System for planarizing objects in three-dimensional object printing systems with reduced debris
A three-dimensional object printing system improves the collection of waste materials during object printing. The printing system includes an ejector head configured to eject material, a platform configured to move in a process direction to a position opposite the ejector head to enable the ejector head to eject material onto the platform, and first and second planarizers configured to remove a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of the material ejected onto the platform. The printing system further includes a first housing defining a first chamber in which at least one of the first planarizer and the second planarizer is positioned, and a first vacuum source connected to the first housing, the first vacuum source being configured to produce a first vacuum in the first chamber to pull material removed by the at least one of the first planarizer and the second planarizer from the first chamber.
1. A three-dimensional object printing system comprising:
an ejector head configured to eject drops of material;
a platform configured to move in a process direction to a position opposite the ejector head to enable the ejector head to eject drops of the material toward the platform to form an upper surface of an object on the platform;
a first planarizer positioned in the process direction to be opposite the platform after the ejector head has ejected drops of the material toward the platform, the first planarizer being separated from the platform at a first distance, and the first planarizer being configured to remove a first portion of the material from the upper surface of the object on the platform;
a second planarizer positioned in the process direction to be opposite the platform after the first planarizer has removed the first portion of the material from the upper surface of the object on the platform, the second planarizer being separated from the platform at a second distance that is less than the first distance, and the second planarizer being configured to remove a second portion of the material from the upper surface of the object on the platform, one of the first and the second planarizer being a roller having a knurled surface to remove material from the upper surface of the object on the platform and the other of the first and the second planarizer being a device having a blade to remove material from the upper surface of the object on the platform;
a first housing defining a first chamber in which at least one of the first planarizer and the second planarizer is positioned; and
a first vacuum source connected to the first housing, the first vacuum source being configured to produce a first vacuum in the first chamber to pull material removed by the at least one of the first planarizer and the second planarizer from the first chamber.
2. The printing system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second planarizers are both positioned in the first chamber.
3. The printing system of claim 1 further comprising:
the first planarizer being positioned in the first chamber;
a second housing defining a second chamber in which the second planarizer is positioned.
4. The printing system of claim 3 , wherein the first vacuum source is operatively connected to the second chamber in the second housing to pull material removed by the second planarizer from the second chamber.
5. The printing system of claim 3 further comprising:
a second vacuum source is operatively connected to the second chamber in the second housing to pull material removed by the second planarizer from the second chamber.
6. The printing system of claim 1 further comprising:
a first actuator operatively connected to the first planarizer, the first actuator being configured to move the first planarizer to the first distance from the platform and to move the second planarizer to the second distance from the platform.
7. The printing system of claim 1 further comprising:
a first actuator operatively connected to the first planarizer, the first actuator being configured to move the first planarizer to the first distance from the platform; and
a second actuator operatively connected to the second planarizer, the second actuator being configured to move the second planarizer to the second distance from the platform.
8. The printing system of claim 7 wherein the first planarizer is positioned in the first chamber and the printing system further comprises:
a second housing defining a second chamber in which the second planarizer is positioned;
a second vacuum source configured to produce a second vacuum in the second chamber to pull material removed by the second planarizer from the second chamber; and
a controller operably connected to the first and second actuators, the first vacuum source, and the second vacuum source, the controller being configured to operate the first actuator to position the first planarizer at the first distance from the platform, to operate the second actuator to position the second planarizer at the second distance from the platform to enable the first portion removed by the first planarizer to be a different amount of material than the second portion removed by the second planarizer, to determine a first vacuum pressure at which to operate the first vacuum source based upon an amount in the first portion of the material to be removed from the upper surface of the object on the platform and to operate the first vacuum at the first vacuum pressure during removal of the first portion of the material from the object on the platform, and to determine a second vacuum pressure at which to operate the second vacuum source based upon an amount of material in the second portion of the material to be removed from the upper surface of the object on the platform and to operate the second vacuum at the second vacuum pressure during removal of the second portion of the material from the object on the platform, the first vacuum pressure being different than the second vacuum pressure.
9. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 1 wherein the first planarizer is positioned at the first distance from the platform when the first planarizer removes the first portion from the material ejected onto the platform and wherein the second planarizer is positioned at the second distance from the platform when the second planarizer removes the second portion of the material ejected onto the platform.
10. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 1 , the first planarizer further comprising:
a first actuator configured to move the first planarizer horizontally and vertically with respect to the platform to produce a curved surface on the object on the platform.
11. The printing system of claim 10 , the second planarizer further comprising: a second actuator configured to move the second planarizer horizontally and vertically with respect to the platform to produce a curved surface on the object on the platform.