Sealing element
This disclosure may generally relate to additive manufacturing operations and, more particularly, to systems and methods for three dimensional (3D) printing a sealing element. Specifically, examples of the present disclosure may be implemented to manufacture a sealing element which may be disposed in a wellbore to seal off a portion of a well.
1. A method of producing a sealing element for a downhole tool, comprising:
depositing a first layer of a first material comprising a lattice structure, onto a bed plate of a 3D printer; and
depositing a second material in intermittent spaces of the lattice structure; and
depositing additional layers sequentially, wherein each sequential layer is disposed on a previous layer, produce the sealing element.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealing element has an annular body.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material have hardnesses that vary from one another by 5 or more on the Shore A Hardness Scale.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising halting the flow of the first material on at least a portion of the second layer and sequential layers to form a void, wherein the void is enclosed by the first layer and a final layer.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the void is filled with air.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming voids between some of the additional layers.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exposing the first material to electromagnetic radiation to promote polymerization.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exposing the first material to an ultraviolet source to initiate a phase change.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing additional layers of the first material or the second material sequentially, wherein each sequential layer is disposed on a previous layer.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming a void between the additional layers, wherein the void is adjacent to a final layer.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprises forming a plurality of voids filled with air between some of the additional layers.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second layers include photopolymers.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising cross-linking the first material with the second material.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an additional layer with the first material, the second material, and a third material.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exposing the first material to radiation.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising promoting polymerization of the first material with the radiation.
17. The method of claim 9 , wherein depositing the additional layers sequentially comprises depositing a thermoplastic, a ceramic, or a metal.
18. The method of claim 9 , wherein depositing the additional layers sequentially comprises depositing at least a polymer.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the additional layers sequentially comprises depositing different materials.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one void in at least one layer.