Inkbit, LLC

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Javier E Ramos

Wojciech Matusik

Desai Chen

Gregory Ellson

Aaron Weber

Kiril Vidimce

Wenshou Wang

Pitchaya Sitthi-Amorn

Yuwang Wang

Davide Marini

Yan Zhang

Allen S Park

Harrison Wang

Richard Woudenberg

David B Russell

An approach to improving optical scanning increases the strength of optical reflection from the build material during fabrication. In some examples, the approach makes use of an additive (or a combination of multiple additives) that increases the received signal strength and/or improves the received signal-to-noise ratio in optical scanning for industrial metrology. Elements not naturally present in the material are introduced in the additives in order to increase fluorescence, scattering or luminescence. Such additives may include one or more of: small molecules, polymers, peptides, proteins, metal or semiconductive nanoparticles, and silicate nanoparticles.

Optical scanning for industrial metrology

An approach to precision additive fabrication uses jetting of cationic compositions in conjunction with a non-contact (e.g., optical) feedback approach. By not requiring contact to control the surface geometry of the object being manufactured, the approach is tolerant of the relative slow curing of the cationic composition, while maintaining the benefit of control of the deposition processes according to feedback during the fabrication processes. This approach provides a way to manufacture precision objects and benefit from material properties of the fabricated objects, for example, with isotropic properties, which may be at least partially a result of the slow curing, and flexible structures, which may not be attainable using conventional jetted acrylates.

Precision system for additive fabrication

An additive fabrication approach involves fabricating a platform on a build plate. The fabrication system is then calibrated based on the fabricated platform, and an object is then fabricating on the fabricated platform according to the calibration.

Calibration for additive manufacturing

A method for additive manufacturing includes forming an object including depositing a first material including a first coloring component and a second material including a second coloring component, wherein both the first material and the second material further include a corresponding fluorescent component, scanning the object, including causing an emission of an optical signal from the object, wherein the emission of the optical signal is caused at least in part by an emission from the fluorescent components interacting with the first coloring component and the second coloring component as it passes from the fluorescent components to the surface of the object, sensing the emission of the optical signal, and determining presence of the first material and the second material based at least in part on the sensed emission of the optical signal.

An inkjet printer includes a mixer and a metering system that system provides appropriate amounts of the resin's precursors into the mixer. The mixer thoroughly mixes these precursors and feeds the resulting resin to the printheads. The inkjet printer may include a cleaning system that removes residual resin during or after printing.

Inkjet 3D printing of multi-component resins

A method for managing the temperature of three-dimensional object during additive manufacturing includes depositing material on a partial fabrication of the three-dimensional object, determining thermal properties of the three-dimensional object after depositing the material, and controlling cooling of the object according to said thermal properties. In some examples, the determining of the thermal properties includes determining a temperature variation across the object and controlling position-dependent cooling of the object in a feedback arrangement. Resulting uniform temperature of the object under fabrication can improve dimensional accuracy and material properties of the object.

Thermal management for additive fabrication

A manufacturing method includes using an additive manufacturing process to form a first object. The first object includes layers, among which is a first layer that comprises a first material and a second material. The first material surrounds the second material within the first layer. Both materials are solids that transition into liquids at corresponding first and second temperatures, the first temperature being lower than the second temperature. The method includes, after having formed the first object, exposing the first object to a temperature that is between the first temperature and the second temperature such that the first material melts, thereby leaving behind a second object, the second object comprising the second material.

Hybrid additive manufacturing with dual phase change materials

The present application relates generally to systems and methods for using machine vision to provide information on one or more aspects of an additive fabrication device, such as calibration parameters and/or an object formed by the device or in the process of being formed by the device. According to some aspects, a method is provided for calibrating an additive fabrication device. According to some aspects, a method is provided for assessing at least a portion of an object formed using an additive fabrication device. According to some aspects, a method is provided for fabricating a second object in contact with a first object using an additive fabrication device. According to some aspects, an additive fabrication device configured to perform one or more of the above methods may be provided.

Systems and methods of machine vision assisted additive fabrication

A closed-loop adaptive material deposition apparatus and method uses a scanning system to monitor an additively manufactured object as it is being fabricated and adapting the geometric shape and material composition of the subsequent layers based on the scan data. The scanning system repeatedly captures geometric and/or material information of a partially manufactured object with optional auxiliary objects inserted during the manufacturing process. Based on this information, the actual surface geometry and/or actual material composition is computed. Surface geometry may be offset and used as a slicing surface for the next portion of the digital model. The shape of the slicing surface may then be recomputed each time the system scans the partially fabricated object.

Adaptive material deposition for additive manufacturing

Devices and methods are described that provide printing of three-dimensional objects using reactive materials such as materials that result in a polyurethane formulation. Three-dimensional printing in accordance with the present disclosure can be performed using an inkjet printer or other systems that deposit or dispense material. A formulation made up of two or more reactive materials and, optionally, one or more UV-curable materials is also provided. The materials can be jetted based on a desired configuration to achieve a maximum reaction between materials, and can be based on desired jetting or molar ratios. By heating or applying energy on the jetted materials, their reaction and related solidifying can be accelerated. Corrective printing is also provided for, and can be used at desired intervals to eliminate printing errors relative to the object as modeled. Systems and methods used in conjunction with all of the same are provided.

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Brookline, MA, United States of America

Javier E Ramos