10.04.18
The US Patent and Trademark Office awarded Orlando, FL-based nScrypt US Patent No. 10,059,056 B2 entitled “Micro-dispensing Multi-Layered 3D Objects with Curing Steps,” effective Aug. 28, 2018.
nScrypt’s CEO Dr. Ken Church is the lead inventor.
According to Dr. Church, “there is a real need for a high-speed 3D printing method that can produce patterns on flat or conformal surfaces and to build 3D structures with multiple materials in multiple layers, some of which may be conductive.
“This patent reflects our pioneering work to solve this problem with micro-dispensing,” he concluded.
Dr. Church’s co-inventors are Charles “Mike” Newton, head of nScrypt’s Cyberfacturing Center; Xudong “Donny” Chen, nScrypt’s VP sales & marketing, and Patrick Clark, a former nScrypt engineer.
NScrypt is known for its Direct Digital Manufacturing platform, which integrates multiple micro-dispensing, thermoplastic extrusion, pick & place, and milling/drilling/polishing heads onto a high-precision linear motion gantry platform (10nm resolution, 500nm repeatability, 1-micron accuracy), which nScrypt calls a “Factory in a Tool.”
The patent covers a method for building 3D structures by micro-dispensing the layers with a syringe-based micro-dispensing tool, which nScrypt calls its SmartPump. The method builds 3D structures layer-by-layer, curing each layer after it is micro-dispensed. The build material can be loaded with nano-to-micron sized particles, tubes, or strings.
The patent has 19 claims, 3 of which are independent and 16 are dependent. The first independent claim (claim 1) covers a method of building 3D structures by micro-dispensing a polymer, then curing each layer with multiple lasers or UV sources. The curing sources can be arrayed in series or in parallel to speed the curing and building process.
The second independent claim (claim 16), covers a system for using multiple micro-dispensing nozzles in series or in parallel and multiple materials to build 3D structures layer-by-layer, curing after each layer.
The third independent claim (claim 18) covers a method of micro-dispensing multiple layers of multiple materials with multiple nozzles and curing the layers with a photo, thermal, electrical, inductive, or chemical source.
The dependent claims cover layers that form conductive circuits; including picking-and-placing components while building the 3D structure; laser-cutting the layers; using camera feedback and vision, and feedback from heat and light sensors, to control curing temperature and increase build speed and accuracy in real time.
To read the patent, click here.
nScrypt’s CEO Dr. Ken Church is the lead inventor.
According to Dr. Church, “there is a real need for a high-speed 3D printing method that can produce patterns on flat or conformal surfaces and to build 3D structures with multiple materials in multiple layers, some of which may be conductive.
“This patent reflects our pioneering work to solve this problem with micro-dispensing,” he concluded.
Dr. Church’s co-inventors are Charles “Mike” Newton, head of nScrypt’s Cyberfacturing Center; Xudong “Donny” Chen, nScrypt’s VP sales & marketing, and Patrick Clark, a former nScrypt engineer.
NScrypt is known for its Direct Digital Manufacturing platform, which integrates multiple micro-dispensing, thermoplastic extrusion, pick & place, and milling/drilling/polishing heads onto a high-precision linear motion gantry platform (10nm resolution, 500nm repeatability, 1-micron accuracy), which nScrypt calls a “Factory in a Tool.”
The patent covers a method for building 3D structures by micro-dispensing the layers with a syringe-based micro-dispensing tool, which nScrypt calls its SmartPump. The method builds 3D structures layer-by-layer, curing each layer after it is micro-dispensed. The build material can be loaded with nano-to-micron sized particles, tubes, or strings.
The patent has 19 claims, 3 of which are independent and 16 are dependent. The first independent claim (claim 1) covers a method of building 3D structures by micro-dispensing a polymer, then curing each layer with multiple lasers or UV sources. The curing sources can be arrayed in series or in parallel to speed the curing and building process.
The second independent claim (claim 16), covers a system for using multiple micro-dispensing nozzles in series or in parallel and multiple materials to build 3D structures layer-by-layer, curing after each layer.
The third independent claim (claim 18) covers a method of micro-dispensing multiple layers of multiple materials with multiple nozzles and curing the layers with a photo, thermal, electrical, inductive, or chemical source.
The dependent claims cover layers that form conductive circuits; including picking-and-placing components while building the 3D structure; laser-cutting the layers; using camera feedback and vision, and feedback from heat and light sensors, to control curing temperature and increase build speed and accuracy in real time.
To read the patent, click here.