20 patents in this list

Updated:

For many applications, the heat resistance of 3D printed objects has proven to be a constraint. Components for the electronics, automotive, and aerospace industries must be able to tolerate extreme heat without warping or deteriorating.

 

The latest developments in 3D printing technology that are expanding the envelope of heat resistance are examined on this page.

1. Innovative 3D Printer Design for Enhanced Heat Resistance in Printed Objects

Zydex Pty Ltd, 2023

A 3D printer to make objects layer by layer from a radiation hardenable material. The printer has a vessel for the material, a platform to form layers, and a guide to align the platform. The platform can switch between fixed and movable orientations. The guide aligns it parallel to the vessel walls in the movable mode. In fixed mode, it forms object layers. This ensures even layer thickness and prevents failed prints. The guide can be removed to switch to the vessel.

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2. Dual-Powder Approach for Crack-Resistant 3D Printed Nickel-Based Superalloys

SIEMENS ENERGY, INC., 2023

Improve the performance of 3D-printed nickel-based superalloys for aerospace and other applications by reducing cracking that can occur during printing and heat treatment. The method involves using a two-powder mixture of high-melt superalloy powder and low-melt superalloy powder. The low-melt powder has a lower solidus temperature to reduce cracking, while the high-melt powder provides high-temperature performance. The mixture ratio allows printing without hot isostatic pressing. The low-melt powder fills pores and homogenizes during heat treatment.

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3. Sequential NIR Radiation Heating Method for Stress Reduction in 3D Metal Printing

Value & Intellectual Properties Management GMBH, 2023

3D metal printing method that uses sequential near-infrared (NIR) radiation heating to reduce stress and cracking when locally melting and fusing metal powder layers. The method involves preheating and post-heating specific areas of each powder layer using NIR radiation before and after selective melting to join layers. This allows localized control of temperatures to minimize thermal stresses.

4. High-Temperature Resistant Resin Composition for 3D Printing

MAT3d S.r.l., 2023

Photopolymerizable resin composition for additive manufacturing of 3D printed parts with high stiffness at temperatures up to 250°C. The composition contains derivatives of diurethane dimethacrylates and other components that enable the resin to achieve high thermo-mechanical properties. The resin is used to 3D print articles that can maintain stiffness at high temperatures. It is also used in a stereolithography method for making the articles. The printed objects are subjected to post-curing to complete the polymerization and optimize properties.

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5. Nickel-Based Superalloy Composition for Crack-Resistant 3D Printing of High Temperature Components

Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG, 2023

Nickel-based superalloy composition that is crack-resistant and suitable for additive manufacturing of high-temperature components like gas turbine parts using selective laser melting. The alloy contains zirconium, niobium, yttrium oxide, cobalt, and tungsten. The alloy has improved crack resistance during SLM and heat treatment compared to existing alloys, allowing additive manufacturing of gas turbine components.

6. Heat-Treatable Paramagnetic Stainless Steel Alloy for 3D Printing High-Hardness Objects

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, 2023

Paramagnetic stainless steel alloy that can be heat treated to achieve a hardness of greater than 500 HV. The alloy composition is 20-40% Cr, 3-20% Ni, 0-15% Mn, 0-5% Al, 3-15% Mo, 0-5% W, 0-2% Cu, 0-5% Si, 0-1% Ti, 0-1% Nb, 0-0.1% C, 0-0.5% N, 0-0.5% S, 0-0.1% P, balance Fe and impurities. The steel is first formed and then heat treated to transform the ferrite microstructure into austenite and sigma phase, increasing the hardness. The steel is non-magnetic and has a high hardness for applications like timepiece components.

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7. Magnetohydrodynamic Pump Heating for Consistent Metal Jetting in 3D Printing

XEROX CORPORATION, 2023

Metal jetting uses a 3D printer to create a 3D part from liquid metal drops. It involves pulsing the printer's magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pump coil at sub-threshold levels that provide supplemental induction heating to the pump without ejecting drops. This helps maintain consistent drop temperatures during warm-up, standby, and other non-printing modes.

8. Rapid Formation of Easily Removable Metal Supports in 3D Printing

Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, 2023

A metal 3D printer that quickly forms metal support structures that can be easily removed after printing. The printer ejects melted metal drops to form objects. To create supports, it forms a line of spaced pillars, then a single pass ejects a continuous metal line over the pillars. This avoids excessive heat buildup. The pillars can be easily separated from the continuous line later. This enables rapid support formation with adequate strength compared to building walls and joining pillars incrementally.

9. Heat-Aware Toolpath Generation for Minimizing Deformation in 3D Printing

Siemens Industry Software Inc., 2023

Heat-aware toolpath generation for 3D printing of physical objects. The toolpath is generated with criteria that optimize the path to minimize heat accumulation and deformation during the print. The toolpath design accounts for factors like the amount of heat generated in a zone, the proximity to previously printed zones, and the time between printing zones to strategically plan the order and placement of printed paths. This reduces heat-related deformations and improves the quality of printed objects.

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10. Additive Manufacturing of High-Temperature Components with Optimized Cooling Passages

MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD., 2023

High-temperature component with improved cooling efficiency for use in applications like gas turbines. The component has multiple cooling passages to flow cooling fluid and an outlet passage to discharge the fluid. The inner wall of the outlet passage is smoothed compared to the other passages. This reduces pressure loss without impacting cooling. Producing the component involves forming the passages by additive manufacturing and machining the outlet passage to reduce roughness compared to the others.

11. Advanced Resin Composition for Heat-Resistant 3D Printing

Konica Minolta, Inc., 2023

Resin composition for 3D printing that has improved properties suitable for general purpose 3D printers. The composition contains a thermoplastic resin with a polar group like aromatic polycarbonate and a heterocyclic compound with multiple heteroatoms like a condensed ring compound containing N, O, or S at para positions. The composition exhibits different behavior in elastic strength above and below its glass transition temperature, with increased modulus below Tg and reduced viscoelasticity above Tg. This allows lower temperature 3D printing while still maintaining strength and heat resistance when formed into molded parts. It also reduces gas generation during molding compared to anti-plasticizers.

12. Ablative Thermal Coating Production via 3D Printing for High-Energy Protection

Rolls-Royce Corporation, 2023

A 3D printing method to produce thermal management components like heat shields that can ablate when exposed to high energy levels. The technique involves using filament deposition and selectively removing a sacrificial binder from the coating, then sintering the remaining powder to form the thermal coating. The coating is designed to ablate when absorbing energy to protect the underlying substrate from heat.

13. High-Temperature Self-Crosslinking Flame-Retardant Copolyesters for 3D Printing

SICHUAN UNIVERSITY, 2023

Flame-retardant copolyesters with high-temperature self-crosslinking, anti-dripping properties, comprising specific polyester monomers. The copolyesters have high flame resistance without using halogenated or phosphorus-based flame retardants. The copolyesters are made via esterification and polycondensation of monomers including 1) aromatic diacid/diester, 2) diol, 3) high-temperature self-crosslinking flame-retardant monomer, and 4) ionic monomer. The resulting copolyesters have high limiting oxygen index, low vertical combustion grade, and resist dripping when burned. The flame resistance comes from the self-crosslinking flame retardant monomer.

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14. Laser-Induced Formation of Heat-Resistant Composite Materials for Aerospace Applications

Battelle Memorial Institute, 2023

Composite materials for thermal protection systems that can be rapidly formed and have desirable thermal and mechanical properties for applications like hypersonic aerospace. The composites are formed by selectively heating a precursor material with a laser to induce specific material changes. This involves using a laser to heat a composite precursor material containing pitch or polymer resin and additives. The laser heating forms a subsurface layer of graphitic carbon with a cellular structure, and then a surface layer of graphitic carbon. The resulting composite has high thermal insulation in the thickness direction, high thermal conductivity along the surface, and improved mechanical performance compared to typical refractory composites.

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15. Additive Manufacturing of Temperature-Responsive Microstructured Articles

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, 2023

Manufacturing by additive manufacturing a microstructured article with tailored expansion/contraction properties upon temperature change. The article has repeating microstructures with two portions that contact each other. The first portion has a property that can restrain or enhance the second portion's matching property. For example, metals with different thermal expansion coefficients. The tailored contact causes the article to expand, contract, or remain unchanged when heated. Applications include adjustable flow control valves, prosthetics, casts, and aircraft tabs.

16. High Heat Resistance Liquid Resin Compositions for 3D Printing

3D SYSTEMS, INC., 2023

3D printable liquid resin compositions for high performance 3D printing with good heat resistance. The resin compositions contain high levels of isocyanurate polyacrylate for high heat deflection temperatures. It also includes a curable monomer to prevent crystallization during storage. The composition is cured using light to form 3D printed objects with high heat resistance.

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17. Precision Cooling Flow Control in High Temperature Turbomachinery Components through 3D Printing

Mitsubishi Power, Ltd., 2023

High temperature component for turbomachinery like gas turbines that avoids overcooling while preventing inadequate cooling. The component has multiple cooling passages connected to a header, with fewer outlet passages than cooling passages. The outlet passages have smaller cross-sectional areas than the cooling passages. This configuration allows precise control of cooling flow rates even if passage dimensions are imprecise due to manufacturing constraints. Machining the outlet passages further refines the flow control.

18. Superalloy Powder Mixture for Microcrack-Resistant Additive Manufacturing and Welding

Siemens Energy, Inc., 2023

A superalloy powder mixture for additively manufacturing or welding metal components made from difficult-to-weld superalloys used in high temperature applications. The mixture includes a high melt superalloy powder and a low melt superalloy powder combined at a specific ratio. The low melt powder has a lower solidus temperature than the high melt powder. This reduces microcracking during cooling. The low melt powder contains more tantalum than the high melt powder. The mixture allows additively manufacturing and/or welding superalloy components without hot isostatic pressing.

19. High Thermal Stability Thermoset Material for 3D Printing

TIGER COATINGS GMBH & CO. KG, 2023

Material for 3D printing thermoset objects with high thermal stability. The thermosetting material uses a combination of epoxy resins - unmodified (A) and elastomer-modified (B) - along with lower viscosity epoxy resin (C) and curing agents (D) like amines or amides. This combination allows high temperature curing to produce thermoset 3D objects with glass transition temperatures over 80°C, suitable for applications where thermoplastics deform.

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20. Crack-Free Nickel-Based Superalloy for 3D Printing of Heat Resistant Components

GAONA AERO MATERIAL CO., LTD, 2023

A nickel-based superalloy that is crack-free when 3D printed using selective laser melting. The alloy has a composition that allows it to be successfully 3D printed into complex components like turbine blades. The alloy has controlled amounts of elements like carbon, chromium, lanthanum, and boron to prevent cracking during printing.

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The patents that are displayed here demonstrate a range of innovative methods for making 3D printed products highly heat resistant. These improvements cover everything from new printer designs and specific materials to stress and crack management strategies for printing.