SAFRAN REOSC (20240286194). METHOD FOR FABRICATING A MIRROR BY 3D PRINTING simplified abstract

METHOD FOR FABRICATING A MIRROR BY 3D PRINTING

Organization Name

SAFRAN REOSC

Inventor(s)

Jacques Rodolfo of Saint Pierre Du Perray (FR)

METHOD FOR FABRICATING A MIRROR BY 3D PRINTING - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240286194 titled 'METHOD FOR FABRICATING A MIRROR BY 3D PRINTING

The method described in the abstract involves fabricating mirrors using 3D printing technology on a mold placed on a 3D printer tray.

• The mirrors are constructed by depositing fused polymer filament loaded with ceramic powder on the mold in consecutive layers.
• The deposition process starts with the optical surface of the mirror on the free surface of the mold.
• After printing, the mirror and mold are disassembled, the ceramic powder is debound, and then the powder is sintered to solidify the mirror.

Potential Applications: - Manufacturing of custom-designed mirrors for various industries such as automotive, aerospace, and optics. - Rapid prototyping of mirror designs for research and development purposes.

Problems Solved: - Expensive and time-consuming traditional mirror manufacturing processes. - Limited flexibility in mirror design customization.

Benefits: - Cost-effective production of mirrors. - Faster turnaround time for mirror fabrication. - Enhanced design flexibility for unique mirror shapes and sizes.

Commercial Applications: - Custom mirror production for automotive rearview mirrors. - Prototype mirror development for telescope and camera applications.

Prior Art: Prior art related to this technology may include patents or research papers on 3D printing of mirrors and ceramic materials.

Frequently Updated Research: Stay updated on advancements in 3D printing technology for mirror fabrication and new materials for mirror production.

Questions about Mirror Fabrication using 3D Printing: 1. How does the use of ceramic powder in the filament affect the properties of the final mirror?

  - The ceramic powder enhances the strength and durability of the mirror, making it suitable for various applications.

2. What are the limitations of 3D printing technology for mirror fabrication?

  - Some limitations include surface finish quality and the size of mirrors that can be produced using current 3D printing technology.

Original Abstract Submitted

a method for fabricating mirrors includes a step of constructing the mirrors by 3d printing on a mold arranged on a tray of a 3d printer, using fused filament fabrication (fff) printing technology. the mold has a free surface matching an optical surface of a mirror to be fabricated. the method includes depositing, in consecutive layers on the mold, a fused polymer filament loaded with a powder of a ceramics. the deposition starts with the optical surface of the mirror on the free surface of the mold. the method further includes a step of disassembling the mirror and the mold; a step of debinding the ceramic powder; and a step of sintering the ceramic powder in order to solidify the mirror.