Building Material Mixing for Solid Freeform Fabrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solid freeform fabrication techniques face limitations in creating objects with diverse properties due to the need for numerous building materials, which leads to storage and logistical challenges, and the jetting of binders onto powders results in dispersion issues and limited color options.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for mixing base materials with additives to create building materials with specific attributes, such as color, mechanical properties, and shelf life, allowing for on-site preparation and use in solid freeform fabrication, enabling the production of objects with varied properties from a single base material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate building materials are used to achieve diverse colors and mechanical properties, then the range of possible object attributes is improved, but the storage requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple building materials with different attributes into a single base material that can be mixed with various additives. This merging approach allows diverse colors and mechanical properties to be achieved through mixing rather than requiring separate material containers, thus reducing storage requirements and device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The base material is designed to be universal and can be combined with multiple different additives to produce building materials with various attributes. This multi-functionality allows a single base material to serve multiple purposes, eliminating the need for multiple specialized material containers and reducing overall system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate building materials are stored to provide diverse properties, then the variety of object attributes is improved, but the storage space and logistical requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple building materials are merged into a single base material formulation that can be mixed with various additives. This consolidation dramatically reduces the storage volume required compared to maintaining separate containers for each material, while still enabling the production of objects with diverse attributes through additive mixing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If binders are jetted onto powders to create colored building materials, then color options are improved, but dispersion issues occur and manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces liquid additives as an intermediary medium that is mixed with the base material through a mixing mechanism. This intermediary approach replaces the problematic direct jetting of binders onto powders, enabling uniform dispersion and precise control over color and material properties without the dispersion issues associated with direct powder coating.
4Device complexity
If a limited set of building materials is used to reduce storage requirements, then the storage complexity is reduced, but the ability to create objects with diverse attributes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static collection of pre-defined building materials to a dynamic mixing system where a base material can be combined with various additives to create materials with diverse attributes. This dynamic approach allows unlimited customization of object properties while maintaining simple storage requirements, as only the base material and additive libraries need to be stored.
Data Source
AI summary
A method suitable for solid freeform fabrication is disclosed. The method comprises mixing respective amounts of a plurality of materials such as to provide a building material characterized by at least one attribute, and using the building material for fabricating a three-dimensional object.