3d Systems, Inc.

The University of Queensland

Palo Alto Research Center Inc.

Kris A Schmidt

Charles W Hull

Pingyong Xu

Kenneth J Newell

Vu A Doan

Dennis R Smalley

Paul F Jacobs

John S Stockwell

Wayne A Vinson

Stephen Ruatta

Timothy Barry Sercombe

Susan Kay Holden

Francisco Eduardo Torres

Eric J Shrader

Michael S Lockard

Hop D Nguyen

Scott Jong Ho Limb

Norine E Chang

Michael Thomas Sherwood

Graham Barry Schaffer

C Wayne Jaeger

Herbert E Evans, Jr

Graham Barry Shaffer

Brad Geving

Paul J Jacobs

Ray S Freed

A printed mask derived from a composition comprised of at least one compound including at least one alkaline-hydrolyzable group, and at least one compound including at least one ethylene oxide group. The printed mask is removable using an alkaline solution in about 30 seconds or less.

Solid inks for printed masks

A jettable non-curable support material composition useful for three-dimensional ink jet printing comprising at least one fatty alcohol and at least one abietic rosin ester alcohol, wherein the support material has a melting point between about 50&#xb0; C. to about 65&#xb0; C. and a freezing point between about 45&#xb0; C. to about 55&#xb0; C.

Phase change support material composition

A UV curable composition useful for three-dimensional inkjet printing comprising (i) at least one UV curable urethane (meth)acrylate resin; (ii) at least one wax; (iii) at least one (meth)acrylate diluent; (iv) at least one photoinitiator; and (v) at least one polymerization inhibitor; wherein the amount of wax (ii) is sufficient to phase change the UV curable composition after jetting.

Ultra-violet light curable hot melt composition

A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object includes the steps of forming a mixture that contains a binder and a least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite, removing the binder from said green composite, forming a porous perform structure, reacting the aluminum or first aluminum base alloy with nitrogen to form a rigid and continuous skeleton and infiltrating the porous structure with molten aluminum or second aluminum base alloy to form the three-dimensional object with near theoretical density. The green composite may be formed by an additive process such as computer aided rapid prototyping, for example, selective laser sintering. The method facilitates the rapid manufacture of aluminum components by an inexpensive technique that provides high dimensional stability and high density.

Infiltrated aluminum preforms

A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object includes the steps of forming a mixture that contains a binder and a least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite, removing the binder from said green composite, forming a porous preform structure, reacting the aluminum or first aluminum base alloy with nitrogen to form a rigid skeleton and infiltrating the porous structure with molten aluminum or second aluminum base alloy to form the three-dimensional object with near theoretical density. The green composite may be formed by an additive process such as computer aided rapid prototyping, for example selective laser sintering. The method facilitates the rapid manufacture of aluminum components by an inexpensive technique that provides high dimensional stability and high density.

A method for removing supports from a three-dimensional object formed by solid freeform fabrication. The three-dimensional object and support structure both contain a phase change component in order to achieve the desired phase change characteristics needed for dispensing the material. The method prevents the phase change material within the three-dimensional object from migrating within the object during post processing to remove the support structure.

Post processing three-dimensional objects formed by solid freeform fabrication

A selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for dispensing a curable phase change material. The dispensing temperature of the material is set at or less than a thermally stable temperature value for the material in which the reactive component of the material remains substantially uncured when held at the temperature for a desired time period. The dispensed material is provided with an environment that enables the material to solidify to form layers of the object. The solidified material is normalized to a desired layer thickness and is then cured by exposure to actinic radiation. In a preferred embodiment a UV curable phase change material is dispensed at about 80&#xb0; C. and has a viscosity of about 13 to about 14 centipoise at this temperature. The cured material provides substantially increased physical properties over thermoplastic phase change materials previously used in selective deposition modeling.

Selective deposition modeling with curable phase change materials

A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.

Metal powder composition for laser sintering

An improved enhancer formulation for use in forming precision molded articles from a furnace process is disclosed wherein an organometallic zirconia coupling agent is used in conjunction with a polymer in solvent to inhibit the bleed-through of infiltrant metal in a finished part formed in a single-step furnace process.

Surface enhancer for making a molded metal/ceramic article

A method is disclosed for making a molded refractory article comprising the steps of providing a mold including a molding pattern, the mold and molding pattern defining a mold cavity; filling the mold cavity around the molding pattern with a mixture comprising refractory particles and a heat fugitive binder; inserting a plurality of elements of relatively high melting point material into the mixture to displace a portion of the mixture; curing the mixture; separating the mold and molding pattern from the cured mixture; and sintering the combination of the cured mixture and mixture displacing elements to provide a reinforced molded refractory article. The mixture displacing elements preferably comprise a plurality of parallel tool steel rods. Also disclosed is an apparatus for molding the aforedescribed reinforced refractory article.

Apparatus and methods for economically fabricating molded refractory

A method for making a molded refractory article including the steps of providing a mold including a master pattern, the mold and master pattern defining a mold cavity; filling the mold cavity with a mixture comprising refractory particles and a heat fugitive binder; placing the assembly of the mold, master pattern and mixture in a furnace; curing the mixture; separating the mold and master pattern from the cured mixture; removing the binder to form a porous structure, sintering the porous structure to provide a porous refractory article and infiltrating the porous refractory article with a filler metal.

Process of making a molded refractory article

The instant invention is directed to related methods of producing a three-dimensional object by dispensing sheets of a material, capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, onto a substantially flat working surface of a previous cross-section. In one preferred embodiment, sheets of a photoresist are employed which change solubility upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation. In other preferred embodiments, non-photoreactive sheets are employed, which ablate upon exposure to infrared radiation.

Method of building three dimensional objects with sheets

Methods and apparatus for reducing surface discontinuities, resulting from the formation of a three-dimensional object out of a plurality of stacked layers, during layer by layer stereolithographic formation of the three-dimensional object. The discontinuities between layers are reduced by utilizing formation and solidification of thin fill layers near the edges of thicker structural layers or by utilizing surface tension effects to smooth discontinuities between the structural layers by formation of meniscuses of building material and solidifying the meniscuses.

Growing community of inventors

Granada Hills, CA, United States of America

Kris A Schmidt