Use of a support liquid to manufacture three-dimensional objects

Abstract

A system is provided for producing a three dimensional object from a reactive liquid medium capable of being solidified. The object is constructed from many successive layers of the solidified reactive liquid medium when subjected to appropriate synergistic stimulation. A reservoir contains both the reactive liquid medium and an underlying supporting, substantially immiscible, non-reactive liquid medium. To begin forming the object, a platform within the reservoir is initially positioned at a depth equal to the thickness of a first layer to be solidified, and continues to support the object being constructed. The synergistic source radiates toward the reactive liquid medium and imaging apparatus defining a three dimensional object of required configuration selectively controls the size and shape of that part of a new two dimensional layer to be solidified. At least part of the new layer is solidified, after which a further layer is applied. This sequence is repeated until all of the solidified layers define the three dimensional object being constructed. In another embodiment, a first part of the new two dimensional layer of the reactive liquid medium is solidified, then all unreacted reactive liquid medium is removed from the reservoir and replaced with a new layer of the reactive liquid medium having a substantially uniform thickness and generally coplanar with and equivalent to the thickness of the first part solidified earlier. Then the second part of the new two dimensional layer of the reactive liquid medium corresponding to the replacement liquid medium is solidified.