Colored Thermoplastic Particulate Blends for Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing processes face challenges with poor powder flow performance and limited color options due to irregular particulate shapes and wide particle size distributions, leading to complex manufacturing lines and inventory management issues when introducing coloration into printed objects.
Innovation Solution
Colored thermoplastic polymer particulates are produced through melt emulsification with nanoparticles as emulsion stabilizers, resulting in narrow particle size distributions and spherical shapes, which are then combined to create custom color blends that maintain good powder flow properties and appear visually homogeneous.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If commercial powder particulates are obtained by cryogenic grinding or precipitation processes, then coloration can be introduced, but irregular particulate shapes and wide particle size distributions result, leading to poor powder flow performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of particulate production by using melt emulsification instead of cryogenic grinding or precipitation. This process control approach generates spherical particulates with narrow size distributions, fundamentally altering the physical characteristics to achieve both coloration and good powder flow performance simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite colored particulate blends by combining multiple colored particulates in specific ratios. This composite approach allows customization of colors while maintaining consistent spherical morphology and narrow size distribution across all components, ensuring good powder flow performance is preserved in the final blend
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of colored powder particulates are stockpiled to introduce fine color details, then color variety is achieved, but inventory management complexities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach from stockpiling many different colored particulate types to using a limited set of spherical colored particulates with narrow size distributions. The versatility is achieved through controlled blending ratios rather than through particle type diversity, thereby simplifying inventory management while maintaining color variety capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes a small library of spherical colored particulates multi-functional by demonstrating that they can be blended in various ratios to produce many different color effects. This universal approach replaces the need for numerous specialized particulate stockpiles, reducing inventory complexity while maintaining adaptability
3Ease of operation
If fillers and flow aids are incorporated to address poor powder flow performance, then flow performance improves, but mechanical properties of printed objects are negatively impacted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding fillers and flow aids to problematic irregular particulates, the patent inverts the approach by producing spherical particulates with narrow size distributions directly through melt emulsification. This eliminates the need for flow-enhancing additives while preserving mechanical properties, as the inherent particle morphology provides excellent flow performance
4Ease of manufacture
If post-printing coloration processes such as painting or spraying are used, then coloration is achieved, but manufacturing lines become longer and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating colorants into the particulates during the melt emulsification process before printing. This advance coloration eliminates the need for post-printing painting or spraying operations, streamlining manufacturing lines and improving productivity while maintaining full coloration capability
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 method allows for the creation of custom color blends with improved powder flow and printability, reducing inventory management complexities and enabling a wide range of colors without negatively impacting printing performance, thus simplifying the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
Colored thermoplastic polymer particulates are produced through melt emulsification with nanoparticles as emulsion stabilizers
Implementation Method 2
melt emulsification with nanoparticles as emulsion stabilizers
Implementation Method 3
consolidation of powder particulates may take place in a powder bed deposited layer-by-layer using a three-dimensional printing system that employs a laser or electron beam to heat precise locations of the powder bed, thereby consolidating specified powder particulates to form a part having a desired shape. Fusion of powder particulates in a powder bed may take place by selective laser sintering (SLS), which employs a laser to promote consolidation of powder particulates via localized heating.
Data Source
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AI summary
Colored particulate blends may be produced by combining thermoplastic polymer particulates that differ from one another in color. Such colored particulate blends may comprise: a first plurality of thermoplastic polymer particulates comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a first colorant blended with the first thermoplastic polymer in an interior of the thermoplastic polymer particulates, and a second plurality of thermoplastic polymer particulates comprising a second thermoplastic polymer and, optionally, a second colorant blended with the second thermoplastic polymer in an interior of the thermoplastic polymer particulates. The first plurality of thermoplastic polymer particulates has a first color, and the second plurality of thermoplastic polymer particulates has a second color different than the first color, and the second colorant, if present, is different than the first colorant. The colored particulate blends are visually homogenous and appear as a single color different than the first color and the second color.