Three dimensional printing of composite reinforced structures
Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to drag the filament from the conduit nozzle.
1. A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising:
supplying a core reinforced filament having a matrix material impregnating reinforcing strands aligned along the filament;
supplying a fill material separately from the core reinforced filament;
depositing the core reinforced filament within a first region formed in a radially outward portion of a layer of a part;
applying pressure with a heated nozzle tip to continuously melt and compact the core reinforced filament as the core reinforced filament is fused into the layer of the part; and
depositing the fill material within a second region formed in a portion of the layer that is radially inward from the first region.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament extending inwards from corners of the layer.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament extending inwards from corners of the part.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern that traces wall sections of the part for a specified number of concentric passes.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern that traces the corners of the part.
6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern in a two dimensional plane of a layer.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the depositing the core reinforced filament within a reinforcing region further comprises forming an internal sandwich panel of multiple layers within the part by:
depositing the core reinforced filament within a bottom section of layers to form a bottom reinforced portion;
depositing the core reinforced filament within a top section of layers to form a top reinforced portion; and
depositing one of the core reinforced filament, the fill material, or a foaming material within a middle section of multiple layers in a honeycomb pattern between the bottom reinforced portion and the top reinforced portion.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming an internal sandwich panel by selectively depositing core reinforced filament and fill material in multiple layers.
9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming an internal sandwich panel by selectively depositing core reinforced filament in top and bottom sections with a lower density core.
10. A method for manufacturing a part, the method comprising:
supplying a core reinforced filament having a matrix material impregnating reinforcing strands aligned along the filament;
supplying a fill material separately from the core reinforced filament;
depositing the core reinforced filament within a first region formed in a radially outward portion of a layer of a part;
applying pressure with a heated nozzle tip to continuously melt and compact the core reinforced filament as the core reinforced filament is fused into the layer of the part;
terminating the reinforcing region by cutting the core reinforced filament at a temperature less than a solidification temperature of the matrix material; and
depositing the fill material within a second region formed in a portion of the layer that is radially inward from the first region.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament extending inwards from corners of the layer.
12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament extending inwards from corners of the part.
13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern that traces the wall sections of the part for a specified number of concentric passes.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern that traces the corners of the part.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern further comprises:
depositing the core reinforced filament in a concentric fill pattern in a two dimensional plane of a layer.
16. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the depositing the core reinforced filament within a reinforcing region further comprises forming an internal sandwich panel of multiple layers within the part by:
depositing the core reinforced filament within a bottom section of layers to form a bottom reinforced portion;
depositing the core reinforced filament within a top section of layers to form a top reinforced portion; and
depositing one of the core reinforced filament, the fill material, or a foaming material within a middle section of multiple layers in a honeycomb pattern between the bottom reinforced portion and the top reinforced portion.
17. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising forming an internal sandwich panel by selectively depositing core reinforced filament and fill material in multiple layers.
18. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising forming an internal sandwich panel by selectively depositing core reinforced filament in top and bottom sections with a lower density core.