Sintering method, manufacturing method, object data processing method, data carrier and object data processor

Abstract

A method is provided of sintering a green object body to form a manufactured object. The method comprises providing a green object body. The green object body comprises granular construction material bound together by a binder. The method comprises providing a green support body for supporting the green object body. The green support body comprises granular construction material bound together by a binder. The method comprises supporting the green object body with the green support body. The method comprises sintering the green support body together with the green object body supported by the green support body. A method of manufacturing an object, a method of processing object data, a data carrier carrying program instructions and an object data processor are also provided.

1 . A method of sintering a green object body to form a manufactured object, comprising:
 providing a green object body, the green object body comprising granular construction material bound together by a binder;   providing a green support body for supporting the green object body, the green support body comprising granular construction material bound together by a binder;   supporting the green object body with the green support body; and   sintering the green support body together with the green object body supported by the green support body.   
     
     
         2 . A method of manufacturing an object, comprising:
 depositing a first plurality of layers of a construction material;   selectively binding portions of each deposited layer of the first plurality of layers to form a green support body; depositing a second plurality of layers of a construction material;   selectively binding portions of each deposited layer of the second plurality of layers to form a green object body supported by the green support body; and   sintering the green support body together with the green object body supported by the green support body.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the green object body and the green support body exhibit substantially the same percentage of linear shrinkage during the sintering. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a debinding process of the green object body supported by the green support body before the sintering process. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the green support body and the green object body are formed of the same construction material bound by the same binder. 
     
     
         6 . A method of processing object data, comprising:
 obtaining object data representing an object body to be manufactured;   generating support data based on the object data, the support data representing a support body for supporting the green object body;   combining the support data and the object data to obtain combined data representing the object body supported by the support body; and   outputting the combined data.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the green support body has a planar base surface on which it is able to rest while supporting the object body. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the green support body has a supporting surface for supporting the green object body, the supporting surface provides an intermittent contact surface with the green object body. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the intermittent contact surface is formed by at least one of projections, recesses or corrugations of the supporting surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the green support body is adapted to conform to the shape of the green object body. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the green support body is adapted to contact the green object body at a plurality of positions on the green object body. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the green support body is dimensioned so as to support the entirety of the green object body. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the green support body is connected to the green object body by binder. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the green support body is separate from the green object body. 
     
     
         15 . A data carrier carrying program instructions configured, when executed, to cause a data processor to perform a method in accordance with  claim 6 . 
     
     
         16 . An object data processor comprising:
 an object data obtaining unit operable to obtain object data representing an object body to be manufactured;   a support data generating unit operable to generate support data based on the object data, the support data representing a support body for supporting the green object body;   a combining unit operable to combine the support data and the object data to obtain combined data representing the object body supported by the support body; and   a combined data outputting unit for outputting the combined data.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the green object body and the green support body exhibit substantially the same percentage of linear shrinkage during the sintering. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising a debinding process of the green object body supported by the green support body before the sintering process. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the green support body and the green object body are formed of the same construction material bound by the same binder. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the green support body is adapted to conform to the shape of the green object body.