3d Systems, Inc.

Christian M Merot

Michael S Lockard

Thomas A Almquist

Richard Noel Leyden

Jeffrey S Thayer

Bryan J L Bedal

Charles W Hull

Thomas Alan Kerekes

Thomas H Pang

Jocelyn M Earl

Richard P Fedchenko

Dennis R Smalley

Dinh Ton That

John S Stockwell

Kenneth Andrew Regas

Raymond J Bishop

James H Sykora

Tae Mark Chung

Paul M Weiskopf

Anthony L Caruso

Keith Denison

A thermal management system is provided to control the preheating and cool down of a removable build chamber in a laser sintering system. A thermal management station controls preheating of a removable build chamber to heat the chamber to a temperature at or near the operating temperature of the laser sintering system. After insertion into the laser sintering system and completion of a build the thermal management station controls the cool down of the part cake within the removable build chamber after the chamber has been removed from the laser sintering system.

Thermal management system for a removable build chamber for use with a laser sintering system

The invention is a rapid prototype apparatus having a removable build chamber and a plurality of alignments surfaces that can be used to properly align the build chamber with the process chamber with minimal adjustments by a user. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a process chamber attached to a support housing and a build chamber that is removably attached to the support housing. The build chamber may be inserted into the support housing and is moveable between a load position and a build position. The build chamber includes a moveable build platform and a plurality of alignment surfaces that are each adapted to releasably engage a corresponding surface on the support housing. As the build chamber moves into the build position, the alignment surfaces align the build platform the process chamber. As a result, the apparatus may be used to accurately align the build chamber with the process chamber.

Apparatus and method for aligning a removable build chamber within a process chamber

A variety of support structures and build styles for use in Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing systems are described wherein particular emphasis is given to Thermal Stereolithography, Fused Deposition Modeling, and Selective Deposition Modeling systems, and wherein a 3D modeling system is presented which uses multijet dispensing and a single material for both object and support formation.

Selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects and supports

A system and associated method for forming three-dimensional objects under computer control and from a material which may be rendered flowable and then dispensed on a layer-by-layer basis. The layers of the material solidify or otherwise physically transform upon being dispensed thereby forming successive cross-sections. The dispensing process is repeated whereby successive layers adhere to each other thereby forming the object.

Selective deposition modeling system and method

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Saugus, CA, United States of America

Christian M Merot