and becomes taller
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic vibration applied to the intermediate transfer belt provides an additional mechanism beyond electrostatic forces. The vibration energy helps overcome the increased gravitational and frictional forces that arise as the layer stack grows taller, enabling successful transfer of thick multi-layer prints that would be impossible with electrostatic forces alone.
3Productivity
If acoustic waves are used to transfer layers, then transfer of tall stacks is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate transfer belt serves as an intermediary that already exists in the printing system. Adding ultrasonic vibration to this existing component leverages the belt's electrostatic properties while supplementing them with acoustic energy, rather than introducing a completely new complex transfer mechanism. This approach achieves tall stack transfer capability while minimizing additional device complexity.
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
This approach ensures the production of high-quality 3-D printed parts by effectively transferring layers without distortion or smearing, maintaining material integrity even when layers have irregular surfaces, and efficiently forming tall stacks by using acoustic waves to overcome electrostatic attraction and transfer challenges.
Implementation Method 1
The transmission device outputs acoustic waves cause the layer to move from the intermediate transfer surface to the platen
Implementation Method 2
The transmission device is an acoustic device vibrating the intermediate transfer surface using acoustic waves
Implementation Method 3
The charge neutralizer outputs an opposite charge to neutralize existing electrostatic charge on a layer of the build material and the support material
Implementation Method 4
electrostatically transfer build material to the intermediate transfer surface using a first development station
Implementation Method 5
electrostatically transfer support material to a location of the intermediate transfer surface where the build material is located
Implementation Method 6
an fuser/heater that is positioned to heat the layers and join each of the layers together
Implementation Method 7
a curing station can be positioned to apply light to the layers to cure the layers to one another on the platen
Data Source
AI summary
3-D printers include a transfuse station having at least one roller on one side of an ITB supporting the ITB, and a transmission device on the same side of the ITB. A charge neutralizer is included on a second side of the intermediate transfer surface. The charge neutralizer outputs an opposite charge to neutralize existing static charge on a layer of the build material and the support material on the ITB, before the layer reaches the transfer station. Additionally, the intermediate transfer surface transfers the layer to a platen each time the platen contacts the second side of the intermediate transfer surface, at the transfer station, to successively form layers of the build material and the support material on the platen. Also, the transmission device outputs acoustic waves to cause the layer to move from the intermediate transfer surface to the platen, or to the layers on the platen.