Encoded consumable materials and sensor assemblies for use in additive manufacturing systems

Abstract

A consumable material and sensor assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by the sensor assembly, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model.

1 . A marked consumable material for use in an additive manufacturing system, the marked consumable material comprising:
 an exterior surface; and   encoded markings at the exterior surface, wherein the encoded markings are configured to be read by at least one optical sensor configured to be operated by the additive manufacturing system, and wherein the marked consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         2 . The marked consumable material of  claim 1 , wherein the marked consumable material comprises a substantially cylindrical geometry having an average diameter ranging from about 0.8 millimeters to about 2.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         3 . The marked consumable material of  claim 1 , wherein the marked consumable material has a cross section with a width and thickness, wherein the width of the cross section ranges from about 1.0 millimeter to about 10.2 millimeters, and wherein the thickness of the cross section ranges from about 0.08 millimeters to about 1.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         4 . The marked consumable material of  claim 1 , wherein the encoded markings are configured to function as diffraction gratings. 
     
     
         5 . The marked consumable material of  claim 4 , wherein the encoded markings exhibit indices of refraction that are different from an average index of refraction of the exterior surface of the marked consumable material. 
     
     
         6 . The marked consumable material of  claim 1 , wherein the marked consumable material comprises a pellet geometry having a length-to-cross section ratio ranging from about 1:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         7 . The marked consumable material of  claim 1 , wherein the encoded markings comprise one or more types of encoded information selected from the group consisting of local consumable material cross-sections, consumable material extrusion parameters, amount of the marked consumable material remaining, measurements of local consumable material fingerprint characteristics, material types, material compositions, material colors, manufacturing information for the marked consumable material, product codes, material origin information, software and firmware updates for the direct digital manufacturing system, media-based information, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A spooled container for providing a marked filament of a material to an additive manufacturing system, the spooled container comprising:
 a container housing having an exit port;   a spool retained in the container housing, the spool being configured to retain a supply of the marked filament, wherein the marked filament comprises an exterior surface and encoded markings at the exterior surface, the encoded markings extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the marked filament; and   an optical sensor assembly retained at least partially within the container housing at a location that is upstream from the exit port of the container housing, the optical sensor being configured to read information from the encoded markings from the marked filament.   
     
     
         9 . The spooled container of  claim 8 , wherein the optical sensor assembly is disposed fully within the container housing. 
     
     
         10 . The spooled container of  claim 8 , wherein the optical sensor assembly comprises:
 a channel configured to receive the filament;   a light emitter configured to direct a light beam at a section of the filament as the filament passes through the channel; and   at least one optical detector configured to receive diffracted beams of light that are reflected from the encoded markings of the filament.   
     
     
         11 . The spooled container of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one optical detector comprises a plurality of optical detectors. 
     
     
         12 . The spooled container of  claim 8 , and further comprising a liner disposed within the container housing, wherein the spool and the optical sensor assembly are disposed within the liner. 
     
     
         13 . The spooled container of  claim 8 , wherein the optical sensor assembly comprises:
 a first subassembly disposed within the container housing and comprising a channel configured to receive the filament; and   a second subassembly disposed within the additive manufacturing system and external to the container housing, the second subassembly being configured to engage with the first subassembly while the supply source is loaded to the additive manufacturing system.   
     
     
         14 . The spooled container of  claim 13 , wherein the first subassembly further comprises at least one waveguide configured to route light from a light source to the second subassembly. 
     
     
         15 . A method for building a three-dimensional model with an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
 loading a spooled container to the additive manufacturing system, the spooled container having a marked filament comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings, wherein at least a portion of the encoded markings have indices of refraction that are different from an average index of refraction of the exterior surface;   feeding the marked filament to an optical sensor assembly disposed at least partially within the spooled container;   reading information from the encoded markings of the fed marked filament with the optical sensor assembly;   transmitting the read information to the additive manufacturing system; and   directing the fed marked filament out of the spooled contained and to a deposition head of the additive manufacturing system.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein reading information from the encoded markings of the fed marked filament with the optical sensor assembly comprises:
 directing a light beam from a light emitter of the optical sensor assembly to the marked filament;   reflectively diffracting the light beam into separate beams of light at the encoded markings of the marked filament; and   detecting at least a portion of the reflected beams of light with at least one optical detector of the optical sensor assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , and further comprising:
 melting the marked filament to at least an extrudable state in the extrusion head; and   depositing the melted material from the extrusion deposition head to form the three-dimensional model in a layer-by-layer manner.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , and further comprising adjusting at least one property of the additive manufacturing system based on the transmitted information. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the optical sensor assembly is disposed fully within the spooled container. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , and further comprising maintaining a moisture barrier within the spooled container with a liner, wherein the optical sensor assembly is retained within the liner.