Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Inkbit, LLC

Kiril Vidimce

Wojciech Matusik

Javier E Ramos

Desai Chen

Wenshou Wang

Gregory Ellson

Yan Zhang

Allen S Park

Aaron Weber

Walter Henry Zengerle, Iii

Javier Ramos

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

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.

Systems, devices, and methods for inkjet-based three-dimensional printing

A method and an apparatus are directed to characterizing a continuously moving 3D object via interferometry-based scanning. The method includes repeatedly forming several depth characterizations of the 3D object along respective scan lines of a plurality of scan lines on the surface of the 3D object. During this scanning, the 3D object is undergoing its continuous motion. The method further includes combining the determined depth characterization along the scan lines of the plurality of scan lines to form a depth map representing at least a depth of a portion associated with a location on the surface of the 3D object in the third direction on a grid of locations arranged in the first and second directions. Forming the depth characterizations includes scanning a frequency-dispersed pulsed optical signal in a first direction across the continuously moving 3D object, said 3D object moving in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. The scanned optical signal forming scan lines on a surface of the 3D object in a third direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

High-speed metrology

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Kiril Vidimce