Stratasys, Inc.

Benjamin L Braton

Logan R Kiene

Robert L Skubic

Michael D Bosveld

James Flannigan

Jerome W Goetzke

Bryan Migliori

Joel Ordell Ostby

Joel E Farley

Brent Jorgenson

David Mulcrone

Patrick Williams Anderson

Jeff Lee Chapman

Colin Adam Schiel

Josh Durand

Kyra Elizabeth Neal

An extrusion-based 3D printer configured to print 3D parts in a layer-by-layer manner includes a heated build chamber, a build platen within the chamber and at least one print head configured to extrude material onto the build platen or previously extruded material wherein the at least one print head is configured to move in a print plane. The 3D printer includes at least one air intake and exhaust system that includes ductwork having an inlet configured to intake air from the build chamber and an outlet configured to exhaust air into the build chamber proximate the build plane, a fan proximate the inlet and configured to draw air into the ductwork through the inlet and propel the air towards the outlet, a heater proximate the outlet, the heater configured to heat the air as the air passes the heater and a perforated diffuser plate between the fan and the heater.

3D printer with increased uniformity of build chamber temperature

A platen assembly for use with an extrusion-based 3D printer includes a grid assembly comprising at least a 4×2 framework of interlocked perpendicular x direction beams and y direction beams, providing a substantially planar upper surface and a bottom surface. The platen assembly includes a platen comprising a thin metal sheet supported on the upper surface of the grid assembly and secured to the grid assembly such that the top surface provides a substantially flat build surface. The x direction beams, the y direction beams and the platen are constructed of substantially a same thermal expansion properties, and wherein the build surface of the platen has a build surface area of at least 400 square inches and maintains its flatness to within a flatness tolerance of 0.020 inches over a temperature range of at least 20 C-300 C.

Platen with grid assembly for 3D printing

A probe for an additive manufacturing system includes a probe body having a first air port therethrough between an inlet and an outlet, and a location sensing probe extending from the probe body. The location sensing probe includes a probe end and a probe bar, the probe bar coupled between the probe body and the probe end, and a channel surrounding the probe bar, the channel having an inner tube having an inlet proximate the probe body and an outlet proximate the probe end. A method of determining a position of an item being printed in an additive manufacturing system, includes probing the position with a location sensing probe having a resolution finer than a print resolution of the print head.

Method of using a support structure as a fiducial for measuring position

A purge station assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a purge station having a base bracket, a slide mount slidably engaged with the base bracket, and a contact head configured to clean a nozzle tip of a print head. The purge station assembly also includes a mechanism, such as a cable line, operably attached to the slide mount that allows an operator to mechanically move the slide mount relative to the base bracket from a location that is remote from the purge station.

Remotely-adjustable purge station for use in additive manufacturing systems

In-situ part position measurement

Growing community of inventors

Otsego, MN, United States of America

Benjamin L Braton