Ultrasonic Fusing for Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing methods, such as thermal and optical fusing techniques, are inefficient and result in low-quality multi-material parts due to high costs, slow processing, and inconsistency in layer formation, limiting the ability to deposit multiple materials simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A deposition apparatus with individually controllable drying and melting elements, aligned with nozzles, uses energy pulses to control the evaporation and melting of droplets, allowing for precise fusion of multiple materials without overheating, enabling the deposition of complex multi-material parts with improved resolution and structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal fusing method is used to fuse deposited material, then the material can be bound together, but the processing speed is slow and manufacturing cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal fusing with acoustic fusing using ultrasonic vibration. The ultrasonic energy directly vibrates the deposited material particles at high frequency, causing them to bond together through mechanical interlocking and localized heating at contact points, eliminating the need for blanket thermal processing and significantly reducing processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic ultrasonic pulses applied to the deposited material. The ultrasonic vibration is delivered in controlled cycles, allowing material deposition followed by immediate acoustic fusing in repeated cycles, which enables continuous layer-by-layer construction at high speed while maintaining reliable bonding
2Productivity
If optical fusing method is used to evaporate liquid carrier and fuse material particles, then rapid drying and melting occurs, but this causes rapid boiling and splattering of liquid carrier, reducing article quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical fusing (laser/Xenon lamp) with acoustic fusing using ultrasonic vibration. The ultrasonic energy couples directly with the liquid carrier and material particles, creating cavitation and mechanical vibration that promotes gentle evaporation and particle bonding without the rapid localized heating that causes splattering, thereby maintaining layer consistency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy delivery mechanism from high-intensity optical energy to mechanical ultrasonic energy. This parameter change allows for controlled energy transfer that achieves rapid drying through cavitation and vibration-induced evaporation while avoiding the thermal runaway and splattering associated with optical methods, thus preserving manufacturing precision
3Productivity
If optical fusing method is used, then rapid drying occurs, but the method is limited to depositing one layer of single material at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional inkjet deposition system with multiple independently controllable print heads, each capable of depositing different materials. The ultrasonic fusing mechanism universally bonds all deposited materials regardless of composition, enabling simultaneous or sequential deposition of multiple materials in the same layer without the limitations of optical methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the deposition system into multiple independent print head units, each dedicated to specific materials. This segmentation allows parallel operation of multiple material deposition streams, with the ultrasonic fusing system integrating them all, thereby achieving multi-material capability while maintaining high drying efficiency
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 enables efficient, high-quality additive manufacturing of complex multi-material parts by controlling the energy pulses to evaporate the liquid carrier below boiling point and melt the substrate, ensuring precise bonding and reducing material splattering, thus enhancing the structural integrity and resolution of the finished articles.
Implementation Method 1
controlling the energy pulses to evaporate the liquid carrier below boiling point
Implementation Method 2
melt the substrate, ensuring precise bonding
Implementation Method 3
The layer is then heated to cause the fusing agent to bind the loose material
Data Source
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AI summary
A deposition apparatus (100) and method for additive manufacturing are disclosed. The deposition apparatus (100) comprises at least one reservoir (16) for storing a colloidal suspension of material and a liquid carrier and at least one print head (10) comprising a plurality of nozzles (12) in fluid communication with the reservoir (16), each nozzle (12) configured to deposit a droplet of the colloidal suspension onto a substrate (46). The deposition apparatus (100) further comprises drying means (22) disposed adjacent the at least one print head (10), the drying means (22) configured to selectively supply a first energy pulse to a deposited droplet (36) in order to evaporate the liquid from the deposited droplet (36); and melting means (30) disposed adjacent the drying means (22), the melting means (30) configured to selectively supply a second energy pulse for melting the material in a droplet (36) dried by the drying means (22).