US 11,712,842 B2
Method and apparatus for manufacturing a series of objects
Bo-Göran Andersson, Höganäs (SE); and Magnus Burgemeister, Mölndal (SE)
Assigned to DIGITAL METAL AB, Höganäs (SE)
Appl. No. 15/528,449
Filed by Digital Metal AB, Höganäs (SE)
PCT Filed Nov. 18, 2015, PCT No. PCT/EP2015/076987
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 19, 2017,
PCT Pub. No. WO2016/079192, PCT Pub. Date May 26, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 1420601 (GB), filed on Nov. 19, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2017/0334140 A1, Nov. 23, 2017
Int. Cl. B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B29C 64/40 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B29C 64/379 (2017.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B22F 12/00 (2021.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B29C 64/357 (2017.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 12/63 (2021.01); B22F 10/47 (2021.01)
CPC B29C 64/165 (2017.08) [B22F 12/222 (2021.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/357 (2017.08); B29C 64/379 (2017.08); B29C 64/40 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/47 (2021.01); B22F 12/63 (2021.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a series of objects, the apparatus comprising:
a build region;
a dispensing unit configured to deposit layers of a manufacturing medium into the build region in which portions of object layers are selectively bound together;
a supporting unit disposed below the build region and configured to support a lower layer below the object layers by edges of the lower layer and to translate the lower layer downwards away from the build region; and
a receiver configured to receive an object and transport the object away from the supporting unit,
wherein the apparatus is configured to form a surrounding structure with deposited layers of manufacturing medium, the apparatus being configured to selectively bind portions of successive layers in the build region so as to form an object surrounded by the surrounding structure and to support the surrounding structure with the supporting unit at least after formation of the object,
wherein the apparatus is configured to bind different portions of the manufacturing medium with different binding strengths such that the surrounding structure is formed of portions having a weaker binding strength as compared to the object such that the surrounding structure is configured to be released from the object after the object is formed,
wherein the apparatus defines a well, the well having an upper opening and a lower opening, both the upper opening and the lower opening being at least as large as the object and the surrounding structure in combination, the dispensing unit being configured to deposit layers of the manufacturing medium in the upper opening of the well, the supporting unit being configured to remove the object and the surrounding structure from the well through the lower opening and to move the object and the surrounding structure onto the receiver after removing the object and the surrounding structure from the well, and
wherein the supporting unit is disposed below an entirety of the well and above an entirety of the receiver.