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
  • B29C64/30—Auxiliary operations or equipment
  • B29C64/307—Handling of material to be used in additive manufacturing
• • 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
  • B29C64/364—Conditioning of environment
• • 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
  • B29C64/386—Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
  • B29C64/393—Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• • 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
  • B33Y30/00—Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• • 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
• • 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
  • B33Y50/00—Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
  • B33Y50/02—Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Definitions

• 3D objects generated by some additive manufacturing systems such as 3D printing systems utilising heat to fuse build material and laser sintering systems may have a cooling-down period after manufacture prior to further processing.
• Figure 1 is a diagram of an example of a build material management system for a 3D printing system
• Figure 2 is a diagram of an example of a cooling module for use in a build material management system
• Figure 3 is a diagram of another example of a cooling module for use in a build material management system
• Figure 4 is a diagram of a further example of a cooling module for use in a build material management system
• Figure 5 is a diagram of an example of a pumping module of a build material management system for a 3D printing system
• Figure 6 is a simplified illustration of a build material management system according to an example
• Figure 7 is a flow diagram outlining a method of operating a build material management system according to an example.
• FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an example of a build material management system 100 for a 3D printing system.
• the build material management system 100 is for use in a 3D printing system.
• the 3D printing system may comprise a 3D printer (not shown) to generate three-dimensional objects on a layer-by-layer basis, which may be referred to as an additive manufacturing process.
• the three-dimensional objects are generated from build material which may be in the form of a powder.
• the build material may be selectively fused together, in layers, to form three-dimensional objects.
• the fusing process may be as a result of the application of directed heat to the build material or as a result of a chemical process in which the build material is bound using chemical binders, and may result in significant amounts of heat within a volume of the build material.
• the build material may be or include, for example, powdered metal materials, powdered composite materials, powdered ceramic materials, powdered glass materials, powdered resin materials, powdered polymer materials and the like.
• powder-based materials is intended to encompass both dry and wet powder-based materials, particulate materials and granular materials. It should be understood that the examples described herein are not limited to powder-based materials, and may be used, with suitable modification if appropriate, with other suitable build materials.
• the build material may be in the form of pellets, or any other suitable form of build material, for instance.
• the build material management system 100 comprises a build material management station 110 to perform build material management operations on build material contained within transportable containers.
• a build material management station 110 to perform build material management operations on build material contained within transportable containers.
• a build material container in the form of a trolley 160 is also provided, which may have a removable (releasably detachable) or fixed container for build material provided thereon.
• the trolley 160 may comprise cooled build material ready for processing by a user using a build material extraction hose 1 16.
• the build material on the trolley 160 may have cooled naturally or may have been cooled using one or more of the 'hot' build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c.
• the trolley 160 could alternatively contain hot build material.
• the build material management station 1 10 has a housing 1 12 comprising a pumping module 120.
• the hot build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c may be removable
• the pumping module 120 may have one or more integral pump(s) for providing a controlled flow of air via positive or negative pressure.
• a fan may be one example of a positive pressure pump.
• the build material management station 110 may have a pumping interface for releasable connection to one or more separate pumps.
• a pump interface pressure source
• a connection to a pump interface as described herein may relate to a connection to one or more integral pumps or to one or more releasably connected pumps for controlling air flow in or externally to the build management station 110.
• External air flow control may be provided by one or more conduits or air inlet or outlet ports on the build management station 1 10.
• both a positive pressure pump and a negative pressure pump interface is provided via the pumping module 120.
• the pumping module 120 may be a vacuum pump that pumps air and/or build material from the plurality of build material containers 131 a, 131 b, 131c, 160 to the build material management station 110 and is described in more detail with reference to Figure 5 below.
• the pumping module 120 is connected to each of the build material containers 131 a, 131 b, 131c by respective conduits in the form of three cooling upper portion connection hoses 114a, 114b, 1 14c.
• the upper portion hoses 1 14a, 114b, 1 14c may be considered to be conduits external to the build material management 110 station, but the build material management station has a conduit network (not shown, but see the Figure 5 example) within the pumping module 120 capable of providing controlled air flows to each of the upper portion connection hoses 114a, 1 14b, 114c and also three lower portion connection hoses 132a, 132b, 132c as appropriate.
• all of the plurality of upper and lower connection hoses may be connected to one or more build material containers, but in other examples, only a subset of the plurality of hoses may be connected to a build material container.
• the controller of the build material management station 110 may automatically detect a connection status of each hose and close valves that are arranged to provide an air flow to conduits corresponding to any unconnected hoses.
• Each upper portion connection hose 1 14a, 114b, 114c may be connected to the respective build material container 131 a, 131 b, 131c at an upper portion of a wall or face of the build material container.
• the build material management station 1 10 is provided with a total of six hoses, with two hoses connecting to each of the three build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131c.
• a plurality of connection hoses fed by respective air flow ports originating in the pumping module 120 of the build material management station 110 may be interchangeably connected to multiple air flow ports in different locations on a set comprising one or more build material containers.
• a given build material container may be connected to one or more of the plurality of hoses (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 described below).
• the plurality of hoses allow cooling to be simultaneously performed in a plurality of containers, with each container being connected to at least one air flow.
• Processing circuitry in the build material management station may independently set at least one air flow parameter to have a different value in at least two of the hoses.
• the build material management station 100 may provide different cooling air flows to suit, for example, different container types and shapes and different build materials.
• a subset comprising at least one of the build material management station connection hoses of the plurality of hoses may be arranged to provide air flow at a positive pressure whilst a complementary subset of at least one of the plurality of hoses may be arranged to provide an air flow at a negative pressure.
• Different connectors may be provided on the positive pressure and negative pressure hoses and different pumps or pump interfaces within the pumping module may feed air flows to different ones of the connection hoses.
• a connection mechanism between a hose and a build material container in the Figure 1 example comprises an end of the hose 1 14a, 114b, 1 14c being attached to a port provided on the body of the respective build material container 131a, 131 b, 131c.
• connection between a hose and a build material container may be provided by a connector attachment on the end of the hose cooperating with an interface on a corresponding inlet or outlet on the body of the build material container or by a connector body having both a hose-receiving interface and a container attachment interface.
• the presence of a physical connection between an end of the hose furthest from the build material management station and one of the ports on the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c may be automatically detected by the build material management station 1 10 using, for example, a pressure sensor or a pressure switch located in the attaching portion of the hose, in the connector attachment or even within a conduit in the pumping module 120 itself.
• a controller or processing circuitry (see Figure 6) in the build material management station 1 10 may use feedback from the pressure sensor(s) and/or pressure switches to determine how to set valves of a valve arrangement in conduits within the build material management station 100.
• the valve arrangement may comprise one or more valves.
• the upper portion connection hoses 114a, 1 14b, 1 14c in the example of Figure 1 are connected to input ports in a top face of the respective build material container 131a, 131 b, 131 c, but in alternative examples, the upper portion connection hoses may be connected to air inlet (or outlet) ports, for example, in an upper portion of a side wall of the respective build material container 131 a, 131 b, 131c. In some examples, the upper portion connection hoses 114a, 1 14b, 1 14c may be readily separable from the material management station 110 so that they may be easily detached for replacement and maintenance.
• the pumping module 120 may be connected to the trolley 160 by a further conduit in the form of the build material extraction hose 1 16.
• the build material extraction hose 116 may be connected to the trolley 160 via an unpacking port or station provided between the build material extraction hose 116 and the trolley 160.
• the pumping module 120 in the Figure 1 example is connected not just via the upper portion connection hoses 114a, 1 14b, 114c, but also connected to each of the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c by further respective conduits in the form of three cooling lower portion connection hoses 132a, 132b, 132c.
• Each lower portion connection hose 132a, 132b, 132c is connected to the respective build material container 131a, 131 b, 131c at a lower portion of the build material container.
• the lower portion connection may be in a base of the build material container as in the Figure 1 example, or on a location in a lower part of a side wall.
• the lower portion connection hoses 132a, 132b, 132c may connect directly to a cooperatively shaped port provided on a lower portion of the body of a respective build material container 131a, 131 b, 131 c.
• a connector may be provided on the end of the connection hose 132a, 132b, 132c and in further examples a connector may be releasably connected to both the connection hose and the corresponding port on the build material container.
• the upper portion connection and lower portion connection between a pump interface (pressure source) of the build material management station 1 10 and any given build material container may be upper and lower relative to each other when a cooling and/or build material collection process is being performed by the build material management station. Build material may be assisted by gravity to fall from the upper portion to the lower portion.
• the lower portion connection hoses 132a, 132b, 132c are connected to the bases of the respective build material container 131a, 131 b, 131 c, but in alternative examples the lower portion connection hoses may be connected to ports on a lower portion of the side wall of the respective build material container 131a, 131 b, 131c.
• Each of the build material containers 131 a, 131 b, 131c is situated on a build material container stand 130 provided adjacent to the housing 112 of the build material management station 1 10.
• Example structures of the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131c are described in more detail with reference to Figures 2 to 4 below.
• the build material containers 131 a, 131 b, 131c, 160 may contain a build material volume comprising one or more 3D printed parts, surrounded by a portion of non-fused or non-sintered (non-coalesced) build material, for example.
• a temperature of the build material volume immediately after the 3D printing operation and for some time after may be too high for safe and/or effective removal of the one or more 3D printed parts from the build material volume.
• the build material volume may therefore be allowed to cool prior to an unpacking operation in which the one or more 3D printed parts formed ,for example by fusing or laser sintering, are separated from the surrounding portion of excess build material.
• the build material volume is transferred from a further build material container (not shown) into the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131c after the 3D printing operation.
• the volume of build material in each of the containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c was, in this example, processed in a 3D printer whist in a different container.
• the build material volume within any given one of the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c is actively cooled by drawing air through the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c through either or both of the cooling upper portion connection hose 114a, 1 14b, 1 14c and the cooling lower portion connection hose 132a, 132b, 132c using the pumping module 120.
• the build material volume is actively cooled by the controlled air flow.
• the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c each become a cooled build material container.
• Each build material container 131 a, 131 b, 131c may be readily removable from at least one of the respective cooling upper portion connection hose 114a, 114b, 1 14c and the cooling lower portion connection hose 132a, 132b, 132c and thus may be transportable.
• the cooled build material containers may be transported to the trolley 160 for processing, for example, using the build material extraction hose 116.
• the cooled build material containers may be placed on or releasably attached to a base portion of the trolley 160.
• a positive pressure pump such as a fan may be used to cause air to flow through either or both of the cooling upper portion connection hose 114a, 1 14b, 1 14c and the cooling lower portion connection hose 132a, 132b, 132c to and through the build material containers 131 a, 131 b, 131c.
• connection hoses 1 14a, 114b, 114c and 132a, 132b, 132c of the build material management station 100 the cooling air flows can be used to perform a partial unpacking operation, during which some non-coalesced build material is removed from the build material containers 131 a, 131 b, 131c.
• the ability to independently set the air flow parameters allows the parameters to be set identically in different conduits or to be set differently in different conduits as required.
• the lower portion connection hoses 132a, 132b, 132c may allow for a partial unpacking operation to be gravity assisted. In other examples, cyclonic filters may be used in ports on the build material container to perform partial unpacking.
• the cooled build material volume may then be transferred to a further build material container, such as a container on the trolley 160 for an unpacking operation in which a 3D printed object is separated from surrounding unfused build material.
• the build material container may be referred to as an empty build material container after removal of the cooled build material volume.
• the empty build material container may then be re-used in a further cooling operation after having received a further hot build material volume output by the 3D printer.
• the build material container may be moved to an unpacking module without removing the build material volume from the build material container.
• the unpacking operation in this example comprises removing the cooled excess build material surrounding the fused or sintered build material forming the 3D
• This unpacking operation may be performed by an operator, such as a person, manipulating the free end of the build material extraction hose 116. The operator may manipulate the build volume during the unpacking operation. The unpacking operation may be performed by the pumping module 120 operating as an unpacking module.
• the build material extraction hose 116 may be connected to the same pump interface as the cooling connection hoses 114a, 1 14b, 114c, 132a, 132b, 132c under routing control using, for example a valve arrangement to control pressure differences within a conduit network attached to the pump interface.
• the build material extraction hose 116 may be connected to a build material container within the build material management station 1 10 to receive the extracted excess build material not forming part of the fused or laser sintered 3D printed object.
• the 3D printed parts may be removed from the trolley 160.
• the 3D printed parts may be removed from the trolley 160 as part of the unpacking operation.
• a container provided on the trolley 160 may be referred to as an empty build material container.
• the empty build material container from the trolley may then be re-used in a subsequent unpacking operation after receiving a further cooled build material volume from one or more of the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c used in the cooling process.
• the same build material containers are also used to provide build material to the 3D printer (not shown) for a subsequent 3D printing operation.
• the empty build material container from the trolley 160 may be filled with non- coalesced build material and moved to the 3D printer for use in a further 3D printing operation.
• the housing 112 also comprises a filling port 1 18 for filling an empty build material container with build material after completion of the unpacking operation.
• the build material container is filled with build material for a further 3D printing operation in the 3D printer.
• the build material may be fresh, or a mix of fresh and previously used recovered unfused build material.
• build material may be transferred manually by a user between different containers for each of the following processes: 3D printed part generation in a 3D printer; printed build volume cooling in the build material management station 100; cooled printed build volume processing to separate unfused build material from printed parts in the build material management station 100; and filling a tank of a 3D printer with build material to be used in a 3D printing operation.
• the same build material container may be re-used for two or more of these processes.
• the build material container 131a may be detached from the upper connection hose 114a and the lower connection hose 132a at the end of a cooling operation and then affixed to a base of the trolley 160 for the unpacking operation.
• the same container, once free from the printed parts and unfused build material may then be filled by the material management station 100 with fresh and/or recovered build material for use in a 3D printer for a printing operation.
• An active cooling operation performed using the pumping module 120 may comprise drawing air through one at a time of the plurality of hot build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131 c connected to the pumping module 120 via the respective cooling upper portion connection hoses 114a, 1 14b, 114c and the respective cooling lower portion connection hoses 132a, 132b, 132c, in a cycling operation.
• the pumping module 120 may be controlled to draw air through the first build material container 131 a and subsequently to draw air through the second build material container 131 b and further subsequently to draw air through the third build material container 131c.
• one or more air flow parameter such as the time and or rate at which cooling air is flowing, as well as any changes in direction of flow may be independently controlled in different ones of at least two of a plurality of conduits of the build material management station 110, which may allow different air flow characteristics to be provided in different ones of the build material containers 131 a, 131 b, 131c.
• At least two conduits having differently set air flow parameters may be connected to a single build material container 131a, 131 b, 131 c to promote more efficiently cooling by cooperatively controlling the different air flows.
• air may be drawn through each of the build material containers 131a, 131 b, 131c simultaneously or otherwise.
• air may be drawn through one or both of the cooling upper portion connection hoses 1 14a, 114b, 1 14c and the cooling lower portion connection hoses 132a, 132b, 132c at a given time.
• the active cooling operation for each different build material container may be different.
• there may be differences for different containers between at least one of the following: timing characteristics of pumped air flow (for example, pulsing); a rate at which cooling air is flowing; and a direction of air flow.
• timings of changes in direction of flow may be independently controlled for each transportable container.
• the specific active cooling operation parameters may be determined based on a single parameter of the volume of build material, such as size (e.g. a height). Although such an approach may not be completely matched to the exact properties of the volume of build material to be cooled, this allows for a relatively small number of options from which a user may select, ensuring the user- interface remains simple to use.
• the specific active cooling operation parameters may be adjusted by processing circuitry of the build material management station 110 based on feedback from a sensor, such as a thermal sensor (e.g. a thermal sensor (e.g. a thermal sensor).
• thermocouple probe to be embedded within or adjacent to the volume of build material.
• FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example of a cooling module for use in a build material management station 110.
• the cooling module comprises a build material container 231 supported above a ground surface on a build material container stand 230.
• the build material container 231 comprises a housing 234 at least partially enclosing a volume of build material 240. Directly after a 3D printing operation and for a time thereafter, as discussed above, the volume of build material 240 can be warm.
• the housing 234 is substantially cuboidal and encloses the volume of build material 240 on five sides.
• the housing 234 is open at an upper end 238 thereof.
• the volume of build material 240 may be enclosed on a bottom, and all four substantially vertical sides, but is not enclosed at an upper end thereof. In this way, the build material container 231 is a non-airtight container.
• the build material container 231 has a lower port 236 in a lower portion thereof to allow an air flow out of the housing 234 and through the volume of build material 240.
• a lower portion connection hose of the build material management station 110 may be in a connected state with the lower port 236, whilst an upper portion connection hose may be in a disconnected state.
• a plurality of build material containers 231 having only a lower portion connection hose may be provided, with different ones of the plurality of hoses 114a, 114b, 1 14c, 132a, 132b, 132c of the build material management station being connected to different build material containers.
• Sensors such as pressure sensors may be provided in the build material management station 110 to automatically detect a connection state of at least one of the hoses to the build material container 231. A difference in a pressure reading relative to atmospheric pressure may provide an indication that the hose is in a connected state.
• a pressure switch may be provided to detect mechanical engagement between, for example, the end of the respective hose and a port on the build material container 231. Signals from the pressure sensor or pressure switch may be fed back to processing circuitry of the build material management station 1 10 so that a valve arrangement of a conduit system of the build material management station 110 can be appropriately configured depending upon the current connection status.
• the pressure sensor may be provided in a portion of the conduit internal to the build material management station and in other examples the pressure sensor may be provided in the length of hose external to the build material management station 110, such as in the end of the hose that may engage with a port on the build material container 231.
• a total of two hoses comprising one upper portion connection hose and one lower portion connection hose may be provided by the build material management station 1 10.
• An air flow driven by a pump interface of the build material management station 110 enters the housing 234 through the open upper end 238.
• the lower port 236 of the build material container 231 is connected to a cooling lower portion connection hose 232, in turn connected to the build material management station described previously with reference to Figure 1.
• a pressure differential may be applied via the cooling lower portion connection hose 232 with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure applied to a build material management system end of the cooling lower portion connection hose 232.
• air at atmospheric pressure may be drawn into the build material container 231 through the open upper end 238 to create the controlled air flow.
• the air flow passes through and/or around the volume of build material 240.
• the air flow causes air surrounding the volume of build material 240 which is heated by the warm volume of build material 240 to be removed and replaced by cooler air. In this way, a speed of the cooling of the volume of build material 240 can be increased.
• the volume of build material 240 at least partially breaks apart as a result of the air flow through the build material container 231 , resulting in yet further improved cooling.
• Positioning of the lower port 236 in the lower portion of the build material container 231 may be effective for breaking apart the volume of build material 240 due to the air flowing in the same direction in which gravity is acting. In this way, a reduced force may be used to dislodge parts of the volume of build material 240.
• the build material management station (not shown in Figure 2), which is connected to the lower port 236 via the cooling lower portion connection hose 232, may control the pumping module to draw air intermittently through the build material container 231. By pulsing the air flow in this way, the volume of build material 240 is likely to cool more quickly compared to a constant, unidirectional air flow past the volume of build material 240.
• the reasons for this are varied, but may include: greater agitation of the air as a result of rapid variations in flow speed which causes a more turbulent air flow more likely to remove any heated air near the volume of build material 240 quickly; an increased dislodging of non-coalesced (e.g. non-fused or non-sintered) build material from the volume of build material 240 resulting in an increase in the exposed surface area of the non-coalesced build material promoting improved cooling; and the dislodged non-coalesced build material in the air flow having an abrasive effect on the volume of build material 240, which helps to dislodge further non-coalesced build material from the volume of build material 240.
• non-coalesced e.g. non-fused or non-sintered
• the build material management system may control the pumping module using processing circuitry of the controller (see Figure 6) to draw air in a first direction through the build material container 231 for less than, for example, one minute at a time.
• the build material management station 110 may control the pumping module 120 to draw air in a first direction through the build material container 231 for less than, for example, 30 seconds at a time.
• the build material management system may control the pumping module to draw air intermittently through the build material container 231.
• the build material management system may control the pumping module to draw air continuously through the build material container 231 for a given time interval, either at a constant or varying air flow rate.
• the air flow may be controlled by operation of one or more valves (not shown) in the pumping module of the build material management system.
• Processing circuitry may control opening and closing of valves in the valve arrangement and may control the air flow parameters such as air flow rate, air flow direction (e.g. sucking or blowing air through a given conduit) and air flow pattern.
• the air flow pattern may comprise setting one or more air flow parameters to provide a controlled variation in air flow rate in a given time interval such as a progressive increase or decrease in air flow rate or may comprise a controlled transition between a continuous cooling air flow and an intermittent or pulsed cooling air flow.
• connection hoses 131a, 131 b, 131 c, 132a, 132b, 132c are connected to a single build material container
• the controller of the build material management station 1 10 may be arranged to independently set air flow parameters (flow rate, flow pattern, flow direction, changes in air flow with time) through the different connection hoses to control and overall air flow through the given build material container to perform cooperative cooling via the plural air flows.
• FIG. 3 is a diagram of another example of a cooling module for use in a build material management system.
• a build material container 331 is supported above a ground surface on a build material container stand 330.
• the build material container 331 comprises a housing 334 substantially enclosing a volume of build material 340.
• the housing 334 is cuboidal and encloses the volume of build material 340 on each of six sides.
• the housing 334 has defined therein an upper port 338 provided in an upper portion of the housing 334, located substantially centrally in a top face of the housing 334.
• the upper port 338 is to allow air to flow out of the build material container 331 in this example where a vacuum pump is used.
• the upper port 338 may be provided with one or more fixings (not shown) to releasably connect to a cooling upper portion connection hose 314.
• the cooling upper portion connection hose 314 is connected to the build material management system as described previously in relation to Figure 1.
• FIG. 3 example similarly to Figure 2, one but not the other of the upper portion connection hose and the lower portion connection hose is connected to the build material container to perform cooling.
• the upper portion connection hose is in a connected state whereas the lower portion connection hose is in a disconnected state.
• a pressure sensor or pressure switch may be used to allow processing circuitry to automatically detect a connection state of the upper and lower connection hoses and thus to control a valve system to close a conduit in the build material management station 1 10 providing a path between the pump interface and the disconnected lower portion connection hose.
• the housing 334 also has air holes (vents) 335a, 335b in a lower portion of its side walls.
• the air holes 335a, 335b are to allow air to flow from the environment into the build material container 331.
• the build material container 331 is a non-airtight container.
• the air holes 335a, 335b are located, one each side, at a lowermost end of the housing 334.
• a pressure differential may be applied via the cooling upper portion connection hose 314 with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure applied to a build material management system end of the cooling upper portion connection hose 314.
• air at atmospheric pressure may be drawn into the build material container 331 through the air holes 335a, 335b to create the air flow.
• the air flow passes through and/or around the volume of build material 340.
• the air flow causes any air surrounding the volume of build material 340 which is heated by the warm volume of build material 340 to be removed and replaced by cooler air. In this way, a speed of cooling of the volume of build material 340 can be increased.
• the volume of build material 340 at least partially breaks apart as a result of the controlled air flow promoted by the pump through the build material container 331 , resulting in yet further improved cooling.
• the build material management station 1 10 (not shown in Figure 3), which is connected to the upper port 338 via the cooling upper portion connection hose 314, may control the pumping module (not shown in Figure 3) to draw air intermittently through the build material container 331.
• the air flow parameter comprising the air flow rate may be controlled to be variable or constant during the intermittent bursts.
• the air flow may be controlled by operation of one or more valves (not shown) of a valve arrangement in the pumping module of the build material management system.
• the valves may be computer-controlled or manually controlled.
• a plurality of build material containers 331 having only a lower portion connection hose may be provided, with different ones of the plurality of hoses 114a, 1 14b, 1 14c, 132a, 132b, 132c of the build material management station being connected to the different build material containers.
• an arrangement similar to Figure 1 but having a plurality of different containers with differently located connection ports may be provided, some containers with both upper and lower ports, some containers with only a lower port as illustrated in Figure 2 and some containers with only an upper port as illustrated in Figure 3.
• the plurality of connection hoses of the build material management station 100 may be connected to the container ports as required and the processing circuitry may control air flow parameters for air flows through respective conduits to vary the air flow characteristics depending upon the container type and the connection configuration as required.
• the pump in the pumping module 120 may provide a positive pressure differential downstream of the pump to force air to flow from the pump to and through the build material container 331 , for example via the cooling upper portion connection hose 314.
• a separate port for outlet of the non- coalesced build material may be provided, as well as a conduit to draw off collected non- coalesced build material into a conduit network of the build material management station 110 for storage.
• FIG 4 is a diagram of a further example of a cooling module for use in a build material management system.
• the cooling module shown in Figure 4 can be considered to be an amalgamation of the features of the cooling modules shown in Figures 2 and 3, because it has both an upper portion connection hose and a lower portion connection hose of the build material management station 110 physically connected to respective ports of the build material container.
• the cooling module comprises a build material container 431 supported above a ground surface on a build material container stand 430.
• the build material container 431 has a housing 434 substantially enclosing a volume of build material 440. Directly after a 3D printing operation and for a time thereafter, the volume of build material 440 can be warm.
• the housing 434 is substantially cuboidal and encloses the volume of build material 440 on each of six sides.
• the housing 434 has defined therein an upper port 438 provided in an upper portion of the build material container housing 434, in this example substantially centrally in a top face of the housing 434.
• the upper port 438 of the build material container 431 may be provided anywhere in an upper part of the build material container housing 434, such as in an upper half of a side wall.
• a larger magnitude vertical spacing between the upper port 438 and a lower port 436 of the build material container 431 may promote improved air circulation.
• a larger vertical spacing between upper and lower hose connections may also promote gravity assisted removal of unfused build material as it is disturbed by a pumped air flow through the build material container 431.
• the upper port 438 in this example is to allow air to flow out of the build material container 431.
• the upper port 438 may be provided with fixings (not shown) to connect to a cooling upper portion connection hose 414.
• the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 is connected to the build material management station 110 as described in relation to Figure 1 previously.
• a cooling air flow can be provided cooperatively via flow of air directed via the first and second conduits 414, 432 through the upper port 438 and the lower port 436 of the housing 434.
• the housing 434 also has air holes 435a, 435b in a lower portion of its side walls. The air holes 435a, 435b in this are to allow air to flow into the build material container 431. But air may flow out of the air holes 435a, 435b in other examples.
• the build material container 431 is a non-airtight container.
• the build material container 431 is further provided with the lower port 436 in a lower portion thereof, to allow a further air flow out of the housing 434 and through the volume of build material 440.
• An air flow enters the housing 434 through the air holes 435a, 435b under an action of the pumping module 120.
• the lower port 436 is connected to a cooling lower portion connection hose 432, in turn connected to the build material management station 110 described previously with reference to Figure 1.
• the lower port 436 is provided on a base of the container 431 in this example, but in alternative examples, the lower port may be provided in a lower portion of one of the side walls of the container 431.
• An air flow may be directed by the pump interface of the build material management station 110, through at least one of the upper portion connection hose 414 and lower portion connection hose 432 via the build material container 431 , using the upper and lower portion connection hoses 414, 432 to cooperatively cool a build volume of fused and unfused build material located in the build material container 431.
• Provision of the lower port 436 for connection of the lower port connection hose 432 conveniently allows the air flow to be directed through the build material container 431 to perform both cooling of the manufactured object (fused build material) and extraction of at least some of the unfused build material from the build material container 431 into a conduit network of the build material management station for storage and potentially re-use, depending upon inherent recyclability of the given build material.
• a pressure differential may be applied via the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure applied to a build material management system end of the cooling upper portion connection hose 414.
• air at atmospheric pressure may be drawn into the build material container 431 through the air holes (vents) 435a, 435b to create the air flow.
• the air flow passes through and/or around the volume of build material 440 and into the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 via the upper port 438.
• a pressure differential may be applied via the cooling lower portion connection hose 432 with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure applied to a build material management system end of the cooling lower portion connection hose 432.
• Air at atmospheric pressure may be drawn into the build material container 431 through the air holes 435a, 435b to create a cooling air flow. The air flow passes through and/or around the volume of build material 440 and into the cooling lower portion connection hose 432 via the lower port 436.
• the air flow(s) cause air surrounding the volume of build material 440 which is heated by the warm volume of build material 440 to be removed and replaced by cooler air. In this way, a speed of the cooling of the volume of build material 440 can be increased. As with the examples above, the air flow may be caused as a result of a positive pressure differential downstream of the pump in the pumping module 120.
• the volume of build material 440 at least partially breaks apart as a result of the air flow therethrough, resulting in yet further improved cooling.
• the build material management system (not shown in Figure 2) connected to the lower port 236 via the cooling lower portion connection hose 232 may control the pumping module (not shown in Figure 2) to draw air in intermittent intervals through each of the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 and the cooling lower portion connection hose 432.
• the intermittent intervals may be at least partially non-overlapping, such that in some time intervals or periods, the pumping module is controlled to cause air to flow through the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 but not the cooling lower portion connection hose 432 and in other time intervals or periods, the pumping module is controlled to cause air to flow through the cooling lower portion connection hose 432 but not the cooling upper portion connection hose 414.
• the pumping module may be controlled to cause air to flow through both the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 and the cooling lower portion connection hose 432 simultaneously.
• the build material management station 110 may control the pumping module to cause air to flow
• the build material management station 110 may control the pumping module to cause air to flow continuously through the build material container 431 , either at a constant or varying air flow rate.
• the air flow may be controlled by operation of one or more valves (not shown) in the pumping module of the build material management system.
• the pumping module 120 may be usable to blow (rather than suck) air through one of the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 and the cooling lower portion connection hose 432, and to draw the blown air through another of the cooling upper portion connection hose 414 and the cooling lower portion connection hose 432.
• FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of a pumping module for a 3D printing system.
• the pumping module 520 comprises a pump 522 to be connected to a
• the pump 522 creates a pressure differential between the pump 522 and a distal end of the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 to draw air into the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 from the build material container.
• the pump 522 is a centrifugal pump and causes a pressure below atmospheric pressure upstream of the pump 522 in the cooling upper portion connection hose 514.
• a build material trap 526 such as a cyclonic separator or a filter, is provided between the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 and the pump-to-build material trap conduit 524.
• the build material trap 526 prevents build material present within the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 and moving towards the pump 522 from entering into the pump-to-build material trap conduit 524.
• the build material extracted by the build material trap 526 is stored within a storage container 528.
• the pumping module 520 is to provide cooling to the build material container connected to the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 without providing an unpacking function, and so an amount of build material transported within the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 towards the pump 522 may be small or non-existent.
• the storage container 528 may be small.
• the pumping module 120 is to provide cooling but not an unpacking function, the air flow drawn into the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 may be sufficiently low as not to transport loose build material from the transportable container into the cooling upper portion connection hose 514.
• the build material trap 526 may be located within the build material container, and so there may be no build material trap 526 in the pumping module 520 between the upper portion connection hose 514 and the pump 522.
• the pumping module 520 may also be to extract at least a portion of non-coalesced build material from the build material container to the storage container 528.
• the storage container 528 may be sized to be large enough to receive the portion of non-coalesced build material.
• the pumping module 520 further comprises a controller 550 having processing circuitry (not shown) to control the operation of the pumping module 520, and thus to control the operation of the pump 522 in creating an air flow through the build material container.
• the pumping module 520 shown in Figure 5 includes a cooling upper portion connection hose 514, but other examples of pumping modules 520 may include a cooling lower portion connection hose either instead of or in addition to the cooling upper portion connection hose 514.
• the pumping module 520 also includes one or more valves in some examples to control the air flow through the one or more cooling connection hoses.
• the upper portion connection hose 514 of the Figure 5 example comprises a continuous length of hose extending from inside the pumping module 520 to outside the pumping module and this single length of hose may extend all the way to a port on the upper portion of the build material container.
• the upper portion connection hose 514 may have a first length that is internal to the pumping module 520 and to the build material management station 110 and a second length extending from a user-accessible port on the outside of the build material management station to the upper portion of the build material container.
• the second length of hose may, for example screw or lock into the user-accessible port to allow maintenance or replacement of this part of the hose.
• the first (internal) length of the upper portion connection hose 514 may on its own form the first connection conduit for connecting to the upper portion of the build material container although the second (external) length may be used to complete the connection.
• a lower portion connection hose (such as the hose 432 in Figure 4) may have a first length of hose internal to the pumping module 520 or build material management station 110 and a second length of hose extending from a user-accessible external port on the build material management station 110 to connect with a lower portion of the build material container.
• the first length of the lower portion connection hose that is internal to the build material management station may be the second connection conduit for connecting to the lower portion of the build material container, albeit via the second (external) hose length.
• the pumping module 520 may blow air from the pump 522 through the cooling upper portion connection hose 514 (or a further hose).
• the pumping module 520 may be provided with a plurality of pumps to blow air out of one or more connection hoses whilst simultaneously drawing air into other connection hoses using different pumps.
• the build material management system may comprise a plurality of pumping modules.
• FIG. 6 is a simplified illustration of a build material management system 600 according to an example of the present disclosure.
• the system 600 comprises a controller 650 that controls the general operation of the build material management system 600.
• the controller 650 is a microprocessor-based controller that is coupled to a memory 610, for example via a communications bus (not shown).
• the memory stores machine-executable instructions 612.
• the controller 650 may execute the instructions 612 and hence control operation of the build material management system 600 in accordance with those instructions.
• the machine-readable instructions may be provided on a transient or a non-transient machine-readable storage medium.
• the controller 650 controls the pumping module 520 to implement the cooling operation described hereinbefore.
• FIG. 7 is a flow diagram outlining a method of operating a build material management system according to an example of the present disclosure.
• a (transportable) build material container is received by the build material management system.
• the build material container comprises a volume of hot build material.
• the build material container is connected to a pump interface of the build material management system via a first conduit and a first build material container connection port.
• the build material container is also connected to the pump via a second conduit originating from the build material management station 100 and a second build material container connection port.
• the first and second conduits may be connected to an upper portion and a lower portion respectively of the build material container or may be connected at different points in the same portion of the container such as at two different locations in a top end.
• the pump is controlled by processing circuitry in the build material management station 110 to cause a flow of air through the build material container depending upon configuration of a valve arrangement in the conduit system connecting the pump interface to the plurality of connection hoses.
• the valve arrangement may comprise one or more valves and the valves may be set to be open or closed by the processing circuitry depending upon at least one of a connection status of the connection hoses to ports on build material containers and at least one air flow parameter specifying appropriate air flow characteristics for a cooling operation.
• the processing circuitry may control the cooperative cooling of a build volume in the build material container by configuring at least one air flow parameter to set, for example an instantaneous or a consistent air flow rate and an air flow direction through the container.
• Air flows in the two different conduits connected to the same container may be configured by the processing circuitry to select, for example, air flow parameters comprising one or more of: an air flow rate; a variation of air flow rate with time; an air flow direction by blowing or sucking air at positive or negative pressure; an intermittent or continuous air flow profile.
• the processor may independently set the air flow characteristics in the first and second conduits to cooperatively achieve a desired air flow profile through the build material container such as a desired air flow direction and to control changes in air flow through the container as a function of time.
• the processing circuitry may select one or more air flow control parameters depending on contents of the containers or characteristics of the containers such as container volume or location(s) of the container ports.
• Build material containers may comprise handles, wheels or other structural features to facilitate easy transportation of the build material container.
• Examples described herein can be realised in the form of hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. Any such software may be stored in the form of volatile or non-volatile storage such as, for example, a storage device like a ROM, whether erasable or rewritable or not, or in the form of memory such as, for example, RAM, memory chips, device or integrated circuits or on an optically or magnetically readable medium such as, for example, a CD, DVD, magnetic disk or magnetic tape.
• Storage devices and storage media are examples of machine-readable storage that are suitable for storing a program or programs that, when executed, implement examples described herein. Accordingly, examples provide a program comprising code for implementing a system or method as described herein and a machine readable storage storing such a program.
• A, B and C means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C) or (A, B and C).
• a method of cooling a volume of printed build material in a build material management apparatus comprising:

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• 2016
  • 2016-09-06 WO PCT/US2016/050363 patent/WO2017196383A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2016-09-06 CN CN201680085138.3A patent/CN109153176B/zh active Active
  • 2016-09-06 EP EP16901892.6A patent/EP3426463A4/en active Pending

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