WO2008063069A1 - Method and apparatus for making partially coated products - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for making partially coated products Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008063069A1
WO2008063069A1 PCT/NL2007/050590 NL2007050590W WO2008063069A1 WO 2008063069 A1 WO2008063069 A1 WO 2008063069A1 NL 2007050590 W NL2007050590 W NL 2007050590W WO 2008063069 A1 WO2008063069 A1 WO 2008063069A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
product
cover layer
area
coated
coated area
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2007/050590
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Nicodemus Frederikus Kamperman
Roland Anthony Tacken
Lambertus Theodorus Gerardus Van De Vorst
Original Assignee
Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno filed Critical Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
Priority to US12/515,919 priority Critical patent/US9242412B2/en
Priority to ES07834718T priority patent/ES2401925T3/en
Priority to EP07834718A priority patent/EP2097246B1/en
Priority to CN2007800433186A priority patent/CN101610895B/en
Priority to JP2009538357A priority patent/JP5546247B2/en
Priority to CA2670092A priority patent/CA2670092C/en
Publication of WO2008063069A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008063069A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C64/00—Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
    • B29C64/10—Processes of additive manufacturing
    • B29C64/141—Processes of additive manufacturing using only solid materials
    • B29C64/153—Processes of additive manufacturing using only solid materials using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
    • B22F10/20—Direct sintering or melting
    • B22F10/28—Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
    • B22F10/60—Treatment of workpieces or articles after build-up
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
    • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
    • B22F10/60—Treatment of workpieces or articles after build-up
    • B22F10/68—Cleaning or washing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C64/00—Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
    • B29C64/30—Auxiliary operations or equipment
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
    • B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
    • B33Y10/00—Processes of additive manufacturing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
    • B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
    • B33Y40/00—Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
    • B33Y40/20—Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
    • B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
    • B33Y80/00—Products made by additive manufacturing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K3/00—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits
    • H05K3/02—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding
    • H05K3/04—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding the conductive material being removed mechanically, e.g. by punching
    • H05K3/046—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding the conductive material being removed mechanically, e.g. by punching by selective transfer or selective detachment of a conductive layer
    • H05K3/048—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding the conductive material being removed mechanically, e.g. by punching by selective transfer or selective detachment of a conductive layer using a lift-off resist pattern or a release layer pattern

Definitions

  • the invention refers to a method and a system for making a partially coated product having at least one coated area and at least one non-coated area.
  • Coating of plastics is common practice now for years, for example for the metallization of plastics.
  • Selective metallization of e.g. plastic or ceramic products is an upcoming discipline, originated by the advent of technologies like MID, MEMS, two components die casting, and the aim at miniaturization and weight saving.
  • One important aim of metallization is to obtain light weight products comprising electrically conductive circuits upon (three dimensional) products like electrical connector parts, sensors, actuators, antennas etc.
  • By means of selective metallization traditional loose copper wires may be replaced by integrated metal traces upon the product surface.
  • the developments during the last years clearly focus on 3-D applicable techniques .
  • a method for making a partially coated product having at least one coated area and at least one non-coated area comprising steps of:
  • - providing a digital representation of the product, including, for each intended non-coated area, a removable cover layer arranged for temporarily covering that area;
  • each surface area of the product which has not to be coated or cladded in the final stage is provided first with a cover layer covering those areas not to be coated, the whole product is coated (or cladded) and finally the cover layers are taken away e.g. by cutting, breaking, milling etc., thus uncovering the underlying not coated surface areas.
  • the product may be made by means of a "Rapid Manufacturing” (RM) technique, which may be defined as a sequential delivery of energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the product under control of the digital representation of the product created with the aid of a computer.
  • RM Rapid Manufacturing
  • RM technique which may be fit is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS®, a registered trademark of 3D Systems, Inc.), an additive rapid manufacturing technique that uses a high power laser (for example, a carbon dioxide laser) to fuse small particles of plastic, metal or ceramic powders into a mass representing the desired 3-dimensional product.
  • the laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning cross-sections generated from a 3-D digital description of the part (e.g. from a CAD file or scan data) on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the product is completed.
  • - means (1) for providing a digital representation of the product, including a removable cover layer (8) for each intended non-coated area which covers the intended non-coated area (7);
  • a production device (2) which is arranged to produce the cover layer on the product, by sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the cover layer on the product, under control of the digital representation;
  • removing means (4) which are arranged for removing the cover layer for each intended non-coated area from the at least one intended non-coated area.
  • the method and system may, as an example, be used for enabling selective seeding or advanced activation of a product with a "coating" of catalyst particles that can initiate successive electroless metal deposition of e.g. copper.
  • a "coating" of catalyst particles that can initiate successive electroless metal deposition of e.g. copper.
  • 3- dimensional electrical circuits can be made at the surfaces of respective products.
  • Figure 1 shows schematically an exemplary production configuration which is arranged for making a partially coated product
  • FIG. 1 shows schematically the production steps
  • the system of figure 1 comprises a computer system 1 which is suitable for providing a digital representation of a partially coated product 5, having - in its finished state - coated surfaces 6 and uncoated surfaces 7 (see figure 2), which system 1 is connected with a production device 2 which is arranged to produce the (still uncoated) product 5 under control of the digital representation received from system 1.
  • the product 5 comprises cover layers 8, each covering an intended non-coated area 7, isolated from that area by an isolation layer 9, having the shape of a chamber.
  • the chamber may be very thin and/or flat and may even have the shape of a sheet and which may be "empty” or filled with a gas, a liquid, a powder or a solid.
  • the product may be made by means of a "Rapid Manufacturing” (RM) technique, well known in the art, which may be defined as a sequential delivery of energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the product under control of the digital representation of the product created with the aid of a computer.
  • Cover layers 8 may reach onto product 5 adjacent non-coated areas 7, for example along a rim around such areas, to form side walls of the chamber. Optionally, such walls may sub-divide a larger area into a plurality of non-coated areas 7. When the chamber is not "empty", but filled powder or solid, it may be possible to omit the side walls.
  • RM technique which may be fit is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS ® , registered by 3D Systems, Inc.), an additive rapid manufacturing technique that uses a computer and a high power laser (for example, a carbon dioxide laser) for fusing small particles of plastic, metal or ceramic powders into a mass at scannable positions relative to the product.
  • the computer contains information representing the desired 3- dimensional product and the cover layers.
  • the computer controls the laser to selectively fuse powdered material by scanning cross-sections generated from a 3-D digital description of the part (e.g. from a CAD file or scan data in the computer) on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the product is completed.
  • stereolithography in which resin is cured at selectable positions by directing a laser at the seletable positions relative to the product under control of a computer that contains a 3-D digital description of the part and the cover layers.
  • the computer controls the laser dependent on the description.
  • fused deposition may be used.
  • a computer and a deposition device are provided. The computer stores a model of the product and the cover layers and controls the deposition device to emit material from an outlet of the deposition device at selected positions.
  • product 5 and the cover layer 8 are made together in a single process of sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space in this way.
  • product 5 may first be made separately in any convenient way, cover layer 8 being applied subsequently on selected areas of product 5 by sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space.
  • the configuration illustrated in figure 1 further comprises a coating (or cladding) system 3 in which the product, after being made in the production device 2, is provided with a coating or cladding layer 10 which is applied on the whole surface of the product which can be reached by the coating or cladding medium, which may be fluid or gaseous.
  • the coating or cladding medium which may be fluid or gaseous.
  • Coating may be performed by immersing the product in a bath, by using a sprayer or by placing the product in a chamber with a sputtering source, a gas or vapor source etc. for depositing material. Coating may also be performed by a mechanical applicator such as a brush.
  • the coating may be used for metallization.
  • other types of coating may be applied, of for example adhesive, a protective layer, coloring material etc.
  • the isolation layer is "empty", i.e. there may vacuum inside of it is filled with air or gas, e.g. depending of the production circumstances under which the not-coated product was made.
  • the chamber may be filled with e.g. not-molten powder, or powder that has only partially been molten, i.e. with less interconnection of powder particles than in cover layer 8.
  • the isolation layer is formed by a layer consisting of not-molten powder, or less-molten powder.
  • the isolation layer may consist of not-cured resin or less cured resin.
  • the isolation layer 8 may also be formed of (thin) layer of any material which prevents that the cover layer 8 and the intended non-coated area 7 do not stick to another, thus enabling convenient removal of the cover layer 8.
  • the isolation layer 8 may be formed by any kind of (vacuum, gaseous, liquid or solid) layer preventing the inner surface of the cover layer 8 and the surface area 7 to stick, thus enabling easy removal of the cover layer 8.
  • the isolation layer differs from the cover layer 8.
  • the composition or material state of the isolation layer is selected so that that the isolation layer sticks at least with less strength to the product than cover layer 8.
  • cover layer 8 may be made of a different material than product 5 that only sticks lightly to product 5 in the sense that it may be removed with a small force that is smaller than forces that would damage product 5. Less strong material of the same composition as product 5 may also be used in cover layer 8. However, use of an isolation layer has the advantage that a relatively strong cover layer 8 may be used, which may be of the same composition and strength as the material of product 5, at the same time making it easy to remove the cover layer.
  • the non-coated areas 7 can be unveiled by removing, by (e.g. mechanical) removing means 4, the cover layer 8, including its coating 10, from the non-coated areas 7.
  • the removing means may include for example a cutter for manual or machine removal, a milling machine, a vibrating device which may contact the product to detach or destroy cover layer 8, suction cups, adhesive clamps etc. to grip and pull off the cover layer.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

Method and system for making a partially coated product (5) having at least one coated area (6) and at least one non-coated area (7). Means (1) are provided for providing a digital representation of the product, including a cover layer (8) for each intended non-coated area which covers the intended non- coated area (7) and an isolation layer between them (9) which is isolated from the product's outside surface. A production device (2) is provided which is arranged to produce the product, including its respective cover and isolation layers under control of the digital representation. Means (3) for coating (10) the product are provided, including its respective cover layers. Finally, removing means (4) are provided which are arranged for removing the respective cover and, when applicable, isolation layers, including their coating, from the respective intended non-coated areas.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PARTIALLY COATED PRODUCTS
Field of the invention
The invention refers to a method and a system for making a partially coated product having at least one coated area and at least one non-coated area.
Background
Coating of plastics is common practice now for years, for example for the metallization of plastics. Selective metallization of e.g. plastic or ceramic products is an upcoming discipline, originated by the advent of technologies like MID, MEMS, two components die casting, and the aim at miniaturization and weight saving. One important aim of metallization is to obtain light weight products comprising electrically conductive circuits upon (three dimensional) products like electrical connector parts, sensors, actuators, antennas etc. By means of selective metallization traditional loose copper wires may be replaced by integrated metal traces upon the product surface. The developments during the last years clearly focus on 3-D applicable techniques .
Summary
It is an object to provide for partial coating of products that is adapted to products with complex 3 D shapes.
A method is provided for making a partially coated product having at least one coated area and at least one non-coated area, comprising steps of:
- providing a digital representation of the product, including, for each intended non-coated area, a removable cover layer arranged for temporarily covering that area;
- sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the removable cover layer on the product, under control of the digital representation of the product;
- coating the product, including the cover layer for each intended non-coated area; - removing the cover layer for each intended non-coated area from the product, including the coating on the cover layer.
So each surface area of the product which has not to be coated or cladded in the final stage, is provided first with a cover layer covering those areas not to be coated, the whole product is coated (or cladded) and finally the cover layers are taken away e.g. by cutting, breaking, milling etc., thus uncovering the underlying not coated surface areas.
As the cover layer, which covers each intended non-coated area, is isolated from that area by means of an isolation layer, e.g. having the shape of a very thin, flat chamber, the product may be made by means of a "Rapid Manufacturing" (RM) technique, which may be defined as a sequential delivery of energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the product under control of the digital representation of the product created with the aid of a computer.
One form of RM technique which may be fit is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS®, a registered trademark of 3D Systems, Inc.), an additive rapid manufacturing technique that uses a high power laser (for example, a carbon dioxide laser) to fuse small particles of plastic, metal or ceramic powders into a mass representing the desired 3-dimensional product. The laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning cross-sections generated from a 3-D digital description of the part (e.g. from a CAD file or scan data) on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the product is completed.
There is also provided a system for making a partially coated product (5) having at least one coated area (6) and at least one non-coated area (7) , comprising
- means (1) for providing a digital representation of the product, including a removable cover layer (8) for each intended non-coated area which covers the intended non-coated area (7); and
- a production device (2) which is arranged to produce the cover layer on the product, by sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the cover layer on the product, under control of the digital representation;
means (3) for coating (10) the product, including the cover layers for each intended non-coated area;
removing means (4) which are arranged for removing the cover layer for each intended non-coated area from the at least one intended non-coated area.
The method and system may, as an example, be used for enabling selective seeding or advanced activation of a product with a "coating" of catalyst particles that can initiate successive electroless metal deposition of e.g. copper. In this way e.g. 3- dimensional electrical circuits can be made at the surfaces of respective products.
Brief description of the drawing
Hereinafter an exemplary embodiment will be described using the following figures. Figure 1 shows schematically an exemplary production configuration which is arranged for making a partially coated product;
Figure 2 shows schematically the production steps;
Exemplary Embodiment
The system of figure 1 comprises a computer system 1 which is suitable for providing a digital representation of a partially coated product 5, having - in its finished state - coated surfaces 6 and uncoated surfaces 7 (see figure 2), which system 1 is connected with a production device 2 which is arranged to produce the (still uncoated) product 5 under control of the digital representation received from system 1.
The product 5 comprises cover layers 8, each covering an intended non-coated area 7, isolated from that area by an isolation layer 9, having the shape of a chamber. The chamber may be very thin and/or flat and may even have the shape of a sheet and which may be "empty" or filled with a gas, a liquid, a powder or a solid. The product may be made by means of a "Rapid Manufacturing" (RM) technique, well known in the art, which may be defined as a sequential delivery of energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the product under control of the digital representation of the product created with the aid of a computer. Cover layers 8 may reach onto product 5 adjacent non-coated areas 7, for example along a rim around such areas, to form side walls of the chamber. Optionally, such walls may sub-divide a larger area into a plurality of non-coated areas 7. When the chamber is not "empty", but filled powder or solid, it may be possible to omit the side walls.
One form of RM technique which may be fit is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS®, registered by 3D Systems, Inc.), an additive rapid manufacturing technique that uses a computer and a high power laser (for example, a carbon dioxide laser) for fusing small particles of plastic, metal or ceramic powders into a mass at scannable positions relative to the product. The computer contains information representing the desired 3- dimensional product and the cover layers. The computer controls the laser to selectively fuse powdered material by scanning cross-sections generated from a 3-D digital description of the part (e.g. from a CAD file or scan data in the computer) on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the product is completed.
Alternatively, stereolithography may be used, in which resin is cured at selectable positions by directing a laser at the seletable positions relative to the product under control of a computer that contains a 3-D digital description of the part and the cover layers. The computer controls the laser dependent on the description. As a further alternative fused deposition may be used. Herein a computer and a deposition device are provided. The computer stores a model of the product and the cover layers and controls the deposition device to emit material from an outlet of the deposition device at selected positions.
In an embodiment product 5 and the cover layer 8 are made together in a single process of sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space in this way. In another embodiment, product 5 may first be made separately in any convenient way, cover layer 8 being applied subsequently on selected areas of product 5 by sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space.
The configuration illustrated in figure 1 further comprises a coating (or cladding) system 3 in which the product, after being made in the production device 2, is provided with a coating or cladding layer 10 which is applied on the whole surface of the product which can be reached by the coating or cladding medium, which may be fluid or gaseous. As the isolation layer 9 - due to its isolation - cannot be reached by the fluid or gaseous cladding medium, the respective internal surface will not be coated or cladded.
Coating may be performed by immersing the product in a bath, by using a sprayer or by placing the product in a chamber with a sputtering source, a gas or vapor source etc. for depositing material. Coating may also be performed by a mechanical applicator such as a brush.
In an embodiment the coating may be used for metallization. However, alternatively other types of coating may be applied, of for example adhesive, a protective layer, coloring material etc.
It may be noted that it may be preferred that the isolation layer is "empty", i.e. there may vacuum inside of it is filled with air or gas, e.g. depending of the production circumstances under which the not-coated product was made. However, it could be preferred to fill the isolation layer with a more or less solid material, which can easily be inserted when using (two component) RM or SLS production techniques. In the case of SLS the chamber may be filled with e.g. not-molten powder, or powder that has only partially been molten, i.e. with less interconnection of powder particles than in cover layer 8. In other words, in this case the isolation layer is formed by a layer consisting of not-molten powder, or less-molten powder. In a similar way, when e.g. using stereolithography, the isolation layer may consist of not-cured resin or less cured resin. The isolation layer 8 may also be formed of (thin) layer of any material which prevents that the cover layer 8 and the intended non-coated area 7 do not stick to another, thus enabling convenient removal of the cover layer 8. In summary, the isolation layer 8 may be formed by any kind of (vacuum, gaseous, liquid or solid) layer preventing the inner surface of the cover layer 8 and the surface area 7 to stick, thus enabling easy removal of the cover layer 8. The isolation layer differs from the cover layer 8. The composition or material state of the isolation layer is selected so that that the isolation layer sticks at least with less strength to the product than cover layer 8. Alternatively, cover layer 8 may be made of a different material than product 5 that only sticks lightly to product 5 in the sense that it may be removed with a small force that is smaller than forces that would damage product 5. Less strong material of the same composition as product 5 may also be used in cover layer 8. However, use of an isolation layer has the advantage that a relatively strong cover layer 8 may be used, which may be of the same composition and strength as the material of product 5, at the same time making it easy to remove the cover layer.
After the product's outside surface 10 (including the areas 6) has been coated entirely, the non-coated areas 7 can be unveiled by removing, by (e.g. mechanical) removing means 4, the cover layer 8, including its coating 10, from the non-coated areas 7. The removing means may include for example a cutter for manual or machine removal, a milling machine, a vibrating device which may contact the product to detach or destroy cover layer 8, suction cups, adhesive clamps etc. to grip and pull off the cover layer.

Claims

Claims
1. Method for making a partially coated product having at least one coated area and at least one non-coated area, comprising steps of: - providing a digital representation of the product, including, for each intended non-coated area, a removable cover layer arranged for temporarily covering that area;
- sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the removable cover layer on the product, under control of the digital representation of the product;
- coating the product, including the cover layer for each intended non-coated area;
- removing the cover layer for each intended non-coated area from the product, including the coating on the cover layer.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the digital representation includes, for each intended non-coated area, an isolation layer between the area and the cover layer for the area, the cover layer being produced isolated from the area on the product by means of the isolation layer.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, the cover layer is produced isolated from the area on the product by means of a chamber between the area and the cover layer.
4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover layer and the product are both produced during a same sequentially delivery of energy and/or material to specified points in space, under control of the digital representation of the product.
5. Method according to according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the product is made by means of a "Rapid Manufacturing" technique, comprising a sequential delivery of energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the product under control of the digital representation of the product .
6. System for making a partially coated product (5) having at least one coated area (6) and at least one non-coated area [I), comprising - means (1) defining a digital representation of the product, including a removable cover layer (8) for each intended non- coated area which covers the intended non-coated area (7); and
- a production device (2) which is arranged to produce the cover layer on the product, by sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space to produce the cover layer on the product, under control of the digital representation;
- means (3) for coating (10) the product, including the cover layers for each intended non-coated area;
- removing means (4) which are arranged for removing the cover layer for each intended non-coated area from the at least one intended non-coated area.
7. System according to claim 6, wherein the means (1) for providing the digital representation are configured to define an isolation layer between the product and the cover layer, the production device (2) being arranged to produce the isolation layer with the cover layer.
8. System according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the production device (2) is arranged to produce the cover layer together with the product by said sequentially delivering energy and/or material to specified points in space.6. Intermediate object for applying a coating to a product at least one coating-receiving area (6) and not to at least one no-coating-receiving area (7) of the product, the intermediate object comprising the product, on which the no-coating-receiving area is covered by a removable cover layer, which is a result of sequentially delivered energy and/or material and with an isolation layer between the cover layer and the no-coating-receiving area.
9. A device for making a partially coated product (5) having at least one coated area (6) and at least one non-coated area (7), comprising
- a laser configured to fuse or cure material into a mass at selectable positions;
- a control computer configured to control the laser to select the positions, under control of a digital representation of the product, that defines a cover layer (8) for each intended non- coated area which covers the intended non-coated area (7), separated from the product by an isolation layer.
10. A device for making a partially coated product (5) having at least one coated area (6) and at least one non-coated area (7), comprising
- a deposition device with an outlet to emit material at selectable positions from the outlet;
- a control computer configured to control the deposition device to select the positions, under control of a digital representation of the product, that defines a cover layer (8) for each intended non-coated area which covers the intended non- coated area (7), separated from the product by an isolation layer.
PCT/NL2007/050590 2006-11-23 2007-11-23 Method and apparatus for making partially coated products WO2008063069A1 (en)

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US12/515,919 US9242412B2 (en) 2006-11-23 2007-11-23 Method and apparatus for making partially coated products
ES07834718T ES2401925T3 (en) 2006-11-23 2007-11-23 Procedure and apparatus for manufacturing partially coated products
EP07834718A EP2097246B1 (en) 2006-11-23 2007-11-23 Method and apparatus for making partially coated products
CN2007800433186A CN101610895B (en) 2006-11-23 2007-11-23 Method and apparatus for making partially coated products
JP2009538357A JP5546247B2 (en) 2006-11-23 2007-11-23 Method and apparatus for manufacturing partially coated products
CA2670092A CA2670092C (en) 2006-11-23 2007-11-23 Method and apparatus for making partially coated products

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EP06077077A EP1925428A1 (en) 2006-11-23 2006-11-23 Method and apparatus for making partially coated products
EP06077077.3 2006-11-23

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EP (2) EP1925428A1 (en)
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EP2097246A1 (en) 2009-09-09
CN101610895B (en) 2012-09-19
EP1925428A1 (en) 2008-05-28
JP2010510874A (en) 2010-04-08
US20100021639A1 (en) 2010-01-28
JP5546247B2 (en) 2014-07-09
CA2670092A1 (en) 2008-05-29
CN101610895A (en) 2009-12-23
CA2670092C (en) 2015-08-11
US9242412B2 (en) 2016-01-26
EP2097246B1 (en) 2013-01-02

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