BUILDING AN OBJECT WITH A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTER USING VIBRATIONAL ENERGY
A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes an ejector and a coil wrapped at least partially around the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a power source configured to transmit voltage pulses to the coil. The 3D printer includes a computing system causing one or more drops of the liquid to be jetted out of the nozzle, and a vibrational source configured to transmit vibrational energy towards the printing material. The frequency of the vibrational energy may be dynamically modulated as a 3D object is formed by the 3D printer, and may be directly or indirectly applied to the printing material or 3D object. The vibrational source may include a piezoelectric source, ultrasonic source, a focused acoustic energy source, a laser vibrational source, or combinations thereof.
1 . A three-dimensional (3D) printer, comprising:
an ejector comprising a nozzle;
a coil wrapped at least partially around the ejector;
a power source configured to transmit voltage pulses to the coil and configured to supply one or more pulses of power to the coil, which causes one or more drops of a printing material to be jetted out of the nozzle; and
a vibrational source configured to transmit vibrational energy towards the one or more drops of printing material.
2 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , wherein the vibrational energy has an amplitude that is less than or equal to 75% of a diameter of the one or more drops of printing material.
3 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , wherein the vibrational energy has a frequency that ranges from 100 Hz to 20 kHz.
4 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , wherein the vibrational energy has a frequency that is dynamically modulated as a 3D object is formed by the 3D printer.
5 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heating element configured to heat the printing material in the ejector, thereby causing the printing material to change from a solid state to a liquid state within the ejector;
a substrate positioned below the nozzle and configured to receive the drops of the printing material after the drops of the printing material are jetted through the nozzle; and
a substrate control motor configured to move the substrate after the drops of the printing material are jetted through the nozzle.
6 . The 3D printer of claim 5 , wherein the vibrational source is directly applied to the substrate.
7 . The 3D printer of claim 5 , wherein the vibrational energy is directly applied to the substrate in a direction parallel to the substrate.
8 . The 3D printer of claim 7 , wherein the vibrational energy is directly applied to the substrate in an orbital direction.
9 . The 3D printer of claim 5 , wherein the vibrational source transmits vibrational energy intermittently.
10 . The 3D printer of claim 5 , wherein the vibrational source transmits vibrational energy towards the drops of the printing material after the substrate receives the drops of the printing material.
11 . The 3D printer of claim 5 , wherein the vibrational energy is applied to the substrate in a direction oblique to the substrate.
12 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , the vibrational source further comprising a piezoelectric source.
13 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , the vibrational source further comprising an ultrasonic source.
14 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , the vibrational source further comprising a focused acoustic energy source.
15 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , the vibrational source further comprising a laser vibrational source.
16 . The 3D printer of claim 1 , wherein the printing material comprises metal, metallic alloys, or a combination thereof.
17 . The 3D printer of claim 16 , wherein the printing material comprises aluminum, aluminum alloys, or a combination thereof.
18 . A three-dimensional (3D) printer, comprising:
an ejector comprising a nozzle;
a coil wrapped at least partially around the ejector;
a power source configured to transmit voltage pulses to the coil and configured to supply one or more pulses of power to the coil, which causes one or more drops of a printing material to be jetted out of the nozzle;
a heating element configured to heat the printing material in the ejector, thereby causing the printing material to change from a solid state to a liquid state within the ejector;
a substrate positioned below the nozzle and configured to receive the drops of the printing material after the drops of the printing material are jetted through the nozzle;
a substrate control motor configured to move the substrate after the drops of the printing material are jetted through the nozzle; and
a vibrational source coupled to the substrate and configured to transmit vibrational energy towards the one or more drops of printing material.
19 . The 3D printer of claim 18 , wherein the vibrational energy has an amplitude that is less than or equal to 75% of a diameter of the one or more drops of printing material.
20 . The 3D printer of claim 18 , wherein the vibrational energy has a frequency that is dynamically modulated as a 3D object is formed by the 3D printer.
21 . A method for printing a three-dimensional (3D) object using a 3D printer, the method comprising:
jetting a first plurality of drops of a printing material through a nozzle; and
directing a vibrational energy towards the first plurality of drops of printing material, wherein the vibrational energy has an amplitude less than 75% of a diameter of each drop of printing material.
22 . The method of claim 21 , the method further comprising generating the vibrational energy with a piezoelectric source.