Z Corporation

3d Systems, Inc.

Robert Anthony Phillips

David B Russell

Thomas Davidson

Walter Henry Zengerle, Iii

Benjamin Daniel Sweet-Block

Joshua P Kinsley

Andrew Berlin

Kevin Roche

Darul Kisai

Andres T Hernandes

James F Bredt

Andres Tomas Hernandez

Peter Charles Conway

Walter Henry Zengerle

Walter Henry Iii Zengerle

Walter H Zengerle Iii

A three-dimensional printer uses inkjet-type printheads to rapidly prototype, or print, a three-dimensional model. A powder feeder includes a conveyor system and a metering system to deliver powder to a build area in measured quantities. The powder feeder also includes a vacuum system for loading powder into a feed reservoir or chamber. The vacuum system can also be used to cleanup excess powder. Other powder control features include powder gutters and magnetic powder plows. During printing, a cleaning system operates to remove powder from the printheads. In the event of a printhead or jet failure, the failure can be detected and corrective measures taken automatically. After printing, the model can be depowdered and infiltrated in an enclosure.

Three-dimensional printer

A three-dimensional printer includes multiple printheads for printing binder and/or colorant onto a bed of build material in a build chamber. The printheads can be mounted on a gantry that is designed for reciprocal displacement across a build chamber along a slow axis. The printheads, in turn, can reciprocally move across the gantry on a fast axis to enable displacement of the printheads along both the fast and slow axes so that the printheads can deposit binder liquid and/or colorant across the surface of a bed of build material in the build chamber.

Method and apparatus for prototyping a three-dimensional object

Growing community of inventors

Acton, MA, United States of America

Robert Anthony Phillips