Keywords
Citation
(2000), "Filament spool monitoring", Assembly Automation, Vol. 20 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2000.03320dad.014
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
Filament spool monitoring
Filament spool monitoring
Keywords: Rapid prototyping
Applicant: Stratasys Inc. (USA)Patent number: 6022207Publication date: 8 February 2000Title: Rapid prototyping system with filament supply spool monitoring
The present invention is a rapid prototyping system for forming three-dimensional objects of predetermined design by depositing multiple layers of a material in its fluid state from an extrusion head onto a base. The material is selected and its temperature is controlled so that it solidifies upon extrusion or dispensing onto the base, with the build-up of the multiple layers forming the desired object. Three-dimensional objects are formed using filament supplied from a spool having an associated circuit for maintaining data regarding type and amount of filament on the spool. The system provides a circuit for monitoring data concerning the filament on the filament spool. Specifically, the present invention provides data regarding the type and amount of filament on the spool, and notifies the operator if the type of filament does not match the type of material identified by object specification data or if the amount of filament on the spool is insufficient to create a desired object. The spool of the present invention further inhibits operation of the system before the filament is completely removed from the spool, so that the operator may grab hold of and remove the filament from the filament drive and extrusion head, thereby facilitating removal of the used spool and filament and subsequent replacement with a new filament spool.