12056results about "Auxillary shaping apparatus" patented technology

Methods, devices and systems for efficient 3D printing that address conventional inefficiencies while utilizing a single compact device are set forth. Some embodiments utilize a circular-shaped build area revolving symmetrically around a single center point utilizing a continuous helical printing process. In one embodiment a liquid photopolymer for solidification is deposited on a build platform to form the physical object The Build platform is continuously rotated and simultaneously raised in a gradual programmed manner. Focused from below the platform produces a single continuous “layer” of material deposited and bonded in a helical fashion.

The present invention describes a process for producing a three-dimensional object, comprising: providing a material to be solidified, the material comprising a filler and a binder; delivering electromagnetic radiation and/or synergistic stimulation in a pattern or an image to a building region for solidifying said material; wherein said delivering of electromagnetic radiation and/or synergistic stimulation is performed selectively to a defined area or volume of said material to be solidified; and wherein an energy density of electromagnetic radiation and/or synergistic stimulation is varied within said pattern or image and/or between patterns or images of different building regions of said material. The present invention may be directed also to a system where different first and second materials are to be solidified. The present invention further provides a freeform fabrication system, and a freeform three-dimensional object having unique properties as well as products derived therefrom, such as sintered products.

A system and method for forming a polymeric molding. A mold component includes a UV-absorptive material for preventing undesired reflection or transmission of curing energy within the mold cavity, thereby providing more precise control of the edge geometry of the molding.

A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprises providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, the carrier and the build surface defining a build region therebetween; filling the build region with a polymerizable liquid; irradiating the build region through the optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from the polymerizable liquid while concurrently advancing the carrier away from the build surface to form the three-dimensional object from the solid polymer, while also concurrently: (i) continuously maintaining a dead zone of polymerizable liquid in contact with the build surface, and (ii) continuously maintaining a gradient of polymerization zone between the dead zone and the solid polymer and in contact with each thereof, the gradient of polymerization zone comprising the polymerizable liquid in partially cured form. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

New methods and systems for manufacturing a three-dimensional form, comprising steps of providing a plurality of particulates; contacting the particulates with an activation agent; contacting particulates having the activation agent with a binder material that is activatable by the activation agent; at least partially hardening the binder for forming a layer of the three-dimensional form; and repeating these steps to form the remainder of the three-dimensional form. Following sequential application of all required layers and binder material to make the form, the unbound particles are appropriately removed (and optionally re-used), to result in the desired three-dimensional form. The invention also contemplates a novel method for preparing a form, where unbound particulates free of binder material are re-claimed.

Methods and apparatuses for making three-dimensional objects from multiple solidifiable materials is shown and described. Multiple solidifiable material container assemblies are provided for holding different solidifiable materials. Relative movement between the solidifiable material container assemblies and a build platform allows the solidifiable materials to be switched as an object is built. Several exemplary cleaning stations are provided for removing residual solidifiable materials from the surface of the three-dimensional object as it is built to better ensure smooth transitions between materials on the finished object.

A method for producing three-dimensional bodies of a large number of mutually connected layers of a particle-shaped material such as a powder, and where the information of the appearance of each layer is achieved from a computer's CAD-unit or similar. An essentially even particle layer (7) of building material is applied on a support base (6) and on a masking device (9) is arranged a masking pattern in accordance with the information from the CAD-unit, which masking device is led over said particle layer and close to it. A radiation producer (8) is arranged or is led over the masking device (9), whereby the particles which are not covered by the masking pattern are exposed for radiation and thereby are attached to each other. The masking pattern is removed from the masking device and new sequences in accordance with the above are carried through until the three-dimensional body (19) is produced.

An apparatus which extrudes flowable material from a liquifier includes a system for loading filament supplied in a cassette. The cassette is loaded into a loading bay of the apparatus. A strand of filament from the cassette is engaged and advanced along a path to the liquifier using a drive wheel or roller pair. A conduit having an entrance in the loading bay guides the filament as it is advanced. The filament loading system of the present invention provides a convenient manner of loading and unloading filament in a three-dimensional modeling machine, and can be implemented in a manner that protects the filament from environmental moisture.

A deposition modeling system incorporates a drive mechanism to feed a strand of filament to create a model. The drive mechanism comprises a pivot block that is rotatably connected to a fixed block and a motor that rotates a drive shaft. A drive roller is connected to the drive shaft and an idler roller is connected to an idler axle that extends from the pivot block in a substantially perpendicular direction to the direction of rotation of the pivot block with respect to the fixed block and in a substantially parallel direction to the drive shaft.

The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating edible foodstuffs.

A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional food object from a design created on a computer, including: (a) providing a support member by which the object is supported while being constructed; (b) operating a material dispensing head for dispensing a continuous or intermittent strand of food composition in a fluent state; this food composition including a liquid ingredient and a primary body-building food material and the dispensed food composition having a rigidity and strength sufficient for permitting the food composition to be built up layer by layer into a three-dimensional shape in a non-solid state; and (c) operating control devices for generating control signals in response to coordinates of the object design and controlling the position of the dispensing head relative to the support member in response to the control signals to control dispensing of the food composition to construct a 3-D shape of this object. The method optionally includes an additional step of applying a heat treatment to the 3-D shape after this 3-D shape is constructed. This method can be used to form an intricate shape of a cake mix, which is then baked in an oven. It can also be used to form a custom-designed decorative shape on the top surface of a pre-made cake.

Described are systems for patterning a substrate by imprint lithography. Imprint lithography systems include an imprint head configured to hold a template in a spaced relation to a substrate. The imprint lithography system is configured to dispense an activating light curable liquid onto a substrate or template. The system includes a light source that applies activating light to cure the activating light curable liquid. Multiple optical imaging devices are used to align the template with the substrate.

An apparatus and the method of its operation for rapid prototyping of a three-dimensional object which includes a radiant energy source of a wide beam of radiant energy of suitable intensity and wavelength for curing a layer of photo-curable resin contained in an open vat, a spatial light modulator (SLM) having an array of pixel elements which are individually digitally controllable by a computer, for modulating the radiant energy beam projected from the radiant energy source on a pixel by pixel basis, to form a series of time sequential images of the cross-sectional laminae of the object, an optical system for focusing each image formed by the SLM, one at a time, onto successive layers of photo-curable resin for predetermined exposure times to thereby form stacked laminae of cured resin, each lamina of cured resin being in the shape of a different one of the cross-sectional laminae, and a piston support for lowering each lamina of cured resin after it is formed by the SLM and for depositing a layer of resin corresponding to the thickness of one cross sectional lamina of the three-dimensional object before the step of projecting a new image by the SLM. The SLM, the piston support for lowering, and the optical system operate repeatedly and sequentially until a complete copy of the object is thereby produced.

The invention relates to a device for producing products having individual geometries, comprising a substrate carrier device, a material application device for applying material, preferably above the substrate carrier device, which material application device can be moved relative to the substrate carrier device, and a control device which is coupled to the material application device for signaling. According to the invention, the material application device is coupled to an input interface for signaling and for selection of a first or a second application mode, the control device and the application device being designed such as to produce, in the first application mode, a three-dimensional product on the surface of a substrate plate by way of an additive production method, said substrate plate being connected to the substrate carrier device. According to the additive production method, a curable material is applied in consecutive layers, one or more predetermined regions are selectively cured after or during each application of a layer, the predetermined regions being bonded to one or more regions of the underlying layer. The predetermined region(s) is/are predetermined by a cross-section geometry of the product in the respective layer and is/are stored in the control device, and the curable material is applied in a plurality of consecutive layers to produce the three-dimensional product. The control device and the application device are further designed such that in the second mode of application one or more colors are applied to predetermined regions of a print substrate material connected to the substrate carrier device to produce a monochrome or polychrome print.

A pattern forming apparatus maintaining alignment between a mold and a substrate. The pattern forming apparatus includes a press pressing the mold against the substrate in a pressing direction, and a mechanism to maintain orientation of the mold and the substrate perpendicular to the pressing direction.