3D Printing Polyamide Reactive Agent Surface Finish
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Solution Overview
Problem
3D printing of polyamide objects often results in rough surfaces and defects, which are difficult to fix using existing post-processing techniques. These techniques can be physically damaging or require harsh chemicals, making them undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A build material reactive functional agent is jetted onto polyamide build material during the 3D printing process, modifying the polyamide's chemical structure to increase solubility. This allows for more effective chemical finishing using gentle solvents, and the agent can be applied spatially at the voxel level using inkjet printing techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional post-processing techniques are used to fix rough surfaces and defects, then surface quality may be improved, but the object is physically damaged or harsh chemicals are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a reactive functional agent to the polyamide build material before final curing, modifying the chemical structure in advance to enable subsequent gentle solvent treatment. This preliminary chemical modification allows the surface to be prepared for finishing before the actual post-processing step, avoiding the need for harsh chemicals or physical damage during finishing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the polyamide build material by introducing reactive functional groups through the jetted agent. This parameter change transforms the material's solubility characteristics, enabling it to respond to gentle solvents during post-processing rather than requiring harsh chemical treatment.
2Strength
If chemical binders or adhesives are used to bind build materials together, then material coalescence is achieved, but the process requires additional chemicals and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the binding function from separate chemical adhesives and integrates it into the build material itself through reactive functional groups. The build material contains inherent reactive groups that enable direct bonding without requiring additional binder chemicals, simplifying the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The polyamide build material with reactive functional groups performs its own binding function through self-polymerization or self-crosslinking reactions. The material serves its own binding needs without requiring external adhesives or binders, reducing chemical 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
The modified surface of the 3D printed objects becomes more susceptible to chemical finishing, resulting in smoother surfaces and reduced defects. The use of gentle solvents and benign conditions improves the post-processing efficiency and quality of the finished products.
Implementation Method 1
A build material reactive functional agent is jetted onto polyamide build material during the 3D printing process, modifying the polyamide's chemical structure to increase solubility
Implementation Method 2
a fusing agent (including an electromagnetic radiation absorber) to pattern polymeric build material, such as polyamide build material
Implementation Method 3
the fusing agent is capable of absorbing radiation and converting the absorbed radiation to thermal energy, which in turn fuses/coalesces the polyamide build material
Implementation Method 4
the mechanism for material coalescence (e.g., curing, thermal merging/fusing, melting, sintering, etc.) may depend upon the type of build material used
Implementation Method 5
at least partial coalescence may be accomplished using heat-assisted extrusion
Data Source
AI summary
An example of a multi-fluid kit for three-dimensional (3D) printing kit includes a fusing agent and a build material reactive functional agent. The fusing agent includes water and an electromagnetic radiation absorber. The build material reactive functional agent includes a vehicle and trifluoroacetic anhydride. The multi-fluid kit may also be part of a 3D printing kit.