Gas flow in three-dimensional printing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing processes, apparatuses, software, and systems for controlling and/or treating gas borne debris in an atmosphere of a 3D printer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for printing a three-dimensional object, the system comprising:
 an energy source configured to generate an energy beam for transforming a pre-transformed material to a transformed material;   a platform configured to support the three-dimensional object during the printing; and   an enclosure configured to enclose at least a portion the platform, the enclosure comprising:   a first wall;   at least one window configured to allow the energy beam to pass therethrough; and   a recessed portion relative to the first wall, which recessed portion comprises the at least one window and a second wall that at least partially separates the recessed portion from the first wall, which at least one window and second wall define a volume of the recessed portion.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one window is disposed at a position to facilitate a path of the energy beam to travel therethrough, which path of the energy beam is directed toward the platform. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second wall is configured to facilitate at least partial shielding of an interior surface of the window from a gas-borne material in the enclosure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least partial shielding is during the printing. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the gas-borne material is produced during the printing. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion comprises a window holder portion that is configured to support the at least one window. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the window holder portion is comprised in a further recessed volume. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the recessed portion comprises a plurality of window holder portions. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of window holder portions supports a plurality of windows. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a purging system configured to direct a flow of gas away from the window. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the purging system comprises one or more channels, wherein the second wall comprises the one or more channels. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of windows that include the window, wherein the plurality of windows are arranged in a non-parallel alignment with a direction of a flow of gas above the platform. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the window holder portion comprises a purging system configured to direct a flow of gas within the further recessed volume. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second wall comprises sides that at least partially enclose a volume of the recessed portion. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a plurality of energy sources. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the volume is between the window and the platform. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the window comprises a material having a thermally conductivity higher than that of fused silica. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the material is substantially transparent to at least a portion of wavelengths of the energy beam. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the window comprises at least one of sapphire, crystal quartz, zinc selenide (ZnSe), magnesium fluoride (MgF 2 ), or calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ). 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein window comprises a material having a thermal conductivity measurement of at least 5 Watts per meter per degrees Celsius at 300 Kelvin. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion comprises one or more sensors configured to detect one or more input parameters within the enclosure during the printing. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a gas-borne material. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one sensor is operatively coupled to the window and/or the recessed portion. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is configured to maintain an internal atmosphere at a positive pressure. 
     
     
         25 . A method for printing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:
 directing an energy beam though a window to transform a pre-transformed material to a transformed material as part of the three-dimensional object that is printed in an enclosure comprising a first wall, which window is disposed in a recessed portion relative to the first wall, which recessed portion comprises a second wall that supports the window.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising at least partially shielding the interior surface of the window from a gas-borne material, which interior surface partially defines of an interior volume of the enclosure. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the gas-borne material comprises (i) a portion of the pre-transformed material or (ii) debris associated with transforming the pre-transformed material to the transformed material. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the at least partial shielding comprises reducing an amount of a gas-borne material from (i) altering the energy beam, (ii) obstructing the window, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii). 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the gas-borne material is produced during the printing. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the at least partial shielding comprises passively shielding. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the at least partial shielding comprises actively shielding. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein actively shielding comprises flowing a gas through one or more channels in the second wall. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein flowing the gas is to a direction away from the window. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the flowing of the gas results in an undetectable amount of debris affecting a peak intensity of the energy beam used to transform the pre-transformed material. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the flowing of the gas results in a peak intensity of the energy beam being substantially unchanged after transformation of at least 500 layers of pre-transformed material. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the flowing of the gas results in a peak intensity of the energy beam is substantially unchanged after transformation of at least about 3.4 milliliters of pre-transformed material. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising controlling flowing of the gas using one or more controllers. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein controlling is during the printing. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein controlling comprises adjusting a velocity and/or a pressure of the flowing of the gas. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein controlling comprises using an output of one or more sensors.