Detecting lack of adhesion of a build plate to a support bed

Abstract

A three-dimensional printer and a method of leveling a support surface in a three-dimensional printer. The three-dimensional printer includes a base plate, a support bed, including a support surface, wherein the support bed is mounted to the base plate, a plurality of adjustable mounting assemblies adjustably mounting the base plate to the support bed, wherein each adjustable mount assembly separates the base plate from the support bed by a first distance. The three-dimensional printer may further include a vacuum port fluid communication with a vacuum opening, a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the vacuum port, a vacuum regulator coupled to the tubing between the vacuum pump and vacuum port, and a vacuum pressure switch coupled to the tubing between the vacuum regulator and the vacuum port.

1 – 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method of determining whether a build plate is sealed to a support bed in a three-dimensional printer, comprising:
 initializing printing of an object;   applying a vacuum to the build plate through a vacuum opening defined in a support surface of a support bed;   determining a state of a vacuum pressure switch in communication with the vacuum, wherein the state of the vacuum pressure switch indicates whether the build plate is sealed to the support surface of the support bed with the vacuum; and   stopping printing when a control signal from the vacuum pressure switch indicates the build plate is not sealed to the support surface of the support bed.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising providing at least one of an audio indicator and visual indicator when the build plate is not sealed to the support surface of the support bed. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising applying the vacuum through a plurality of grooves defined in the support surface, wherein the vacuum openings are defined in the grooves. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the build plate exhibits a flexural modulus in a range of 1,000 MPa to 12,000 MPa, according to ASTM D790, Method 1. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising securing an edge of the build plate to the support surface with one or more clips. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising placing the build plate on the support surface. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising leveling the build surface, wherein leveling the build surface includes:
 mounting the support bed, including a support surface, onto a base plate using a plurality of adjustable mounting assemblies;   adjusting a first distance between the base plate and the support bed at each of the plurality of adjustable mounting assemblies; and   leveling the support surface.   
     
     
         27 . A system for determining whether a build plate is sealed to a support bed in a three-dimensional printer, comprising:
 a support bed including a support surface, wherein the support surface defines a number of vacuum openings;   a build plate disposed on the support surface;   a vacuum system connected to the vacuum openings defined in the support bed, wherein the vacuum system includes a vacuum pump and vacuum pressure switch; and   a controller configured to execute the following instructions:
 receive instructions for three dimensionally printing an object and initialize printing of a three-dimensional object, 
 determine a state of the vacuum pressure switch, 
 determine if the build plate is sealed to the support surface based on the state of the vacuum pressure switch, and 
 cease printing when the vacuum pressure falls below a set point. 
   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute instructions to activate the vacuum pump to apply vacuum to the build plate. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute instructions to query a control signal provided by the vacuum pressure switch at intervals. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute instructions to query the control signal at intervals upon determining the build plate is not sealed on the support surface, until one of the following conditions occurs: the build plate is repositioned on the support surface, the printer is shut off, and the print is reinitialized. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the build plate exhibits a flexural modulus in a range of 1,000 MPa to 12,000 MPa, according to ASTM D790, Method 1, 1.3 mm. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the build plate exhibits a thickness in a range of 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the support bed includes a functional layer sandwiched between a composite layer and a plate. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the composite layer includes one of the following composites: a fiberglass-epoxy laminate and a carbon fiber-epoxy laminate. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the functional layer includes at least one of a heating element and a thermal detector. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the plate includes a material selected from the following group of materials: stainless steel, aluminum and an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising clips retaining the build plate to the support surface. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of grooves defined in the support surface. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a gasket inserted in a groove between the build plate and the support surface proximal to a periphery of the build plate.