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Our Technologies: Rapid Prototyping (RP), Rapid Tooling (RT), and Rapid Manufacturing (RM) Technologies

(B)  Personal Part Fabricator (PPF), 3-D Color Printing, and  Automated Fabrication of Gourmet Cakes and Other Food Items: 

1.                  J. Jang, “Process and Apparatus for Creating a Colorful 3-D Object,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,872 (Oct. 10, 2000).

2.                  J. Jang, W. C. Huang, and B. Z. Jang, “3-D Color Model Making Apparatus and Process,” U.S. Patent No. 6,165,406, 12/26/2000.

3.                   J. S. Yang, L. W. Wu and J. H. Liu, “Method for Rapidly Making a 3-D Food Object,” U.S. Patent No. 6,280,784, 08/28/2001.

4.                  J. S. Yang, L. W. Wu and J. H. Liu, “Rapid Prototyping and Fabrication Method for 3-D Food Objects,” U.S. Patent No. 6,280,785, 08/28/2001.       

        The PPF is basically a solid freeform fabrication (SFF) or layer manufacturing (LM) machine.  A PPF machine is composed of four major components:

(a)                A material delivery assembly containing a dispensing head or nozzle that is capable of dispensing a fluent material through a discharge orifice of a small size.

(b)               A support platform onto which the discharged fluent material is deposited point by point and layer by layer.

(c)                Motion devices that provide relative movements of the nozzle relative to the support platform along desired directions on an X-Y plane and along the Z-direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane.

(d)               A computer and machine controller/indexer that control the material dispensing and the movements of the nozzle relative to the support platform. 

            The movements and material dispensing operations are carried out in such a fashion that a first layer of material with a pre-determined shape and thickness is deposited onto the support platform point by point.  The nozzle is moved away from the support platform along the Z-direction by a desired distance, equal to the desired thickness of the second layer.  Once this first layer of material is substantially solidified, a second layer of material with another pre-determined shape and thickness is deposited onto the first layer of material and adhered thereto.  The nozzle is moved away from the platform by another thickness distance.  Once this second layer of material is substantially solidified, a third layer of material is deposited onto the second layer and allowed to adhere to the second layer and be solidified.  These procedures are repeated until a 3-D shape composed of multiple layers is formed. 

            A PPF system builds an object in an automated manner without operator’s interventions and without the need to use a mold.  Specifically, the process begins with creating a Computer Aided Design (CAD) file to represent the 3-D geometry of a desired object.  This CAD file is converted to a suitable format, e.g. stereo lithography (.STL) format, and further sliced into a large number of thin layers.  In a commonly used layer data format, referred to as Common Layer Interface (CLI), the contours of each layer may be defined by a plurality of line segments connected to form vectors or polylines.  The layer data are converted to tool path data normally in terms of computer numerical control (CNC) codes such as G-codes and M-codes.  These codes are then utilized to drive a fabrication tool for building an object layer by layer. 

            Why use a PPF machine?  The SFF technology has found a broad array of applications such as verifying CAD database, evaluating design feasibility, testing part functionality, assessing aesthetics, checking ergonomics of design, aiding in tool and fixture design, creating conceptual models and sales/marketing tools, generating patterns for investment casting, and reducing or eliminating engineering changes in production. 

            For instance, an industry designer can use a PPF to fabricate a new mobile phone model for his colleagues or supervisors to see and touch.  They can determine if this model has a pleasing appearance and the correct shape and dimensions to accommodate the electronic components of the phone.  This new model can be made in a matter of hours rather than days or weeks if conventional model-making techniques are employed.  If required, the designer can go back to change the design on the computer monitor and then press a “3-D Print” button to build another model for further evaluation.   

Color Model Makers (CMM):  A second item in the product line of PPR is the color model makers (CMM).  A CMM machine is capable of rapidly producing multi-color parts.  The CMM method entails dispensing solidifying materials of different colors from different nozzles to deposit onto a support platform to form multiple layers of a part in a point-by-point and layer-by-layer fashion according to a computer-generated deposition path file and color map.  Successive layers solidify essentially immediately upon deposition and adhere to one another to build up a 3-D part.  This method converts a computer-aided design (CAD) color model directly into a 3-D physical object of multi-color without part-specific tooling or human intervention. The advantages of a color model over a single-model are like those of a color picture over a black-and-white picture or a color TV over a monochrome.  

Automated Fabrication of Gourmet Cakes and Other Food Items:  A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional food object from a design created on a computer, including: (a) providing a support member by which the object is supported while being constructed; (b) operating a material dispensing head for dispensing a strand of food composition in a fluent state with this food composition comprising a volatile ingredient; ( c)  operating a material treatment device disposed near the strand of food composition to at least partially remove the volatile ingredient for causing the food composition to achieve a rigid state in which the food composition is built up in a 3-D shape of the object; and (d) operating control devices for generating control signals in response to coordinates of the design of the object and controlling the position of the dispensing head relative to the support member in response to the control signals to control dispensing of the food composition for constructing the object while supported with the support member. The method optionally includes an additional step of removing the residual volatile ingredient from the resulting 3-D shape or applying a heat treatment to the 3-D shape upon construction of this shape. 

            More Versatile and Realistic Rapid Prototyping of Food Products:  The present invention provides a simple yet versatile method for rapidly producing a model for a food item.  Due to the versatility of this method, a user of this method is free to choose a volatile ingredient and a primary body-building food material from a wide spectrum of compositions.  A wide range of body-building food materials may be combined to form a food item with a desired combination of chemical (e.g., taste), physical and aesthetic properties.  A model or prototype food item may be designed and made to be similar in both composition and shape to the final food product if mass production of this item is desired.  Hence, the prototype can be fully evaluated to verify the taste-function-form of a food item before mass production begins.  This could help eliminate the possibility of producing a large number of food objects only to find out that these objects do not meet the requirements. 

            For Fabrication of Food Objects of Intricate Shape or One-of-a-Kind Items without Using a Mold or Die:  The present invention provides a cost-effective food fabrication process.  Most of the current food processing techniques are not capable of making food objects of a complex geometry.  SFF concepts provide effective approaches to the production of complex shapes without object-specific tooling or human intervention. Cost-effective freeform fabrication techniques will significantly enhance the attractiveness of a food item.  This new technology will permit the production of custom designed food objects on demand.  For instance, it can be used to fabricate a cake that is designed by a customer.  Every birthday cake can have a different and unique (one-of-a-kind) shape, different material ingredients, and/or a different color pattern.  

            Simple and Less Expensive Fabrication Equipment Design:  The presently invented approach makes it possible to have a simple dispensing head design.  For instance, polymer melts (including natural polymers) are normally highly viscous and, hence, difficult to pump, extrude, or eject out of a small orifice due to a high capillarity pressure.  The incorporation of a volatile liquid ingredient will make it easier to prepare a flowable food composition, normally without a need to heat the nozzle.  The nozzle design can be much less complex.  No exotic, fancy or complex fluid delivery device is required.  This will also make the control and operation of the present SFF system simple and reliable.