3D Printed Screen Aperture Unclogging via Gas Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 3D printing methods struggle to produce screens with apertures smaller than 0.5 mm due to difficulties in removing uncombined powder from these small features, leading to clogged apertures and reduced screen strength.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a gas generating compound that chemically reacts at elevated temperatures to generate gas, which displaces powder and creates unclogged apertures of smaller diameters, while also reducing thermal bleed and enhancing screen thickness and strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional 3D printing methods are used to produce screens with small apertures, then manufacturing capability is maintained, but aperture clearance is blocked due to uncombined powder accumulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaperture sizeVSAvoidaperture clearance

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A gas-generating agent is incorporated into the build material before printing. During the heating process, this agent generates gas that actively displaces uncombined powder from the apertures, preventing clogging before it can occur. This preliminary preparation of the build material enables small aperture production while maintaining clearance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The gas-generating agent acts as an intermediary substance between the build material and the uncombined powder. The generated gas serves as a mediating force that pushes powder particles out of the apertures, resolving the conflict between maintaining small aperture dimensions and preventing powder accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If build material is heated to fuse particles, then screen strength is improved, but thermal bleed increases causing powder to migrate into apertures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescreen strengthVSAvoidthermal bleed

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heating process that causes thermal bleed and potential powder migration is converted into a beneficial process. The same heat that could cause harmful powder migration is used to trigger the gas-generating agent, which then actively prevents aperture clogging by displacing powder. The harmful thermal effect is transformed into a useful gas-generation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The gas-generating agent serves as an intermediary that mediates between the thermal energy and the powder particles. Instead of heat directly causing powder migration into apertures, the heat triggers gas generation, and this gas acts as a protective intermediary that pushes powder away from apertures, converting a harmful thermal effect into a beneficial protective mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If aperture size is reduced to increase screen density, then manufacturing precision is improved, but powder removal difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaperture dimensionsVSAvoidpowder removal

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical process of powder removal (which becomes increasingly difficult with smaller apertures) is replaced with a chemical-gas mechanism. Instead of relying on mechanical vibrations or air blasts to remove powder, the gas-generating agent chemically produces gas that automatically displaces powder from apertures, making powder removal effective even at very small aperture sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The approach to powder removal changes from mechanical parameters (vibration amplitude, air pressure) to chemical parameters (gas generation rate, gas volume). By changing the removal mechanism from mechanical to chemical, the process becomes effective at much smaller aperture dimensions where mechanical methods fail.

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

Enables the production of screens with apertures as small as 0.5 mm or less, maintaining screen strength and facilitating the removal of unfused powder, thereby improving the accuracy and functionality of molded fiber products.

Implementation Method 1

selectively applying a gas generating agent onto the build material layers based on the three-dimensional object model of the screen; wherein the gas generating agent comprises a gas generating compound that chemically reacts at a temperature to generate a gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas generation through chemical reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

exposing the build material layers to energy to selectively treat the build material in contact with the fusing agent and form the body of the screen from the set of build material layers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSelective laser sintering: Selective Laser Sintering

Data Source

PatentUS20240342987A1Three-dimensional printing of screens

Publication Date: 2024.10.17 PERIDOT PRINT LLC

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a method of 3D printing a screen, such as a screen for molded fibre product fabrication, comprising a plurality of apertures through the 3D printed body, wherein the diameter or width of at least one of the apertures is 0.5 mm or less. Also described herein is a screen obtainable by the method and a non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored instructions that cause a processor to perform the method.