´óÏó´«Ã½

Four patents have been granted by the EU and the US, for AIM3D printing technologies, including extruder topology and a technical solution in the field of pellet processing.

According to AIM3D, the patents help secure AIM3D’s role in the field of compact decentralized pellet extrusion and material extrusion printing with high-temperature materials. The US patents also cover filament extruders (FDM printers) for high temperature applications and high-flow hot ends.

The patents granted are:

• EP3463799B1 “System for the additive manufacture of metal parts.
• EP3648946B1 “Compact extruder and extrusion of thermomechanically deformable pellets”
• US11541593B2 “Extruder for a system for the additive manufacture of metal parts using the composite extrusion modeling (CEM) method”
• US11597118B2 “Device and method for the extrusion of thermo-mechanically deformable materials in bulk form, and compact screw extruder”

The thermal separation of the housing and the division into an actively cooled and a heated area of AIM3D's CEM technology lead to a short melting zone and uniform extrusion at high build rates. This becomes particularly evident in the processing of ULTEM 9085, a thermoplastic for the aerospace sector, which can be processed by AIM3D's pellet extruders with high build rates. According to AIM3D, the short melting zone prevents degradation of the material, which would lead to process fluctuations and weak points in the components.

Beyond the processing of metal-filled composites, the system-specific patent claims also extend to the processing of thermoplastic polymers. The company’s ExAM printers are designed as multi-material printers, capable of processing polymers, metals, and ceramics. AIM3D says it is open to licensing the technology.