METAL DROP EJECTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) OBJECT PRINTER AND METHOD OF OPERATION FOR BUILDING SUPPORT STRUCTURES
A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a borate solution application system to either build support structures with a borate solution containing silica particles or to apply such a borate solution to a surface of a metal support structure prior to manufacture of a metal object feature that is supported by the support structure. The silica particles in the borate solution structure form a glassy, brittle structure on which the metal object feature is formed. This glassy, brittle structure is removed relatively easily from the object after the object is manufactured.
1 . A metal drop ejecting apparatus comprising:
an ejector head having a vessel with a receptacle within the vessel that is configured to hold melted metal and eject drops of melted metal;
a planar member; and
an applicator configured to apply a borate solution containing silica particles to a surface.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
an articulated arm to which the applicator is operatively connected;
a reservoir configured to hold a volume of the borate solution containing silica particles;
a conduit configured to connect fluidly the reservoir to the applicator; and
a controller operatively connected to the articulated arm, the controller being configured to:
operate the articulated arm to move the applicator in a three-dimensional (3D) space over the planar member to apply the borate solution containing silica particles to the surface.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , the extruder further comprising:
an actuator configured to expel the borate solution containing silica particles from the extruder.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the actuator is configured to drive a plunger.
5 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the actuator is configured to drive a lead screw.
6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the ejector head to eject melted metal drops to form layers of a support structure;
operate the articulated arm and the extruder to apply the layer of the borate solution to a surface of the support structure formed with the melted metal drops; and
operate the ejector head to eject melted metal drops onto the layer of the borate solution on the surface of the support structure.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , the controller being further configured to:
delay a predetermined period of time before operating the ejector head to eject melted metal drops onto the layer of the borate solution.
8 . The apparatus of claim 2 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the articulated arm and the extruder to form layers of a support structure with the borate solution; and
operate the ejector head to eject melted metal drops on the support structure formed with the borate solution.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , the controller being further configured to:
delay a predetermined period of time before operating the ejector head to eject melted metal drops onto the support structure formed with the layers of the borate solution.
10 . The apparatus of claim 2 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the extruder to form a layer of the borate solution on the planar member.
11 . A method of operating a metal drop ejecting apparatus comprising:
operating an applicator to apply a borate solution containing silica particles to a surface; and
operating an ejector head to eject melted metal drops onto the applied borate solution containing silica particles.
12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
operating an articulated arm to move the applicator in a three-dimensional (3D) space over a planar member to apply the borate solution containing silica particles to the surface.
13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
operating an actuator to expel the borate solution containing silica particles from the extruder.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the operation of the actuator drives a plunger to expel the borate solution containing silica particles.
15 . The method of claim 13 wherein the operation of the actuator drives a lead screw to expel the borate solution containing silica particles.
16 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
operating the ejector head to eject melted metal drops to form layers of a support structure;
operating the articulated arm and the extruder to apply the layer of the borate solution containing silica particles to a surface of the support structure formed with the melted metal drops; and
operating the ejector head to eject melted metal drops onto the layer of the borate solution containing silica particles on the surface of the support structure.
17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:
delaying a predetermined period of time before operating the ejector head to eject melted metal drops onto the layer of the borate solution containing silica particles.
18 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
operating the articulated arm and the extruder to form layers of a support structure with the borate solution containing silica particles; and
operating the ejector head to eject melted metal drops on the support structure formed with the borate solution containing silica particles.
19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising:
delaying a predetermined period of time before operating the ejector head to eject melted metal drops onto the support structure formed with the layers of the borate solution containing silica particles.
20 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
operating the extruder to form a layer of the borate solution containing silica particles on the planar member.