Preparation of building material for solid freeform fabrication

Abstract

A method suitable for solid freeform fabrication is disclosed. The method comprises mixing respective amounts of a plurality of materials such as to provide a building material characterized by at least one attribute, and using the building material for fabricating a three-dimensional object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus for preparing a building material for solid freeform fabrication, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of reservoirs of mixable materials;   a user interface having a circuit for receiving, as input, a post-hardening attribute of the building material to be prepared, said post-hardening attribute comprises at least one of: a hardness, an elasticity, an electrical conductivity, and a magnetization;   a data processor having a circuit configured to access an attribute database associating attributes to materials or combinations of materials, to search said attribute database for said selected attribute, and to determine, based on at least one attribute entry of said attribute database, relative amounts of said plurality of mixable materials;   a controller having a circuit configured to automatically transfer mixable materials from said reservoirs to a container, based on said relative amounts; and   a mixing mechanism configured for mixing said mixable materials within said container.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said container is loadable on a solid freeform fabrication apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface is configured to present a color palette, and wherein said input comprises a user-selected color of said color palette. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface is configured to present a list of viscosity values and wherein said input comprises a user-selected viscosity value of said list. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface is configured to present a list of electrical properties and wherein said input comprises a user-selected electrical property of an element of said list. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface is configured to present a list of magnetic properties and wherein said input comprises a user-selected magnetic property of an element of said list. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said data processor is configured for calculating said amounts. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said data processor is configured for determining said amounts using a lookup table. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said data processor is configured for determining said amounts by interpolating entries in said lookup table. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the building material to be prepared has a shelf life that is shorter than a shelf life of each of said mixable materials before said mixing. 
     
     
         11 . A solid freeform fabrication system, comprising the apparatus of  claim 1  and a solid freeform fabrication apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . A method of preparing a building material for solid freeform fabrication, the method comprising:
 receiving, as input, a post-hardening attribute of the building material to be prepared, said post-hardening attribute comprises at least one of: a hardness, an elasticity, an electrical conductivity, and a magnetization;   by a data processor having a circuit, accessing an attribute database associating attributes to materials or combinations of materials, searching said attribute database for said selected attribute, and determining, based on at least one attribute entry of said attribute database, relative amounts of a plurality of mixable materials; and   automatically supplying mixable materials from a plurality of reservoirs containing said mixable materials to a container, based on said relative amounts;   mixing said mixable materials in said container; and   supplying the mixed materials from said container to a solid freeform fabrication apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising presenting a color palette, wherein said input comprises a user-selected color of said color palette. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising presenting a list of viscosity values and wherein said input comprises a user-selected viscosity value of said list. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising presenting a list of electrical properties and wherein said input comprises a user-selected electrical property of an element of said list. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising presenting a list of magnetic properties and wherein said input comprises a user-selected magnetic property of an element of said list. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said determining comprises calculating. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said determining comprises searching a lookup table. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising interpolating entries in said lookup table. 
     
     
         20 . A method of solid freeform fabrication of an object, comprising executing the method of  claim 12  to prepare a building material, and operating said solid freeform fabrication apparatus to fabricate the object.