Makerbot Industries, LLC

Cedric James Kovacs-Johnson

Tim Andreas Osswald

Michael Joseph Kobida

Charles John Haider

Taylor Michael Fahey

A filament for use with a printer head of a 3D printer includes an exterior surface and an interior surface having color selectively applied thereto, where the color of the interior surface is visible through the exterior surface, and where the color is applied only to the interior surface such that the color remains substantially isolated from components of the printer head when traveling therethrough.

Coloring filament for three-dimensionally printing colored objects

An assembly that is configured to be coupled to and communicate with a 3D printer having a printer head includes a color-application unit positioned upstream of the 3D printer. The color-application unit is configured to receive a filament and direct the filament to the printer head of the 3D printer. The assembly also includes a color applicator coupled to the color-application unit. The color applicator is operable to selectively apply color to an interior surface of the filament.

System for use with three-dimensional printer and method for using the same

A three-dimensional printer effects color changes in an extrudate using a color-application unit applying a colorant to the interior of a filament before it is melted within an extruder. Specifically, the color-application unit may receive a filament (or portions thereof) having an exposed interior surface, where color applicators are actuated to apply one or more colors to the interior surface of the filament in order to modify the extruded color. The filament may then be coupled, collapsed, or otherwise closed about the interior surface, e.g., by a mechanical coupler, to substantially enclose the interior surface of the filament, which is then fed to the extruder for fabricating a colored object in a three-dimensional fabrication process. By enclosing the colored surface within the filament before melting for extrusion, transition effects of a color change can be mitigated and transition time for a substantially complete change in color can be significantly reduced.

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Wilmette, IL, United States of America

Cedric James Kovacs-Johnson