Apparatus, system and method of additive manufacturing using ultra-fine jetted material

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for additive manufacturing. The apparatus, system and method may include a solution dispenser comprising a carrier having embedded therein particles having a size of about 1-5 microns; a jet suitable to disperse the solution from the dispenser; and a tunable heat filter suitable to burn off the carrier, and make molten the particles, as the solution passes therethrough; wherein an additive manufacturing print build receives the molten particles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for anti-cake material jetting for a print build, the apparatus comprising:
 a controller comprising: at least one processor; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations;   a solution dispenser having a solution, wherein the solute of the solution comprises photosensitive polymers, wherein the photosensitive polymers have a size of about 1-5 microns;   a jet;   a tunable heat filter; and   an ultraviolet actuator to provide UV light, wherein the UV light is directed to the print build;   wherein the operations comprise:
 dispersing, by the jet, the solution from the solution dispenser; and 
 adjusting the tunable heat filter to a temperature to (i) burn off, at least in-part, the solvent of the solution and (ii) make molten the photosensitive polymers, as the solution passes through the heat filter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the polymers have a size about 1-2 microns. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the polymers comprise polypropylene. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the solvent of the solution comprises water. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat filter provides infrared heat, wherein adjusting the temperature of the tunable heat filter includes altering a frequency of the infrared heat. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat filter comprises multiple zones. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one zone of the multiple zones comprises infrared heat. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tunable heat filter comprises a physical filter block, wherein the print build receives the molten particles. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprising:
 second dispersing, by the jet, the solution from the solution dispenser; and   second energizing the ultraviolet actuator to cure the photosensitive polymers on the print build.