3d Systems, Inc.

Other

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Charles W Hull

Dennis R Smalley

Charles W Lewis

Stuart T Spence

Paul F Jacobs

Richard Noel Leyden

Thomas A Almquist

Hop D Nguyen

Charles R Sperry

Jouni P Partanen

Dennis F McNamara

Suzanne M Scott

Thomas Alan Kerekes

Michael S Lockard

Thomas H Pang

Jeffrey S Thayer

Harry L Tarnoff

Jocelyn M Earl

Bryan J L Bedal

Richard A Harlow

David Z Remba

Tom J Vorgitch

David J Albert

Chris Robert Manners

Wayne A Vinson

Christian M Merot

Mehdi Mojdeh

Richard P Fedchenko

Dinh Ton That

Phil Stinebaugh

Raymond S Freed

Adam L Cohen

Kris A Schmidt

Borzo Modrek

Joseph W Allison

Hongqing V Wang

Craig M Childers

Jan Richter

Richard Ora Gregory, Ii

William J Pappas

Mark Anthony Lewis

Thomas J Vorgitch

Patrick Dunne

Rajeev B Kulkarni

Abraham Liran

Soon-Chun Kuek

Medhi Mojdeh

John Corbin West

Stacie L VanDorin

Ray Soliz

Kerry J Allen

John J Gigl

Pingyong Xu

John S Stockwell

Evgeny Korol

Matthew Kaddeland Stonesmith

Kenneth J Newell

Peter Scott Turner

Gary Lee Reynolds

Raymond Mathew Soliz

Michelle D Guertin

Brent Parker

Jason Rittenhour

Herbert E Evans, Jr

Jason A Rittenhour

Yong Chen

Phil Steinbaugh

Wayne B Vinson

Ernest W Ertley

Marek Sekowski

Stuart L Spence

Scott B Holmboe

Abraham N Reichental

Hop D Hguyen

Wayne S Vinson

Andrzej R Serkuczewski

Richard Ora Ii Gregory

Dennis Mcnamara

Richard O Gregory Ii

Dennis F Mcnamara

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system for manufacturing a 3D article includes a resin vessel, a build tray, a movement mechanism, a light engine, a housing, a gas handling system, and a controller. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet on a lower side. The housing defines two chambers including an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The upper chamber is in fluidic communication with the resin contained by the resin vessel. The lower chamber is in fluid communication with a lower surface of the transparent sheet. The controller is configured to (a) operate the gas handling system to reduce and control a partial pressure of oxygen in the upper and lower chambers, (b) operate the movement mechanism and the light engine to form the 3D article in a layer-by-layer manner.

Manufacturing system and method for high performance customized articles

Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling the temperature of powders in a powder-based additive manufacturing system using spatial light modulation. Powder layer temperatures can be measured and selectively controlled using a radiation source comprising a spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator applies a visible light radiation and/or IR radiation. In addition to controlling the pre-fused temperature of the powder in the image plane, the spatial light modulator can also apply the radiation to fuse the powder.

Spatial light modulation of powder-based additive manufacturing with temperature control including by sensor feedback

There is provided a 3D printing system, methods, and materials for the 3D printing of objects that include a cured hydrogel material, an uncured hydrogel material, and a support material. The cured hydrogel material may define a scaffold for organs or other biological structures. The 3D printing system selectively deposits the hydrogel material and support material, dries the hydrogel material, and selectively applies a catalyst to the hydrogel material to selectively cure the hydrogel material. Once the 3D printing has completed, the uncured hydrogel material may be drained and the support material may be melted or dissolved leaving a scaffold of cured hydrogel material that may be infused with living cells of the desired organ or biological structure.

Methods and apparatus for 3D printed hydrogel materials

A three dimensional printing system for manufacturing a three dimensional article includes a build platform, a light engine, and a controller. The build platform is coupled to a vertical positioning apparatus. The light engine is configured to generate and scan a columnar array of light spots across a build plane. The columnar array of light spots are arranged along a second axis. The light spots are scanned along a first axis. The build plane is laterally defined by mutually perpendicular X and Y axes. In the build plane, the first axis is parallel to the X-axis.

Three dimensional (3D) printer with high resolution light engine

A solid imaging apparatus and method employing levels of exposure varied with gray scale or time or both of digitally light projected image of a cross-section of a three-dimensional object on a solidifiable photopolymer build material. The gray scale levels of exposure of projected pixels permits the polymerization boundaries in projected boundary pixels to be controlled to achieve preserved image features in a three-dimensional object and smooth out rough or uneven edges that would otherwise occur using digital light projectors that are limited by the number of pixels in an image projected over the size of the image. Software is used to control intensity parameters applied to pixels to be illuminated in the image projected in the cross-section being exposed in the image plane.

Wall smoothness, feature accuracy and resolution in projected images via exposure levels in solid imaging

A solid imaging apparatus and method employing sub-pixel shifting in multiple exposures of the digitally light projected image of a cross-section of a three-dimensional object on a solidifiable liquid medium. The multiple exposures provide increased resolution, preserving image features in a three-dimensional object and smoothing out rough or uneven edges that would otherwise be occur using digital light projectors that are limited by the number of pixels in an image projected over the size of the image. Algorithms are used to select pixels to be illuminated within the boundary of each image projected in the cross-section being exposed.

Edge smoothness with low resolution projected images for use in solid imaging

There is provided methods and apparatus for compensation of intensity profiles of imagers used in three-dimensional modelers. The intensity profile of the actinic radiation projected from the imager is determined by a variety of techniques, including but not limited to manually operated sensors, exposed and scanned actinic radiation-sensitive paper, and intensity profilers. Once the intensity profile of the imager is determined, each layer of the solidifiable liquid material is cured by projecting a plurality of patterns (as opposed to a single pattern) defining the two-dimensional cross-section of the part being cured. The patterns vary in duration, number, and/or shape to correlate to the intensity profile so that a single layer of selectively cured solidifiable liquid material is cured with a substantially equivalent (or otherwise controlled) amount of actinic radiation per unit of surface area to provide generally controlled and consistent part quality.

Compensation of actinic radiation intensity profiles for three-dimensional modelers

A solid imaging apparatus is provided that includes a replaceable cartridge containing a source of build material and an extendable and retractable flexible transport film for transporting the build material layer-by-layer from the cartridge to the surface of a build in an image plane. An operator using the device needs merely to remove a spent cartridge and replace it with a fresh cartridge to continue solid imaging virtually uninterrupted. The apparatus also includes the capability of withdrawing and inserting an imager without the operator having to perform a separate alignment step. A brush attached to the transport film and forming part of the cartridge provides for intra-layer removal of excess uncured build material. If desired, the apparatus can produce a fully reacted build. A high intensity UV source cures the build between layers. An injection molded build pad is designed to hold a build in an inverted position for improving the build. The invention also provides for tilting the build elevator to reduce air entrainment and for releasing the build from the image plane.

Elevator and method for tilting solid image build platform for reducing air entrainment and for build release

Methods for generating supports () for parts () produced by solid freeform fabrication ('SFF') are disclosed. The method includes defining a plurality of layers (L) that make up the part, and for each layer, determining those regions (R) that require support. The method also includes merging the regions for the different layers (L) into one or more common regions that require support, and providing at least one support for each of the one or more common regions. The result is that fewer supports are used as compared to conventional SFF fabrication methods.

Region-based supports for parts produced by solid freeform fabrication

Imager and method for consistent repeatable alignment in a solid imaging apparatus

Cartridge for solid imaging apparatus and method

Method for tilting solid image build platform for reducing air entrainment and for build release

A solid imaging apparatus and method employing build material transfer means effective to transfer solidifiable liquid build material from a first side of a radiation transparent build material carrier to a receiving substrate without entrapping air bubbles in layers of transferred solidifiable liquid build material and to cleanly separate the solidified build material from the radiation transparent build material carrier as each layer is formed during the layerwise building of a three-dimensional object. An expandable membrane forming an arcuate dome and a reciprocatible flexible film are employed to effect transfer of the solidifiable liquid build material.

Bubble-free cross-sections for use in solid imaging

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clarita, CA, United States of America

Charles W Hull