A novel combination of materials for Rapid Manufacturing of 3-dimensional objects by ink-jet printing

A new method for fabricating 3D objects by ink-jet printing technology is presented. The technique is expected to improve the existing art of 3D-printing, which gives poor surface finish and low green body strength. A UV curable resin is printed onto a polymer powder bed. The resin shows an adequate printing behaviour at 70°C. Droplet size is dependent on printing parameters e.g. voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator, firing pulse duration and frequency. Typically the drop spreads to 1.6 times its diameter on a 100 μm powder layer, and the spreading is found to be insensitive to greater powder thickness. By suitable adjustment of droplet spacing in the x- and y-directions it is possible to ensure continuous, well defined lines and shapes that are transparent and have adequate strength for handling. Simple coupons have been produced to characterise material strength after fabrication and this is shown to exceed that of many other materials used for 3D printing. © 2008 Taylor & Francis Group.