Patent ID: 11969680
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 2:
3. A method for manufacturing a filter or filter medium, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a computer-readable three-dimensional model of the filter or the filter medium, the three-dimensional model being configured to be converted into a plurality of slices that each define a cross-sectional layer of the filter or filter medium; and
successively forming each layer of the filter or the filter medium by additive manufacturing;
wherein successively forming each layer of the filter or the filter medium by additive manufacturing includes building a plurality of layers each including an undulating strip of material;
wherein successively forming each layer of the filter or the filter medium by additive manufacturing includes alternating a direction of undulation from one layer to an adjacent layer along a direction of layering;
wherein the undulating strips of material of each of the plurality of layers are arranged to form a plurality of pores between adjacent ones of the plurality of layers in the direction of layering; and
wherein the plurality of pores in a first one of the plurality of layers having a first minimum dimension and the plurality of pores in a second one of the plurality of layers having a second minimum dimension that is different from the first minimum dimension.