Prefabricated support structure and / or covering for additive manufacturing

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for additive manufacturing of articles are provided. In some embodiments, an apparatus for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process includes a build platform having a surface, and a plurality of support structures extending over the surface of the build platform. Each support structure may be configured to be coupled to a portion of an additive manufactured article. The apparatus may also include a plurality of actuators, each actuator configured to adjust a position of a respective support structure relative to the build platform.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 381,823, filed on November 1, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present technology generally relates to additive manufacturing, and more particularly, to pre - fabricated support structures and / or overlays for additive manufacturing. Background Art

[0004] Additive manufacturing includes various techniques involving building 3D objects from multiple layers of material. In some cases, objects manufactured using traditional additive manufacturing systems contain sacrificial structures that are not intended to remain in the final product but provide mechanical support to the object during the printing process. Typically, the sacrificial structures are disconnected, trimmed, or otherwise manually removed from the object after manufacturing, which can be time - consuming, inefficient, and risky of damaging the object for large - scale manufacturing. Additionally, the removal process may leave residual fragments of the sacrificial structure on the object, which may need to be removed via polishing, introducing additional process steps in the manufacturing operation. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, the emphasis is on clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure.

[0006] Figure 1 is a flowchart providing an overall overview of a method for manufacturing and post - processing an additive - manufactured object according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0007] Figure 2 is a partial schematic view providing an overall overview of an additive - manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0008] Figure 3A is a partial schematic side cross - sectional view of a device for supporting an object during an additive - manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0009] Figures 3B - 3D is during an additive - manufacturing operation Figure 3A of a partial schematic side cross - sectional view of a device.

[0010] Figures 3E - 3G is Figure 3A a partial schematic side cross - sectional view of a support structure of a device.

[0011] Figures 4A - 4FSide view of support structures with different geometries according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0012] Figures 5A - 5D Partial schematic side cross-sectional view of a device for supporting an article including an applicator according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0013] Figure 6A and Figure 6B Partial schematic side cross-sectional view of a device including a build platform and a removal tool according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0014] Figure 7A and Figure 7B Perspective view showing a representative example of a build platform and a removal tool according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0015] Figure 8A Partial schematic side cross-sectional view of a device including a covering for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0016] Figure 8B and Figure 8C During an additive manufacturing operation Figure 8A Partial schematic side cross-sectional view of the device.

[0017] Figure 8D and Figure 8E is Figure 8A Partial schematic side view of the support structure of the device.

[0018] Figures 8F - 8I Shows from Figure 8A Partial schematic side cross-sectional view of an article removed from the device.

[0019] Figure 9A and Figure 9B Partial schematic side cross-sectional view showing another process for forming an additive manufacturing article on a covering according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0020] Figure 10 Partial schematic side cross-sectional view of a device including a covering for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0021] Figure 11A Top view of a component according to an embodiment of the present technology, the component including an additive manufacturing article on an additive manufacturing covering.

[0022] Figure 11B is Figure 11A Partial schematic side view of the component.

[0023] Figure 11CIs a perspective view of a component according to an embodiment of the present technology, the component including a plurality of additive manufacturing articles on an additive manufacturing overlay.

[0024] Figure 11D Is a top view of a component according to an embodiment of the present technology, the component including a plurality of additive manufacturing articles on an additive manufacturing overlay.

[0025] Figure 11E Is a top view of an additive manufacturing overlay according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0026] Figure 11F Is a top view of an additive manufacturing overlay according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0027] Figure 12 Is a partial schematic view of an additive manufacturing system configured according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0028] Figure 13A Illustrates a representative example of a tooth repositioning appliance configured according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0029] Figure 13B Illustrates a tooth repositioning system including a plurality of appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0030] Figure 13C Illustrates a method of orthodontic treatment using a plurality of appliances according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0031] Figure 14 Illustrates a method for designing an orthodontic appliance according to an embodiment of the present technology.

[0032] Figure 15 Illustrates a method for digitally planning orthodontic treatment and / or the design or manufacture of an appliance according to an embodiment of the present technology. Detailed Description

[0033] The present technology relates to systems, methods, and devices for additive manufacturing of articles. In one aspect of the present technology, prefabricated support structures and / or overlays for additive manufacturing are provided. In some embodiments, for example, a device for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process includes: a build platform having a surface; and a plurality of support structures (e.g., struts, columns, posts, cones) extending above the surface of the build platform. Each support structure may be configured to couple to a portion of an additive manufacturing article. The device may also include a plurality of actuators, each actuator being configured to adjust the position of a corresponding support structure relative to the build platform. For example, an actuator may adjust the height of a support structure to accommodate the particular geometry of an article.

[0034] As another example, a device for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process may include: a build platform having a surface; and a cover configured to removably couple with the surface of the build platform. The cover may include a plurality of support structures extending above the surface of the build platform. Each support structure may be configured to couple with a portion of the additive manufactured article. In some embodiments, the support structures of the cover are frangible, dissolvable, degradable, or otherwise removable to provide easy release of the article from the cover and the build platform.

[0035] In another example, a device for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process may include a build platform having a plurality of support structures. Each support structure may be configured to couple with a portion of the additive manufactured article. The device may further include a cover configured to removably couple with the build platform. The cover may include a plurality of holes such that when the cover is coupled to the build platform, a portion of each support structure passes through a corresponding hole. The device may further include an actuator configured to adjust the height of the cover relative to the build platform. For example, the cover may be raised into contact with the article to release the article from the support structures.

[0036] In another example, a component may include: one or more additive manufactured articles; an additive manufactured cover configured to removably couple with the surface of a build platform; and a plurality of additive manufactured support structures coupling the one or more additive manufactured articles with the additive manufactured cover. The additive manufactured cover may be configured to resist flaking during post-processing of the one or more additive manufactured articles. Alternatively or in combination, the additive manufactured cover may include features for facilitating processing and / or post-processing of the one or more additive manufactured articles, such as handle structures, fixation structures, identifiers, etc.

[0037] In yet another example, a system for manufacturing an article may include a printer component configured to form an article using an additive manufacturing process. The system may further include a build platform having or coupled to a plurality of support structures, each support structure being configured to couple with a portion of the article. The system may further include at least one sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of the configuration of the plurality of support structures. The system may further include a controller configured to control the operation of the printer component based on the configuration of the plurality of support structures (e.g., height, position, shape, etc. of the support structures). In some embodiments, the controller implements an algorithm that determines the alignment between the article to be printed and the support structures based on the geometry of the article and the configuration of the support structures.

[0038] Compared with traditional additive manufacturing systems and devices, the present technology can offer several advantages, such as: (1) reducing or eliminating the need for printed supports formed integrally with the article, thereby reducing print time and / or material usage; (2) eliminating manual post-processing steps, such as polishing or trimming the article to remove printed supports, thereby improving scalability for mass manufacturing; (3) providing a simple and / or automated method for separating the article from the build platform without damaging the article; (4) protecting the surface of the build platform from contamination; (5) customizing the geometry of the support structure for the specific article being printed, thereby allowing for more complex article geometries and / or more efficient printing; (6) inhibiting the formation of flakes and / or debris during post-processing, which may contaminate the printed article; and / or (7) providing a substrate for handling, fixing, and / or tracking the article during post-processing.

[0039] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, and example embodiments are shown in the drawings. However, the embodiments of the claims may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The examples set forth herein are non-limiting examples and are merely examples among other possible examples.

[0040] As used herein, the terms “vertical,” “lateral,” “upper,” and “lower,” “left,” “right,” etc. may refer to the relative directions or positions of the features of the embodiments disclosed herein in view of the orientation shown in the figures. For example, “upper” or “uppermost” may refer to a feature positioned closer to the top of the page than another feature. However, these terms should be construed broadly to include embodiments having other orientations, such as inverted or tilted orientations, where top / bottom, above / below, over / under, up / down, and left / right may be interchanged depending on the orientation.

[0041] The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the claimed technology. Embodiments under any one heading may be used in combination with embodiments under any other heading.

[0042] I. Overview of Additive Manufacturing Technology

[0043] Figure 1FIG. is a flow chart providing an overall overview of a method 100 for manufacturing and post-processing an additive manufactured article according to an embodiment of the present technology. The method 100 can be used to produce many different types of additive manufactured articles, such as orthodontic appliances (e.g., aligners, palatal expanders, retainers, attachment placement devices, attachments), prosthetic articles (e.g., crowns, veneers, implants), and / or other dental appliances (e.g., oral sleep apnea appliances, mouthguards). Additional examples of dental appliances and related methods suitable for the present technology are described in Part III below.

[0044] Method 100 begins at block 102, where an article is manufactured on a build platform using an additive manufacturing process. The additive manufacturing process can implement any suitable technique known to those skilled in the art. Additive manufacturing (also referred to herein as "3D printing") includes various techniques for directly manufacturing 3D articles from digital models through an additive process. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing includes depositing a precursor material onto the build platform. The precursor material can be cured, polymerized, melted, sintered, fused, and / or otherwise solidified to form a part of the article and / or combine the part with a previously formed part of the article. In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing techniques provided herein build the geometry of the article in a layer-by-layer manner, where successive layers are formed in discrete build steps. Alternatively or in combination, the additive manufacturing techniques described herein can allow for the continuous build of the geometry of the article.

[0045] Examples of additive manufacturing techniques include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) vat photopolymerization, in which articles are constructed from a vat of liquid photopolymer resin or other large source of liquid photopolymer resin, including techniques such as stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), continuous liquid interface production (CLIP), two-photon initiated photopolymerization (TPIP), and volumetric additive manufacturing; (2) material jetting, in which materials are jetted onto a build platform using a continuous or drop-on-demand (DOD) method; (3) binder jetting, in which alternating layers of build material (e.g., powder-based material) and binder material (e.g., liquid binder) are deposited by a printhead; (4) material extrusion, in which materials are extruded, heated, and deposited layer by layer through a nozzle, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) and direct ink writing (DIW); (5) powder bed fusion, including techniques such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), electron beam melting (EBM), selective heat sintering (SHS), selective laser melting (SLM), and selective laser sintering (SLS); (6) sheet lamination, including techniques such as laminated object manufacturing (LOM) and ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM); and (7) directed energy deposition, including techniques such as laser engineered net shaping, directed light fabrication, direct metal deposition, and 3D laser cladding. Optionally, an additive manufacturing process may use a combination of two or more additive manufacturing techniques.

[0046] For example, a vat photopolymerization process may be used to fabricate an additive manufacturing article, in which light is used to selectively cure a vat of curable material (e.g., polymer resin) or other large source of curable material. Each layer of curable material may be selectively exposed to light in a single exposure (e.g., DLP) or by scanning a beam across the layer (e.g., SLA). Depending on the relative positions of the material source, light source, and build platform, vat polymerization may be performed in a “top-down” or “bottom-up” method.

[0047] As another example, high-temperature lithography (also referred to as "thermal lithography") can be used to fabricate additive manufacturing articles. High-temperature lithography can include any photopolymerization process that involves heating a photopolymerizable material (e.g., a polymer resin). For example, high-temperature lithography can involve heating the material to a temperature of at least 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 110 °C, or 120 °C. In some embodiments, the material is heated to a temperature in the range of 50 °C to 120 °C, 90 °C to 120 °C, 100 °C to 120 °C, 105 °C to 115 °C, or 105 °C to 110 °C. Heating can reduce the viscosity of the photopolymerizable material and / or increase the reactivity of the photopolymerizable material before and / or during curing. Thus, high-temperature lithography can be used to fabricate articles from materials that are highly viscous and / or have poor flowability, which can exhibit improved mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness, strength, stability) upon curing compared to other types of materials. For example, high-temperature lithography can be used to fabricate articles from materials that have a viscosity of at least 5 Pa-s, 10 Pa-s, 15 Pa-s, 20 Pa-s, 30 Pa-s, 40 Pa-s, or 50 Pa-s at 20 °C. Representative examples of high-temperature lithography processes that can be incorporated into the methods herein are described in the following documents: International Publication Nos. WO2015 / 075094, WO2016 / 078838, WO2018 / 032022, WO2020 / 070639, WO2021 / 130657, and WO2021 / 130661, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0048] In some embodiments, additive manufacturing articles are fabricated using continuous liquid interphase production (also referred to as "continuous liquid interphase printing"), wherein the article is continuously built from a reservoir of photopolymerizable resin by forming a gradient of a partially cured resin between the build surface of the article and a polymerization-inhibiting "dead zone". In some embodiments, a semipermeable membrane is used to control the delivery of a photopolymerization inhibitor (e.g., oxygen) into the dead zone in order to form a polymerization gradient. Representative examples of continuous liquid interphase production processes that can be incorporated into the methods herein are described in the following U.S. patent applications: Publication Nos. 2015 / 0097315, 2015 / 0097316, and 2015 / 0102532, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0049] As another example, during the irradiation phase, by continuously moving the build platform (e.g., along the vertical or Z direction), the curing depth of the irradiated photopolymer is controlled by the moving speed, and a continuous additive manufacturing method can achieve the continuous construction of the article geometry. Thus, continuous polymerization of the material on the build surface can be achieved. Such methods are described in U.S. Patent No. 7,892,474, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In another example, a continuous additive manufacturing method can involve extruding a composite material composed of a curable liquid material around a solid strand. The composite material can be extruded along a continuous three-dimensional path to form an article. Such methods are described in U.S. Patent No. 10,162,264 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0061974, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In yet another example, a continuous additive manufacturing method can utilize the "heliolithography" method, where a liquid photopolymer is cured using focused radiation while the build platform is continuously rotated and raised. Thus, the article geometry can be continuously constructed along a helical build path. Such methods are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0265034, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0050] In another example, a volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) process can be used to fabricate an additive manufacturing article, where the entire article is produced from a 3D volume of resin in a single printing step, without the need for layer-by-layer construction. During the VAM process, the entire build volume is irradiated with energy, but the projected pattern is configured such that only certain voxels (three-dimensional pixels) will accumulate a sufficient energy dose to be cured. Representative examples of VAM processes that can be incorporated into the present technology include tomographic volume printing, holographic volume printing, multiphoton volume printing, and xolography. For example, a tomographic VAM process can be performed by projecting a 2D optical pattern into a rotating volume of photosensitive material at a perpendicular and / or angular incidence to produce a cured 3D structure. A holographic VAM process can be performed by projecting a holographic light pattern into a stationary reservoir of photosensitive material. The xolography process can use a photo-switchable photoinitiator to initiate local polymerization within a volume of photosensitive material when linearly excited by crossing beams of different wavelengths. Additional details of VAM processes suitable for use in conjunction with the present technology are described in the following documents: U.S. Patent No. 11,370,173, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021 / 0146619, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0227051, International Publication No. WO2017 / 115076, International Publication No. WO2020 / 245456, International Publication No. WO2022 / 011456, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 181,645, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0051] In yet another example, a powder bed fusion process (e.g., selective laser sintering) can be used to fabricate an additive manufacturing article, which involves using a laser beam to selectively fuse layers of powder material according to a desired cross-sectional shape in order to build the article geometry. As another example, a material extrusion process (e.g., fused deposition modeling) can be used to fabricate an additive manufacturing article, which involves selectively depositing filaments of material (e.g., a thermoplastic polymer) in a layer-by-layer manner to form the article. In yet another example, a material jetting process can be used to fabricate an additive manufacturing article, which involves jetting or extruding one or more materials onto a build surface in order to form successive layers of the article geometry.

[0052] An additive manufactured article can be made of any suitable material or combination of materials. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the additive manufactured article is made, in part or in whole, of a polymeric material such as a curable polymer resin. The resin can be composed of one or more monomeric components that are initially in a liquid state. The resin can be in a liquid state at room temperature (e.g., 20°C) or at an elevated temperature (e.g., a temperature in the range of 50°C to 120°C). When exposed to energy (e.g., light), the monomeric components can undergo a polymerization reaction such that the resin cures into the desired article geometry. Representative examples of curable polymer resins and other materials suitable for use in conjunction with the additive manufacturing techniques of the present disclosure are described in International Publication Nos. WO2019 / 006409, WO2020 / 070639, and WO2021 / 087061, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0053] Optionally, the additive manufactured article can be made of a plurality of different materials (e.g., at least two, three, four, five, or more different materials). The materials can differ from one another in terms of composition, curing conditions (e.g., curing energy wavelength), material properties prior to curing (e.g., viscosity), material properties after curing (e.g., stiffness, strength, transparency), and the like. In some embodiments, the additive manufactured article is formed from a plurality of materials in a single manufacturing step. For example, a multi-tip extrusion device can be used to selectively dispense multiple types of materials from different material sources in order to manufacture an article from a plurality of different materials. Examples of such methods are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,749,414 and 11,318,667, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Alternatively or in combination, the additive manufactured article can be formed from a plurality of materials in a plurality of sequential manufacturing steps. For example, a first portion of the article can be formed from a first material according to any of the manufacturing methods of the present disclosure, and then a second portion of the article can be formed from a second material according to any of the manufacturing methods of the present disclosure, and so on until the entire article has been formed.

[0054] After the additive manufactured article has been manufactured, the article can undergo one or more additional processing steps, also referred to herein as “post-processing.” As described in detail below with respect to blocks 104-108, post-processing can include removing residual material from the article, curing the article, and / or separating the article from the build platform.

[0055] For example, at block 104, method 100 continues with removing residual material from the article. The excess material can include excess precursor material (e.g., uncured resin) and / or other unwanted material (e.g., debris) that remains on or within the article after an additive manufacturing process. The residual material can be removed in many different ways, such as by exposing the article to a solvent (e.g., via spraying, immersion), heating or cooling the article, applying a vacuum to the article, blowing a pressurized gas onto the article, applying mechanical force to the article (e.g., vibration, agitation, centrifugation, tumbling, brushing), and / or other suitable techniques. Optionally, the residual material can be collected and / or processed for reuse.

[0056] At block 106, method 100 can optionally include curing the article. This additional curing step (also referred to as "post-curing") can be used in cases where the article remains in a partially cured "green" state after manufacturing. For example, the energy used to manufacture the article in block 102 may cause the precursor material forming the article to only partially polymerize. Thus, a post-curing step may be needed to fully cure (e.g., fully polymerize) the article to its final usable state. Post-curing can provide various benefits, such as improving the mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness, strength) and / or temperature stability of the article. Post-curing can be performed by heating the article, applying radiation to the article (e.g., UV, visible light, microwave), or a suitable combination thereof. However, in other embodiments, the post-curing process of block 106 is optional and can be omitted.

[0057] At block 108, method 100 can include separating the article from the build platform. The build platform can mechanically support the article during the manufacturing and / or post-processing steps described herein. The article can be connected to the build platform via a sacrificial region of material (e.g., supports and / or rafts), and / or can be directly connected to the build platform without any sacrificial regions. In some embodiments, the build platform includes one or more prefabricated support structures, or can be coupled to a covering that includes one or more prefabricated support structures, and the article can be manufactured on the support structures rather than directly on the surface of the build platform. The method can facilitate removing the article from the build platform, as described in detail in Part II below.

[0058] Figure 1 The method 100 shown can be modified in many different ways. For example, although the above steps of method 100 are described with respect to a single article, method 100 can be used to manufacture and post-process any suitable number of articles, such as dozens, hundreds, or thousands of additive manufacturing articles, sequentially or simultaneously. As another example, Figure 1The order of the processes shown in [Figure] can be changed (e.g., the process of block 108 can be performed before and / or simultaneously with the processes of blocks 104 and / or 106). Some processes of method 100, such as the process of block 106, can be omitted.

[0059] In addition, method 100 can include Figure 1 processes not shown in [Figure], such as cleaning the article (e.g., washing, solvent extraction), annealing the article, trimming the article to remove structures that should not be present in the final product, and / or packaging the article for shipping. Optionally, method 100 can include modifying at least one surface of the article. The surface modification can be applied to some or all surfaces of the article (e.g., outer surface and / or inner surface) to change one or more surface properties, such as surface finish (e.g., roughness, waviness, number of layers), porosity, visual appearance (e.g., gloss, transparency, visibility of printed lines), hydrophobicity, and / or chemical reactivity. In some embodiments, the surface modification includes, for example, removing material from the article by polishing, grinding, sandblasting, etc. Optionally or in combination, the surface modification can include applying additional material to the article. For example, the additional material can be a coating, such as a polymer coating. The coating can be applied to one or more surfaces of the article for various purposes, including but not limited to: providing a smooth surface finish, which can be beneficial for aesthetics and / or improving user comfort if the article is intended to come into contact with the user's body (e.g., an orthodontic appliance worn on the teeth); coloring the article and / or applying other aesthetic features; improving scratch resistance and / or other mechanical properties; providing antimicrobial properties; and incorporating a therapeutic agent into the article for controlled release.

[0060] Figure 2Is a partial schematic diagram providing an overview of an additive manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology. In the illustrated embodiment, an article 202 is manufactured on a build platform 204 (e.g., a print bed, tray, plate, film, sheet, or other flat substrate) from a series of layers of cured material, where each layer has a geometry corresponding to a respective cross-section of the article 202. To fabricate a single layer of the article, a layer of uncured material 206 (e.g., a polymerizable resin) is brought into contact with the build platform 204 (when fabricating the first layer of the article 202) or with the previously formed portion of the article 202 on the build platform 204 (when fabricating subsequent layers of the article 202). In some embodiments, the uncured material 206 is formed on a substrate (not shown, such as a film) and supported by the substrate. Then, energy 208 (e.g., light) from an energy source 210 (e.g., a laser, projector, or light engine) is applied to the uncured material 206 to form a layer of cured material 212 on the build platform 204 or on the article 202. The remaining uncured material 206 can then be removed from the build platform 204 (e.g., by lowering the build platform 204 and / or by raising the uncured material 206), thus leaving the layer of cured material 212 in place on the build platform 204 and / or the article 202. The manufacturing process can then be repeated with a new layer of uncured material 206 to build the next layer of the article 202.

[0061] The illustrated embodiment shows a "top-down" configuration in which the energy source 210 is positioned above the build platform 204 and directs the energy 208 downward toward the build platform 204 such that the article 202 is formed on the upper surface of the build platform 204. Thus, as successive layers of the article 202 are formed, the build platform 204 can be incrementally lowered relative to the energy source 210. However, in other embodiments, Figure 2 the additive manufacturing process can be performed using a "bottom-up" configuration in which the energy source 210 is positioned below the build platform 204 and directs the energy 208 upward toward the build platform 204 such that the article 202 is formed on the lower surface of the build platform 204. Thus, as successive layers of the article 202 are formed, the build platform 204 can be incrementally raised relative to the energy source 210.

[0062] Although Figure 2 illustrates a representative example of an additive manufacturing process, this is not intended to be limiting, and the embodiments described herein can be applicable to other types of additive manufacturing systems (e.g., vat-based systems) and / or other types of additive manufacturing processes (e.g., material jetting, binder jetting, FDM, powder bed fusion, sheet lamination, directed energy deposition).

[0063] II. Pre - fabricated Support Structures and / or Overlays for Additive Manufacturing

[0064] A.Build Platform with Adjustable Structure

[0065] In some embodiments, the present technology provides an apparatus including a build platform for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process (e.g., the additive manufacturing process as described in Part I above). The build platform may include one or more adjustable structures that can move relative to the surface of the build platform into different configurations, such as different heights, angles, etc. The adjustable structures can provide various functions, such as providing attachment points or areas for an article being manufactured on the build platform, introducing components into the article, carrying sensors for monitoring the article, applying energy to the article, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0066] For example, the adjustable structure can be or include a support structure for use in an additive manufacturing process. The support structures described herein can be prefabricated components that are coupled to and provide mechanical support for one or more portions of an additive manufactured article, such portions as overhangs, bridges, islands, valleys, and / or other components that would deform or collapse without such support. Additionally, for non-flatness of the build platform surface and / or misalignment between the build platform surface and the print plane of the additive manufacturing system (e.g., if the build platform surface is tilted relative to the print plane), the support structures herein can improve the robustness of the additive manufacturing process. The support structures herein can also facilitate removal of the article from the build platform. For example, in some embodiments, the support structure allows the article to be separated from the build platform without damaging, cutting, or otherwise removing any portion of the article, thus reducing the likelihood of damaging the article during handling.

[0067] Thus, using adjustable support structures and / or other types of adjustable structures as described herein can provide various benefits, such as: (1) reducing or eliminating the need for printed support structures formed integrally with the article, (2) providing a quick and easy way for the article to be separated from the build platform without damaging the article, (3) reducing or eliminating the need for manual polishing or finishing of the article after manufacturing, and / or (4) providing additional functionality to enhance the additive manufacturing process and / or the use of the article.

[0068] Figures 3A - 3G An apparatus 300 for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown. Specifically, Figure 3A is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of the apparatus 300, Figures 3B - 3D is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of the apparatus 300 during an additive manufacturing operation, and Figures 3E - 3G is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of the support structure 304 of the apparatus 300.

[0069] First, referring to Figure 3A, the apparatus 300 includes a build platform 302 having a plurality of adjustable support structures 304. The build platform 302 can be a generally flat substrate made of a relatively rigid and / or hard material (e.g., a print bed, tray, plate, film, sheet), such as metal (e.g., steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium), ceramic, polymer (e.g., thermoformed or thermoset polymer), composite material, or a suitable combination thereof. The build platform 302 includes a first surface 306, a second surface 308, and a plurality of passageways 310 (e.g., holes, channels, perforations) extending through the thickness of the build platform 302 from the first surface 306 to the second surface 308. The first surface 306 can be oriented towards the item to be manufactured and / or towards a printer assembly (not shown) of an additive manufacturing system. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the first surface 306 is the upper surface, and the additive manufacturing system can be configured to manufacture an item in a top-down process. Alternatively, the first surface 306 can be the bottom surface, and the additive manufacturing system can be configured to manufacture an item in a bottom-up process.

[0070] The support structures 304 can be elongate members (e.g., struts, columns, rods, pins, posts) extending through the build platform 302 and at least partially above the first surface 306 of the build platform 302. The apparatus 300 can include any suitable number of support structures 304, such as at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, or more support structures 304. The support structures 304 can be arranged in any suitable configuration (such as a 2D array). In such an embodiment, the array can have any suitable shape, such as square, rectangular, rhombus, circular, oval, triangular, U-shaped, polygonal, or a combination thereof. The dimensions (e.g., length, width, spacing) of the array can also vary as needed. For example, the spacing can be small enough to provide mechanical support to the item, but large enough to allow individual support structures 304 to be actuated, as described further below. In some embodiments, the geometry of the array is customized for a particular item to be manufactured. For example, the shape and / or dimensions of the array can conform to the shape and / or dimensions of the item. Alternatively, the geometry of the array can be generic.

[0071] As Figure 3AAs shown, each support structure 304 includes an elongate body 312 having a first end 314 (e.g., upper end) and a second end 316 (e.g., lower end) opposite the first end 314. The body 312 can be at least partially received within a corresponding passage 310 of the build platform 302. Optionally, the body 312 and / or the passage 310 can include a lubricating coating to allow the support structure 304 to slide smoothly relative to the build platform 302, as further described below. The first end 314 can be positioned above a first surface 306 of the build platform 302. The second end 316 can be positioned at or near a second surface 308 of the build platform 302. Although the support structures 304 are shown as being parallel to each other, in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 304 can be angled with respect to each other. Additionally, although the support structures 304 are depicted as being orthogonal to the first surface 306 of the build platform 302, in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 304 can be at different angles with respect to the first surface 306, such as angles less than or equal to 80°, 70°, 60°, 50°, 45°, 40°, 30°, 20°, or 10°.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first end 314 is wider than the body 312 and / or the second end 316 of the support structure 304. For example, the first end 314 can have a width and / or diameter of at least 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm. The body 312 and / or the second end 316 can each have a width and / or diameter of less than 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or 0.5 mm. This configuration can be beneficial for increasing the surface area of the first end 314 for coupling to an article, which can improve the adhesion of the article to the support structure 304, as further described below. However, in other embodiments, the first end 314 can have the same width as the body 312 and / or the second end 316, or the first end 314 can be narrower than the body 312 and / or the second end 316. Additionally, although the first end 314 is shown as having a rounded cross-sectional shape (e.g., circular or oval shape), in other embodiments, the first end 314 can have a different shape (e.g., square, rectangular, diamond, triangular, polygonal). Representative examples of the geometry of the first end 314 and the support structure 304 are further described below.

[0073] The support structure 304 can be made of any suitable material, such as metals (e.g., steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium), ceramics, polymers (e.g., thermoformed or thermoset polymers), composite materials, or suitable combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the first end 314 is made of a different material than the body 312 and / or the second end 316. For example, the first end 314 can be partially or fully made of a relatively low modulus and / or deformable material (e.g., silicone, rubber, or another polymer), while the body 312 and / or the second end 316 can both be partially or fully made of a relatively high modulus and / or rigid material (e.g., steel, aluminum, or another metal). As another example, the first end 314 can be partially or fully made of a material that exhibits relatively high adhesion to the precursor material used to form the article, while the body 312 and / or the second end 316 can be partially or fully made of a material that exhibits relatively low adhesion to the precursor material (e.g., siloxane or fluorinated material). In other embodiments, the first end 314 can be made of the same material as the body 312 and / or the second end 316.

[0074] The apparatus 300 can also include a plurality of actuators 318 (e.g., linear actuators) coupled to the plurality of support structures 304. For example, the actuators 318 can be or include motors, pistons, hydraulic devices, compressed air, magnets, and / or any other mechanism suitable for moving the support structures 304, as further described below. In the illustrated embodiment, each actuator 318 is coupled to a single respective support structure 304. Each actuator 318 can be positioned at or near the second surface 308 of the build platform 302 and can be connected to the second end 316 of the respective support structure 304. Optionally, some or all of the actuators 318 can be coupled to a plurality of support structures 304 (e.g., two, three, four, five, or more support structures 304), some or all of the support structures 304 can be coupled to a plurality of actuators 318 (e.g., two, three, four, five, or more actuators 318), and / or some of the support structures 304 can be not coupled to any actuator 318.

[0075] The actuator 318 can be configured to adjust the position of the corresponding support structure 304 relative to the first surface 306 of the build platform 302. In some embodiments, the actuator 318 adjusts the height of the support structure 304 above the first surface 306, e.g., within a range from a first (e.g., minimum) height H1 to a second (e.g., maximum) height H2. In some embodiments, the first height H1 is no more than 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, or 1 mm above the first surface 306. Optionally, the first height H1 can be the same height as the first surface 306 (e.g., 0 mm above the first surface 306), such that the actuator 318 can retract the support structure 304 to be flush with and / or aligned with the first surface 306. In some embodiments, the first height is below the first surface 306 (e.g., at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm), such that the actuator 318 can retract the support structure 304 completely into the build platform 302. The second height H2 can be greater than the first height H1, such as at least 1 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, or 20 mm greater. In some embodiments, the second height H2 is at least 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, or 50 mm above the first surface 306 of the build platform 302.

[0076] Alternatively or in combination, the actuator 318 can adjust other parameters of the support structure 304, such as the angle of the support structure 304 relative to the first surface 306. In some embodiments, each support structure 304 can be adjusted independently, while in other embodiments, subgroups of support structures 304 can be linked such that the same adjustment is made to each support structure 304 in the subgroup simultaneously. Optionally, some of the support structures 304 can be non-adjustable and can remain in a fixed position relative to the first surface 306 of the build platform 302.

[0077] The actuator 318 can be communicatively coupled to a controller (not shown). For example, the controller can be or include a computing device that includes one or more processors and a memory storing instructions for controlling the operation of the device 300. The controller can send signals to cause the actuator 318 to adjust the position of one or more support structures 304. In some embodiments, the signal indicates the selected group of support structures 304 to be actuated, and the target position of each selected support structure 304. The selection and position of the support structures 304 can be determined based on the geometry of the particular item being manufactured (e.g., the geometry of the current item layer to be formed), as further described below.

[0078] Optionally, the apparatus 300 may include a cover 320 that covers part or all of the first surface 306 of the build platform 302. The cover 320 may be a generally flat substrate (e.g., a plate, film, sheet, gasket), and may include a plurality of holes 322 (e.g., perforations) corresponding to the locations of the support structures 304 such that each support structure 304 can pass through a corresponding hole 322. The cover 320 may be coupled to the build platform 302 at one or more locations using adhesives, fasteners, snap fits, interference fits, or any other suitable attachment mechanism. Optionally, the cover 320 may include one or more tabs 324 to assist in coupling and separating the cover 320 from the build platform 302.

[0079] In some embodiments, the cover 320 is configured to protect the first surface 306 of the build platform 302. For example, the cover 320 may act as a barrier between the first surface 306 of the build platform 302 and the precursor material used to form the article such that the precursor material cannot penetrate into the channels 310 and obstruct the support structures 304. The cover 320 may also prevent residual precursor material from adhering to the first surface 306, which can cause contamination during the manufacture of subsequent articles. In some embodiments, the cover 320 is removable and may be cleaned and / or replaced between printing operations. Optionally, the cover 320 may act as a removal tool for releasing the article from the build platform 302, as described in Section II.B below.

[0080] The cover 320 may be made of any suitable material (such as a high modulus material (e.g., metal, high modulus polymer), a low modulus material (e.g., elastomer), or a suitable combination thereof). Optionally, the cover 320 may be made of a flexible material that provides a fluid-impermeable seal against the support structures 304 and / or the first surface 306 of the build platform 302. In some embodiments, the cover 320 is made of a protective material (e.g., silicone, fluorinated material) and / or includes a protective material coating that resists adhesion to the precursor material and / or other contaminants. In other embodiments, the cover 320 may be omitted, and instead, a protective coating may be located on the first surface 306 of the build platform 302.

[0081] Optionally, the apparatus 300 may include an actuator that moves a portion of the covering 320. For example, one or more of the support structures 304 may be configured as pistons that engage the lower surface of the covering 320 rather than passing through the holes 322 in the covering 320. The support structures 304 may be moved by respective actuators 318 to lift a selected region of the covering 320 away from the first surface 306 of the build platform 302, thereby changing the shape (e.g., surface topography) of the covering 320. In such an embodiment, the covering 320 may be made of a flexible and / or deformable material to accommodate such shape changes. In some embodiments, the covering 320 itself may include prefabricated support structures, as described in Part II.C below.

[0082] Figure 3B The apparatus 300 is shown during a first stage of an additive manufacturing process in which a first portion of an article (“first article portion 326”) is formed. In some embodiments, some or all of the support structures 304 are positioned at a first height (e.g., height H1) above the first surface 306 of the build platform 302. The first article portion 326 (e.g., first layer) may then be formed on a first subgroup 328 of the support structures 304. For example, the first subgroup 328 may be those support structures 304 that are within or near the footprint of the first article portion 326 located on the build platform 302 (e.g., having the same or similar x and / or y coordinates as the first article portion 326). The first article portion 326 may be formed using any suitable additive manufacturing technique (such as any of the techniques described herein). For example, the first article portion 326 may be formed by applying a precursor material (e.g., a polymerizable resin) to the support structures 304 and / or the build platform 302 and then applying energy to a region of the precursor material adjacent to the first subgroup 328 of the support structures 304 to cure or otherwise solidify the precursor material into the first article portion 326.

[0083] As Figure 3BAs shown, the first article portion 326 can contact and / or surround the first end 314 of the first subgroup 328 of the support structure 304. Optionally, the first article portion 326 can also contact and / or surround a portion of the body 312 of the first subgroup 328. The first article portion 326 can be spaced apart from the first surface 306 of the build platform 302 and / or from the covering 320 (if present) such that the first article portion 326 does not contact the first surface 306 and / or the covering 320. For example, the spacing distance between the first article portion 326 and the first surface 306 and / or the covering 320 can be at least 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm. The spacing distance can be controlled based on the height of the support structure 304 and / or the thickness of the first article portion 326. In some embodiments, the thickness of the first article portion 326 is related to the cure depth of the precursor material, and the cure depth of the precursor material can be controlled by including inhibitors and / or blockers in the precursor material that limit the penetration of energy into the material.

[0084] As described above, the coupling between the first end 314 and the first article portion 326 can reduce or prevent the first article portion 326 from collapsing, sagging, deforming, or otherwise deviating from the desired geometry due to its own weight. In some embodiments, the first end 314 of the support structure 304 is mechanically coupled to the first article portion 326 by contact between these elements. The mechanical coupling can be a releasable coupling, as further described below. Optionally, the support structure 304 can include a rough surface at the first end 314 and / or along the body 312 to enhance the mechanical connection with the first article portion 326. In some embodiments, the first article portion 326 is not covalently bonded to the support structure 304.

[0085] In some embodiments, the first article portion 326 is a functional region of the article and is intended to be part of the final product. Alternatively, the first article portion 326 can be a sacrificial region of the article (such as a raft and / or support) that will not be retained in the final product. In such embodiments, the first article portion 326 is removed from the remainder of the article during subsequent process steps (e.g., via cracking, degradation, dissolution, polishing, or other suitable techniques). Other details and examples of methods for including sacrificial regions on and / or around the support structure in the article are provided in Sections II.B and II.C below.

[0086] Figure 3CIllustrated is the apparatus 300 during a second stage of an additive manufacturing process, in which a second portion of the article (“second article portion 330”) is formed. In some embodiments, the second article portion 330 includes at least one unstable region 332 (e.g., overhang, bridge, valley, island), which may collapse, sag, deform, or otherwise deviate from the desired geometry without being stabilized by a support structure 304. For example, the unstable region 332 can be a portion of the second article portion 330 that is not connected to sufficient material below and / or around the unstable region 332 to maintain the desired geometry without the support structure 304.

[0087] As Figure 3C shown, the second article portion 330 including the unstable region 332 can be at a different (e.g., higher) vertical position than the first article portion 326. In some embodiments, a second subgroup 334 of the support structure 304 can be used to support the unstable region 332 and / or the second article portion 330. The second subgroup 334 of the support structure 304 can be different from the first subgroup 328. For example, the second subgroup 334 can be those support structures 304 that are within or near the coverage area of the unstable region 332 located on the build platform 302 (e.g., having the same or similar x - coordinate and / or y - coordinate as the unstable region 332). The second subgroup 334 of the support structure 304 can be raised by a respective actuator 318 to a second height that is greater than a first height of the first subgroup 328 of the support structure 304. For example, the second height can be at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, or 20 mm greater than the first height. The second height can correspond to the vertical position of the unstable region 332 and the second article portion 330. Then, according to the technique used to form the first article portion 326, the second article portion 330 can be formed on the second subgroup 334.

[0088] In the illustrated embodiment, the second article portion 330 is formed directly on the first article portion 326. However, in other embodiments, there can be one or more intermediate portions (e.g., intermediate layers) between the first article portion 326 and the second article portion 330, and the second height of the second subgroup 334 of the support structure 304 can be increased accordingly. Optionally, the second subgroup 334 can be maintained at the first height until a previous article portion (e.g., the first article portion 326 and / or the intermediate portion) is formed, e.g., to avoid obstructing the printer assembly of the additive manufacturing system when forming the previous article portion. Alternatively, for example, in embodiments where the second subgroup 334 does not obstruct the printing of the previous article portion, the second subgroup 334 can be raised to the second height before and / or while forming the previous article portion.

[0089] Subsequently, additional article portions (e.g., layers) of the article can be formed onto the second article portion 330 via an additive manufacturing process until the entire article geometry is completed. According to the techniques described herein, if any additional article portion includes an unstable region, an additional subgroup of the support structure 304 can be raised by the respective actuator 318 to provide mechanical support to those unstable regions. Conversely, additional article portions that do not include any unstable regions can be formed without support from an additional subgroup of the support structure 304. Thus, the configuration (e.g., height distribution) of the support structure 304 can be customized for the particular geometry of the article being manufactured.

[0090] Figure 3D The apparatus 300 is shown during removal of the article from the support structure 304. After the entire article has been formed (only the first article portion 326 and the second article portion 330 are shown for simplicity), the article can be separated from the apparatus 300 by lifting the article away from the support structure 304 (e.g., via a robotic arm or other automated mechanism) and / or by retracting the support structure 304 away from the article via the actuator 318. For example, as previously described, the support structure 304 can be retracted toward the first surface 306 of the build platform 302 and optionally, partially or fully retracted into the build platform 302.

[0091] The support structure 304 can be configured to separate from the article with little or no damage (e.g., cracking, plastic deformation) to the article. In some embodiments, for example, at least a portion of the support structure 304 (e.g., the first end 314 and / or the body 312) or the entire support structure 304 is made of a material that does not sufficiently adhere to the article material such that the support structure 304 can be pulled away from the article. For example, the first end 314 can be made of silicone, a fluorinated material, or other non - adhesive material, or can include a coating made of a non - adhesive material. Alternatively or in combination, the first end 314 can be configured to change geometry to release the article from the support structure 304. For example, the first end 314 can be configured to transition from an expanded configuration (e.g., a widened shape) to a low - profile configuration (e.g., compressed, narrowed, and / or small - volume shape), and the low - profile configuration can allow the first end 314 to retract from the article.

[0092] Figure 3EShows a portion of a single support structure 304 in an extended configuration 336 and a low-profile configuration 338 according to an embodiment of the present technology. As described above, the first end 314 of the support structure 304 may have a different geometry (e.g., shape and / or dimensions) in the extended configuration 336 compared to the low-profile configuration 338. For example, in the extended configuration 336, the first end 314 of the support structure 304 may have a first lateral dimension D1 (e.g., a first width and / or diameter). In some embodiments, the first end 314 is placed in the extended configuration 336 before and / or during the formation of an article on the support structure 304, e.g., to provide a secure coupling with the article.

[0093] In the low-profile configuration 338, the first end 314 may have a second lateral dimension D2 that is smaller than the first lateral dimension D1 (e.g., a second width and / or diameter). For example, the first lateral dimension D1 may be at least 0.1 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, or 5 mm larger than the second lateral dimension D2. Alternatively or in combination, the first lateral dimension D1 may be at least 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, or 10 mm; and / or the second lateral dimension D2 may not be greater than 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.25 mm, or 0.1 mm. In some embodiments, the first end 314 is placed in the low-profile configuration 338 before and / or during the removal of an article from the support structure 304, e.g., to allow the support structure 304 to easily separate from the surrounding article material.

[0094] Other dimensions (e.g., height) of the first end 314 may remain the same in the extended configuration 336 and the low-profile configuration 338, or may change (e.g., increase or decrease) in the extended configuration 336 compared to the low-profile configuration 338. Additionally, other portions of the support structure 304 (e.g., the body 312) may remain the same in the extended configuration 336 and the low-profile configuration 338, or may change in size (e.g., the width and / or diameter increases or decreases) in the extended configuration 336 compared to the low-profile configuration 338.

[0095] The support structure 304 may transition between the extended configuration 336 and the low-profile configuration 338 in many different ways. For example, Figure 3F Shows a support structure 304 having a movable piston 340 according to an embodiment of the present technology. As Figure 3FAs shown, the piston 340 may include an elongated rod 342 that terminates in a widened tip 344. The piston 340 may be positioned within the support structure 304, where the tip 344 is located within the first end 314 and the rod 342 extends from the first end 314 through the body 312 of the support structure 304. The piston 340 may be coupled to an actuator that moves the piston 340 upwardly and / or downwardly relative to the support structure 304 to change the geometry of the first end 314. The actuator may be the same actuator 318 that controls the support structure 304 or may be a different actuator.

[0096] To place the support structure 304 in the expanded configuration 336, the piston 340 may be retracted downwardly relative to the first end 314 such that the tip 344 is positioned at or near the junction between the first end 314 and the body 312. The first end 314 may be made of a flexible and / or deformable material (e.g., elastomer) such that retraction of the piston 340 compresses the first end 314 into a shorter and wider shape. To place the support structure 304 in the low-profile configuration 338, the piston 340 may extend upwardly relative to the first end 314 such that the tip 344 moves toward the apex of the first end 314, thereby stretching the first end 314 and causing it to assume a longer and narrower shape.

[0097] As another example, Figure 3G A support structure 304 having an expandable member 346 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. In the illustrated embodiment, the expandable member 346 (e.g., a balloon or other hollow flexible component) serves as the first end 314 of the support structure 304. The expandable member 346 may be fluidly coupled to a fluid source 348 (e.g., a fluid pump) via a passage 350 that extends through the body 312 of the support structure 304. For example, the fluid 348 may be a gas (e.g., air) or a liquid (e.g., water, mineral oil). To place the support structure 304 in the expanded configuration 336, the fluid 348 may be pumped into the expandable member 346, thereby causing it to expand into a wider and taller volume shape. To place the support structure 304 in the low-profile configuration 338, the fluid 348 may be withdrawn from the expandable member 346, causing it to shrink into a narrower and lower volume shape.

[0098] Referring again to Figure 3D, once the article has been separated from the support structure 304, the article can include a plurality of cavities 352 (e.g., recesses, holes, perforations, voids) corresponding to the shape of the first end 314 of the support structure 304. In some embodiments, the cavities can be filled with a material (e.g., the same material as that used to form the remainder of the article, or a different material) such that the formed surface of the article is smooth and continuous. Alternatively or in combination, the article can be polished to eliminate the cavities 352 and produce a smooth, continuous surface. However, in other embodiments, e.g., if the cavities 352 are relatively small or do not interfere with the use of the article, they can remain in place.

[0099] Although the apparatus 300 is shown as having a plurality of identical support structures 304, in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 304 can have different geometries and / or can be made of different materials. For example, some or all of the support structures 304 can differ from each other in any of the following aspects: the shape of the first end 314, the shape of the body 312, the shape of the second end 316, the dimensions (e.g., length, width, diameter) of the first end 314 in the expanded configuration 336, the dimensions of the first end 314 in the low-profile configuration 338, the dimensions of the body 312, the dimensions of the second end 316, the angle of the support structure 304 relative to the first surface 306 of the build platform 302, the material of the first end 314, the material of the body 312, or the material of the second end 316, or any suitable combination thereof. The particular type and arrangement of the support structures 304 can vary as needed (e.g., based on the geometry of the article to be manufactured, the precursor material used to manufacture the article, the type of additive manufacturing process employed, and / or any other relevant considerations).

[0100] Figures 4A - 4F is a side view of support structures 404a - 404f having different geometries according to an embodiment of the present technology. The support structures 404a - 404f can be generally similar to Figures 3A - 3G the support structure 304. Accordingly, the following discussion will be limited to those features that are different from Figures 3A - 3G the support structure 304. Figures 4A - 4F Embodiments of Figures 3A - 3G can be combined with each other and / or incorporated into any of the devices and systems described herein (e.g.,

[0101] Figure 4A shows the support structure 404a, which has a narrow elongated body 406 that is connected to an end 408 having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape. As another example, Figure 4BShows a support structure 404b, where the body 406 is connected to an end 410 having a triangular cross-sectional shape (e.g., the end 410 can be conical). In the illustrated embodiment, the end 410 is oriented such that the vertex of the triangle points away from the body 406, and the base of the triangle is connected to the body 406. Figure 4C Shows a support structure 404c similar to the support structure 404b, except that the triangular end 411 is oriented such that the vertex of the triangle is connected to the body 406 and the base of the triangle faces away from the body 406. In some embodiments, the support structures 404a - 404c are capable of being adjusted between an extended configuration and a low-profile configuration, e.g., as previously described with respect to Figures 3E - 3G that described.

[0102] Figure 4D Shows a support structure 404d shaped as an elongate member 412 (e.g., a strut, rod, pin, column, cylinder) that always has a uniform diameter and / or width. Figure 4E Shows a support structure 404e shaped as a cone 414, where the base of the cone 414 is close to the build platform 302, and the vertex of the cone 414 is oriented away from the build platform 302. Figure 4F Shows a support structure 404f similar to the support structure 404e, except that the cone 416 is inverted, where the vertex is close to the build platform 302 and the base is oriented away from the build platform 302.

[0103] In some embodiments, the support structures 404a - 404c, 404f can provide a larger surface area for attachment and are thus advantageous in additive manufacturing processes where the functional area of an article is directly fabricated on the support structures 404a - 404c, 404f without any intermediate sacrificial area. In some embodiments, the support structures 404d and 404e are used in additive manufacturing processes where the article is indirectly connected to the support structures 404d and 404e via a sacrificial area (e.g., a support). However, in other embodiments, any of the support structures 404a - 404f can be used with any of the devices and processes described herein.

[0104] The adjustable support structures described herein (e.g., Figures 3A - 3GThe support structure 304) can optionally perform other functions, such as introducing components into the article, carrying sensors for monitoring the article, applying energy to the article, or any other suitable function related to an additive manufacturing process. In some embodiments, the adjustable support structure described herein is configured to provide mechanical support to the article and also perform another function. Alternatively, any of the adjustable support structures described herein can be modified to perform another function rather than provide mechanical support to the article (in such embodiments, the adjustable support structure can be referred to as an "adjustable structure").

[0105] Figures 5A - 5D FIG. 500 shows an apparatus 500 for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology. The apparatus 500 can be generally similar to Figures 3A - 3G the apparatus 300, except that the apparatus 500 further includes an applicator 502 configured to add a component 504 to the article being manufactured. The component 504 can be any material, device, structure, etc. intended to be incorporated into the article, including solid components, liquid components, or suitable combinations thereof. Examples of components 504 that can be introduced by the applicator 502 include, but are not limited to, any of the following: elastomers, springs, metals (e.g., wires), polymers (e.g., rubber components), ceramics, waxes, foams, mirrors, hollow articles, liquid-filled articles, electronics (e.g., batteries, sensors, circuits, transmitters, receivers, processors, memories), actuators (e.g., motors), fasteners (e.g., screws), mechanical attachment points (e.g., hooks, buttons, clasps), decorative components, identifiers (e.g., marks, barcodes, labels), chemicals (e.g., solvents), pharmaceutical compositions, bioactive agents (e.g., drugs, hormones), dyes, flavorings, scents, compliance indicators, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0106] In some embodiments, for example, the component 504 can be or include a catalyst that reacts with a material on or within the article, such as an acid, a base, a metal catalyst, an enzyme, or a suitable combination thereof. Thus, the applicator 502 can deposit the catalyst at a location to selectively trigger and / or accelerate a chemical reaction at that location. Conversely, the component 504 can be or include an inhibitor, and the applicator 502 can deposit the inhibitor at a location to selectively inhibit and / or slow down a chemical reaction at that location. This method can be used to selectively modify the properties of the article at that location while leaving other locations substantially unaffected.

[0107] As another example, applicator 502 can deposit the same precursor material as that used to form the remainder of the article, or a different precursor material. In some embodiments, the article is formed from a first photopolymerizable resin, and applicator 502 is used to selectively apply a second photopolymerizable resin to one or more specific locations on the article. This method allows multiple types of resins (or other types of precursor materials) to be incorporated into the article in the same additive manufacturing process.

[0108] Applicator 502 can include an adjustable structure 506 operably coupled to build platform 302. In the illustrated embodiment, adjustable structure 506 is an elongate member (e.g., strut, column, rod, pin, post) extending through a corresponding passageway 310 in build platform 302. In other embodiments, adjustable structure 506 can be separated from build platform 302 and / or can be positioned at different locations in device 500, such as above build platform 302, on one side of build platform 302, etc. Adjustable structure 506 can be at any suitable angle relative to the first surface 306 of build platform 302, such as an angle less than or equal to 90°, 80°, 70°, 60°, 50°, 45°, 40°, 30°, 20°, or 10°.

[0109] Adjustable structure 506 can include an elongate body having a first end (e.g., upper end) coupled to component 504 and a second end (e.g., lower end) coupled to actuator 508. The first end can be removably coupled to component 504 using any suitable attachment mechanism (such as fasteners (e.g., clips, brackets), actuatable grippers, adhesives, or a suitable combination thereof). Optionally, in embodiments where component 504 is or includes a liquid, the first end can include a syringe, reservoir, nozzle, and / or any other mechanism suitable for containing and / or dispensing a fluid. In some embodiments, component 504 is loaded into adjustable structure 506 prior to the start of the additive manufacturing process. Loading can be performed manually by a human operator or automatically by a robotic component (e.g., robotic arm).

[0110] The actuator 508 (e.g., a linear actuator) can be similar to the actuator 318 for the support structure 304. For example, the actuator 508 can be or include a motor, a piston, a hydraulic device, a compressed air source, a magnet, and / or any other mechanism suitable for moving the adjustable structure 506. The actuator 508 can be configured to adjust the position of the adjustable structure 506 (and thus, the component 504) relative to the first surface 306 of the build platform 302. In some embodiments, the actuator 508 adjusts the height of the adjustable structure 506 and / or the component 504 above the first surface 306, e.g., within a range from a first height to a second height. In some embodiments, the first height is no more than 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, or 1 mm above the first surface 306. Optionally, the first height can be the same height as the first surface 306 (e.g., 0 mm above the first surface 306), such that the actuator 508 can retract the adjustable structure 506 and / or the component 504 flush with the first surface 306. In some embodiments, the first height is below the first surface 306 (e.g., at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm), such that the actuator 508 can retract the adjustable structure 506 and / or the component 504 completely into the build platform 302. Optionally, the actuator 508 can retract the adjustable structure 506 completely into the build platform 302, but the component 504 can remain flush with the first surface 306 of the build platform 302, partially above it, or completely above it. The second height can be greater than the first height, such as at least 1 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, or 20 mm greater. In some embodiments, the second height is at least 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, or 50 mm above the first surface 306 of the build platform 302.

[0111] Optionally, the actuator 508 can control other parameters of the adjustable structure 506, such as the angle of the adjustable structure 506 relative to the first surface 306. In embodiments where the adjustable structure 506 includes an actuatable gripper coupled to the component 504, the actuator 508 can also control whether the gripper holds or releases the component 504. Alternatively, the gripper can be controlled by another actuator different from the actuator 508.

[0112] Actuator 508 may be communicatively coupled to a controller (not shown). The controller may send signals to control the operation of actuator 508. For example, the signals may cause actuator 508 to adjust the position of adjustable structure 506 and, optionally, to adjust whether adjustable structure 506 should hold or release the component 504. The position of adjustable structure 506 may be determined based on the geometry of the particular article being manufactured (e.g., the geometry of the current article layer to be formed), as further described below.

[0113] Figure 5B The apparatus 500 is shown during a first stage of an additive manufacturing process after a first article portion 510 (e.g., a first layer) has been formed. According to techniques described elsewhere herein, the first article portion 510 may be fabricated from a precursor material using an additive manufacturing process and may be formed on some or all of the support structure 304. During the fabrication of the first article portion 510, the applicator 502 may be in an inactive configuration, in which the component 504 and the adjustable structure 506 are retracted into the build platform 302 and / or away from the first article portion 510, e.g., as Figure 5A shown. The inactive configuration may prevent the applicator 502 from obstructing the printer assembly of the additive manufacturing system when forming the first article portion 510.

[0114] As Figure 5B shown, after the first article portion 510 has been formed, the applicator 502 may switch to an active configuration, in which the component 504 and the adjustable structure 506 are raised above the build platform 302 and / or toward the position of the next article portion to be formed. For example, the component 504 may be moved to a position corresponding to its intended position within the article geometry.

[0115] Figure 5C The apparatus 500 is shown during a second stage of the additive manufacturing process, in which a second article portion 512 (e.g., a second layer) is formed. As Figure 5CAs shown, the second article portion 512 can be in a different (e.g., higher) vertical position than the first article portion 510. In the illustrated embodiment, the second article portion 512 is formed directly on the first article portion 510. However, in other embodiments, there may be one or more intermediate portions (e.g., intermediate layers) between the first article portion 510 and the second article portion 512. The second article portion 512 can be formed by curing or otherwise solidifying a precursor material onto the first article portion 510 (or intermediate portion, if present). The precursor material can also partially or completely surround the component 504 such that when the precursor material cures, the component 504 is incorporated into the second article portion 512. Depending on the positioning of the adjustable structure 506, the adjustable structure 506 can remain external to the second article portion 512 or can be partially located within the second article portion 512.

[0116] In Figure 5C an embodiment, the applicator 502 is positioned on one side of the build platform 302 such that the adjustable structure 506 is angled and does not pass through other portions of the article to place the component 504 at the desired location within the second article portion 512. Alternatively, the applicator 502 can be positioned adjacent to the article, and the previous portion of the article (e.g., the first article portion 510 and / or any intermediate portion) can include channels formed therein to allow the component 504 and / or the adjustable structure 506 to pass through to reach the desired location within the second article portion 512.

[0117] Figure 5D Shown is the apparatus 500 during a third stage of the additive manufacturing process after the second article portion 512 has been formed. In some embodiments, once the component 504 has been incorporated into the second article portion 512, the adjustable structure 506 can be separated from the component 504 and can retract away from the second article portion 512. The retraction of the adjustable structure 506 can cause the adjustable structure 506 to separate from the component 504, or the adjustable structure 506 can be actuated to actively release the component 504 (e.g., by opening a gripper on the adjustable structure 506). In some embodiments, the applicator 502 returns to an inactive configuration where the adjustable structure 506 is partially or fully retracted into the build platform 302.

[0118] Any apparatus described herein (e.g., Figures 3A - 3G apparatus 300 of Figures 5A - 5D apparatus 500 of Figures 3A - 3G support structure 304 of Figures 5A - 5DThe adjustable structure 506) may include sensors on the first end, body, or second end, or a suitable combination thereof. Alternatively or in combination, sensors may be located on different parts of the device, such as on or near the build platform, covering, or a completely separate component.

[0119] In some embodiments, the sensors generate sensor data indicative of at least one property of the article and / or the precursor material used to form the article, such as temperature, viscosity, clarity, transparency, conductivity, degree of curing, degree of polymerization, conversion of reactive groups (e.g., using a fiber optic connector that relays infrared measurements to a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) device), light intensity from a light source (e.g., calibrating the optical transmittance profile of the material by measuring light transmission at different depths), position (e.g., the position of the entire article or a portion thereof), geometry (e.g., thickness), surface properties (e.g., roughness), modulus, hardness, or a suitable combination thereof. The devices described herein may include any number of sensors, such as one, two, three, four, five, ten, 15, 20, or more sensors. Some or all of the sensors may be of the same sensor type, or some or all of the sensors may be of different sensor types. Representative examples of sensors that may be incorporated into the present technology include, but are not limited to, optical sensors, imaging devices (e.g., cameras), force sensors, weight sensors, strain sensors, ultrasonic sensors, temperature sensors, radiation sensors, chemical sensors, fluid sensors, humidity sensors, gas sensors, pressure sensors, flow sensors, time-of-flight sensors, proximity sensors, contact sensors, and position sensors.

[0120] Any device described herein (e.g., Figures 3A - 3G device 300, Figures 5A - 5D device 500) may be modified to include at least one energy source (e.g., a light source, a heat source, a radiation source). For example, any adjustable structure described herein (e.g., Figures 3A - 3G support structure 304, Figures 5A - 5D adjustable structure 506) may include an energy source on the first end, body, or second end, or a suitable combination thereof. Alternatively or in combination, the energy source may be located on different parts of the device, such as on or near the build platform, covering, or a completely separate component.

[0121] The energy source can output the same type of energy as that generated by the additive manufacturing system, or a different type of energy (e.g., different wavelengths). In some embodiments, the energy source applies energy to locations that are difficult for the additive manufacturing system to reach, e.g., to ensure that the precursor material at those locations is fully cured. Alternatively or in combination, the energy source can be used to apply energy to an article portion before and / or after the article portion has been cured by the additive manufacturing system. For example, an adjustable structure (e.g., Figures 5A - 5D the adjustable structure 506 of Figures 5A - 5D ) can place a component on the surface of the printed article portion, and the same or a different adjustable structure can control the energy source to provide energy for generating additional curing, thereby attaching the component to the printed article portion. As another example, an adjustable structure having an energy source can be used to modify the x, y, and / or z dimensions of an article portion after the article portion has been printed. Optionally, the energy source can include or be coupled to a barrier (e.g., a silicone window, a protective coating) to prevent the precursor material from adhering to the energy source.

[0122] B. Removal Tool for Build Platform

[0123] In some embodiments, the present technology provides a removal tool configured to facilitate the release of an additive manufacturing article from a build platform. The removal tool can be coupled to the surface of the build platform during the additive manufacturing process. When the additive manufacturing process is complete, the removal tool can be lifted away from the surface of the build platform and brought into contact with the printed article, thereby breaking the attachment between the article and the build platform. In some embodiments, the force applied by the removal tool is distributed over a relatively large surface area of the article, thereby reducing the likelihood of damaging the article during removal. Additionally, the removal tool allows the article to be removed without bending the article, which can prevent warping and / or breakage of the article. In contrast, techniques such as scraping or peeling typically concentrate the removal force on a smaller area of the article, causing the article to bend, and / or require the use of dangerous tools such as blades, which can pose a higher risk of damage to the article (e.g., especially if the article is brittle and / or includes fragile components) and / or injury to the user.

[0124] Figure 6AFIG. 0 is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of an apparatus 600 including a build platform 602 and a removal tool 604 according to an embodiment of the present technology. The build platform 602 may be a generally flat substrate made of a relatively rigid and / or hard material (e.g., a print bed, a tray, a plate, a film, a sheet), such as a metal (e.g., steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium), a ceramic, a polymer (e.g., a thermoformed or thermoset polymer), a composite material, or a suitable combination thereof. The build platform 602 includes a first surface 606 and a second surface 608 opposite the first surface 606. The first surface 606 may be oriented toward the article 610 to be manufactured and / or toward a printer assembly (not shown) of an additive manufacturing system. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the first surface 606 is an upper surface, and the additive manufacturing system may be configured to manufacture the article in a top-down process. Alternatively, the first surface 606 may be a bottom surface, and the additive manufacturing system may be configured to manufacture the article in a bottom-up process.

[0125] The build platform 602 may include a plurality of prefabricated support structures 612 at the first surface 606. In some embodiments, the support structures 612 are adjustable structures operatively coupled to the build platform 602, as described in part II.A above. In such embodiments, the build platform 602 and the support structures 612 may be similar or identical to Figures 3A - 5D the embodiments of.

[0126] Alternatively, some or all of the support structures 612 may be fixed structures formed in the first surface 606 of the build platform 602. In such embodiments, the support structures 612 may be elongated members (e.g., struts, columns, rods, pins, posts) extending above the first surface 606 of the build platform 602. The support structures 612 may be integrally formed with the build platform 602 or may be separate components (e.g., via an adhesive, bonding, fasteners, or other suitable attachment mechanism) coupled to the build platform 602. The support structures 612 may be made of any suitable material, such as a metal (e.g., steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium), a ceramic, a polymer (e.g., a thermoformed or thermoset polymer), a composite material, or a suitable combination thereof. In some embodiments, the support structures 612 are made of the same material as the build platform 602 (e.g., both the support structures 612 and the build platform 602 may be made of steel). In other embodiments, the support structures 612 are made of a different material than the build platform 602 (e.g., the support structures 612 may be made of a fluoropolymer, and the build platform 602 may be made of steel).

[0127] The build platform 602 may include any suitable number of support structures 612, such as at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more support structures 612. The support structures 612 may be arranged in any suitable configuration, such as a 2D array. In such an embodiment, the array may have any suitable shape, such as square, rectangular, rhombic, circular, oval, triangular, U-shaped, polygonal, or a combination thereof. The dimensions of the array (e.g., length, width, spacing) may also vary as needed. In some embodiments, the geometry of the array is customized for the particular article to be manufactured. For example, the shape and / or dimensions of the array may conform to the shape and / or dimensions of the article. Alternatively, the geometry of the array may be generic.

[0128] As Figure 6A shown, each support structure 612 includes an elongate body 614 having a first end 616 (e.g., upper end) and a second end 618 (e.g., lower end) opposite the first end 616. The first end 616 may be positioned above the first surface 606 of the build platform 602, and the second end 618 may be connected to the first surface 606 of the build platform 602. The support structure 612 may have any suitable height H3 above the first surface 606, such as a height H3 in the range of 1 mm to 50 mm, 5 mm to 25 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm. In some embodiments, the height H3 is at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm or 50 mm; and / or not greater than 50 mm, 45 mm, 40 mm, 35 mm, 30 mm, 25 mm, 20 mm, 15 mm or 10 mm.

[0129] The geometry of the first end 616, body 614, and second end 618 of the support structure 612 may be the same as or generally similar to any of the embodiments described in Part II.A above. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the first end 616, body 614, and second end 618 have the same width and / or diameter (e.g., a width and / or diameter of at least 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm or 10 mm). In other embodiments, the first end 616 may have a width and / or diameter different from (e.g., greater or smaller than) the body 614 and / or the second end 618. Additionally, although the support structure 612 is shown as having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape (in a vertical intersecting plane), in other embodiments, the support structure 612 may have a different shape, such as any of the shapes described in Part II.A.

[0130] AlthoughFigure 6A The support structures 612 are depicted as having the same geometry, but in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 612 may have different geometries (e.g., different heights and / or shapes). Additionally, although the support structures 612 are shown as being parallel to each other, in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 612 may be angled with respect to each other. Further, although the support structures 612 are depicted as being orthogonal to the first surface 606 of the build platform 602, in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 612 may be at different angles with respect to the first surface 606, such as angles less than or equal to 80°, 70°, 60°, 50°, 45°, 40°, 30°, 20°, or 10°.

[0131] The removal tool 604 includes a cover 620 that covers part or the entire first surface 606 of the build platform 602. The cover 620 can be a generally flat substrate (e.g., a plate, film, sheet, pad), and can have a thickness of at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, or 20 mm; and / or in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, 1 mm to 10 mm, 5 mm to 10 mm, or 10 mm to 20 mm. The cover 620 can be made of any suitable material, such as metals (e.g., steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium), ceramics, polymers (e.g., thermoformed or thermoset polymers), composites, or suitable combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the material of the cover 620 has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is the same as or similar (e.g., within 10%) to the CTE of the build platform 602 and / or the support structures 612. This configuration can be beneficial in avoiding dimensional changes due to temperature fluctuations, such that the device 600 can be used over a wider range of temperatures. Alternatively, the CTE of the cover 620 can be different from the CTE of the build platform 602 and / or the support structures 612. In such embodiments, an intentional CTE mismatch can be used to hold the cover 620 tightly on the support structures 612 at lower temperatures. When the cover 620 is to be removed, the cover 620 can be heated to a higher temperature to cause the cover 620 to expand and allow the cover 620 to move freely away from the support structures 612.

[0132] In the illustrated embodiment, the cover 620 includes a plurality of holes 622 (e.g., perforations) corresponding to the locations of the support structures 612 such that each support structure 612 can pass through a corresponding hole 622. The holes 622 can be large enough such that the cover 620 can slide freely along the support structures 612, but also small enough such that material does not leak into the holes 622 and onto the build platform 602. For example, the size of the holes 622 can be designed to provide a desired amount of clearance between the support structures 612 and the cover 620. The clearance can be the difference between the cross-sectional dimensions (e.g., width and / or diameter) of the holes 622 and a single support structure 612. The clearance can be in the range of 1 μm to 100 μm, 5 μm to 75 μm, or 10 μm to 50 μm. In some embodiments, the clearance can be at least 1 μm, 5 μm, 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, or 50 μm. Optionally, the amount of clearance can depend on the thickness of the cover 620, e.g., a larger clearance can be used with a thicker cover 620, while a smaller clearance can be used with a thinner cover 620. In some embodiments, a smaller clearance is advantageous for cutting into the material of the article 610 to release the article 610 from the build platform 602, as described further below.

[0133] The holes 622 can have the same or a similar cross-sectional shape (in a horizontal intersection plane) as the support structures 612, or can have a different cross-sectional shape. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the holes 622 can be circular, oval, square, rectangular, diamond, triangular, polygonal, rounded, or a suitable combination thereof. The holes 622 can all have the same shape and / or size, or some or all of the holes 622 can have different shapes and / or sizes (e.g., depending on the geometry of the corresponding support structures 612 and / or the desired amount of clearance). Optionally, the cover 620 can include a raised edge around the holes 622 to assist in removing the article 610, as described further below. The edge can be sharpened (e.g., to cut into the material of the article 610) or can be rounded (e.g., to apply a force to the article 610).

[0134] The removal tool 604 may also include one or more actuators 624 (e.g., linear actuators), such as motors, pistons, lead screws, hydraulics, compressed air, and / or any other suitable mechanism for moving the cover 620 relative to the build platform 602, as further described below. In some embodiments, the actuator 624 is manually operated (e.g., by an operator's hand and / or with the aid of a tool), while in other embodiments, the actuator 624 is automatically operated by a controller, robotic assembly, or other suitable automated mechanism. The actuator 624 can be used to move the cover 620 to a plurality of different heights relative to the first surface 606 of the build platform 602, as further described below.

[0135] The actuator 624 can be positioned to avoid obstructing the printer assembly and the article 610 to be formed, or otherwise interfering with the additive manufacturing process. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the actuator 624 is positioned at or near the perimeter of the build platform 602 and away from the active print area at the center of the build platform 602. Alternatively or in combination, the actuator 624 can be configured such that the uppermost portion of the actuator 624 is flush with or below the upper surface of the cover 620, thus presenting an unobstructed print area for forming the article 610.

[0136] In some embodiments, the cover 620 is configured to protect the first surface 606 of the build platform 602. For example, the cover 620 can serve as a barrier between the first surface 606 of the build platform 602 and the precursor material used to form the article 610, such that little or no precursor material adheres to the first surface 606, which can cause contamination when manufacturing subsequent articles. In some embodiments, the cover 620 is made of a protective material (e.g., silicone, fluorinated material) and / or includes a protective material coating that resists adhesion to the precursor material and / or other contaminants. Optionally, the cover 620 (or the entire removal tool 604) can be a removable component that can be separated from the build platform 602 and cleaned and / or replaced between print operations.

[0137] As Figure 6AAs shown, the removal tool 604 can initially be in an inactive configuration in which the cover 620 is lowered away from the article 610 to be formed and toward the build platform 602. For example, the cover 620 can directly contact the first surface 606 of the build platform 602, or can be separated from the first surface 606 by a relatively small separation distance (e.g., no more than 10 mm, 5 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or 0.5 mm). When the removal tool 604 is in the inactive configuration, the support structure 612 can at least partially extend above the cover 620 such that the first end 616 is exposed.

[0138] Any of the additive manufacturing processes described herein can be used to form the article 610 on the exposed support structure 612 of the build platform 602 in a layer-by-layer manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the article 610 includes a plurality of sacrificial regions 626 (e.g., supports) that are not intended to remain in the final product, and functional regions 628 that are intended to remain in the final product. The additive manufacturing process can begin by forming the sacrificial regions 626 on the support structure 612 of the build platform 602. For example, the sacrificial regions 626 can include a plurality of additive manufacturing supports (e.g., struts, cones), and each support can be formed on and coupled to a corresponding support structure 612. Subsequently, the functional regions 628 can be formed on the sacrificial regions 626. However, in other embodiments, the sacrificial regions 626 can be omitted, and the article 610 can be formed directly on the support structure 612 (e.g., as described in Part II.A above).

[0139] Next referring to Figure 6B , once the entire article 610 has been formed, the removal tool 604 can be switched to an active configuration in which the actuator 624 raises the cover 620 away from the build platform 602 and toward the article 610, and optionally, causes the cover to contact the article 610. In certain embodiments, the cover 620 is raised until the upper surface of the cover 620 is aligned with or above the first end 616 of the support structure 612. The cover 620 can be raised at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, or 50 mm above its initial height in the inactive configuration.

[0140] An upward force of the cover 620 against the article 610 can cause the sacrificial region 626 to disconnect from the support structure 612, thereby releasing the article 610 from the build platform 602. For example, the force can cause the sacrificial region to rupture at or near the contact point between the sacrificial region 626 and the support structure 612, or can release the material of the sacrificial region 626 from the support structure 612 without rupture. Optionally, in embodiments where the gap between the hole 622 of the cover 620 and the support structure 612 is relatively small, the edge of the cover 620 surrounding the hole 622 can cut into and / or apply a force to the sacrificial region 626 to facilitate the release of the article 610.

[0141] Subsequently, the article 610 can be separated from the cover 620, such as by lifting the article 610 away from the cover 620 and / or lowering the cover 620 away from the article 610. Any remaining sacrificial material on the article 610 can then be removed by polishing, or can be left on the article if the remaining sacrificial material is small enough and / or if doing so does not interfere with the use of the article 610.

[0142] Figure 7A is a perspective view showing a representative example of a build platform 702 and a removal tool 704 according to an embodiment of the present technology, and Figure 7B shows the build platform 702 and the removal tool 704 at the time of assembly. The features of the build platform 702 and the removal tool 704 can be generally similar to Figure 6A and Figure 6B the features of the embodiments of. Therefore, the following discussion will be limited to those features that are different from Figure 6A and Figure 6B or are not described in detail with reference to Figure 6A and Figure 6B the present.

[0143] First referring to Figure 7A , the build platform 702 is a metal plate including a plurality of support structures 706 (e.g., cylindrical pins). The support structures 706 can be distributed on the surface of the build platform 702 in a regular 2D array. The removal tool 704 includes a cover 708 (e.g., a metal plate) having a plurality of holes 710 (e.g., cylindrical holes). The holes 710 can be distributed on the cover 708 in a regular 2D array complementary to the 2D array of the support structures 706 such that each support structure 706 can be received within a corresponding hole 710.

[0144] In the illustrated embodiment, the removal tool 704 includes a pair of actuators 712 positioned on opposite sides of the cover 708. Each actuator 712 can include a screw 714 connected to a knob 716. The screw 714 can be rotated to raise and lower the cover 708 relative to the build platform 702. In some embodiments, the screw 714 is designed to be rotated manually, and the knob 716 can have a textured grip along its side to facilitate grasping and twisting by an operator's finger or hand. Optionally, the knob 716 can have a larger diameter than the screw 714 to increase mechanical leverage and generate sufficient upward force to release an item from the support structure 706. For example, the diameter of the knob 716 can be at least 0.5 cm, 1 cm, 1.5 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm or greater. Alternatively or in combination, the screw 714 can be rotated with a tool (e.g., a screwdriver, an Allen wrench), and the knob 716 can be dispensed with. In other embodiments, the actuator 712 can include a different type of mechanism for raising and lowering the cover 708, such as a lever and fulcrum type mechanism.

[0145] Next, referring Figure 7B , the removal tool 704 can be coupled to the build platform 702 by sliding the support structure 706 of the build platform 702 through the hole 710 of the cover 708. The screw 714 can be rotated so that the cover 708 is in a lowered position in contact with the build platform 702, and the top of the support structure 706 is exposed. An item 718 (e.g., a dental appliance, such as an aligner) can be manufactured onto the support structure 706 using an additive manufacturing process. In the illustrated embodiment, the item 718 includes a plurality of sacrificial struts 720 for coupling the item 718 to the exposed support structure 706. Alternatively, the item 718 can be manufactured directly onto the support structure 706 without the struts 720.

[0146] To separate the item 718 from the cover 708, the screw 714 can be rotated to raise the cover 708 above the top of the support structure 706 and into contact with the item 718, thereby applying a removal force to disengage the item 718 from the support structure 706. In some embodiments, the two screws 714 are rotated simultaneously so that both sides of the cover 708 are raised the same or a similar amount, such that the removal force is applied evenly to the item 718. Thus, the item 718 can be released from the build platform 702 with little or no bending, breaking, or other damage to the item 718.

[0147] C. Overlay for Build Platform

[0148] In some embodiments, the present technology provides a covering removably coupled to a build platform. The covering may include a plurality of support structures that serve as attachment points for an article during an additive manufacturing process. The support structures may be prefabricated components that are coupled to and provide mechanical support for one or more portions of the article (e.g., overhangs, bridges, islands, valleys). The support structures may improve the robustness of the additive manufacturing process in view of non-flatness of the build platform surface and / or misalignment between the build platform surface and the print plane of the additive manufacturing system. Additionally, the support structures herein may allow the article to be removed from the build platform without breaking, cutting, or otherwise removing any portion of the article, thereby reducing the likelihood of damaging the article during handling.

[0149] Using a covering with prefabricated support structures as described herein may provide various benefits such as: (1) reducing or eliminating the need for print supports formed integrally with the article, (2) providing easy and effective removal of the article from the build platform without damaging the article, (3) reducing or eliminating the amount of manual polishing or finishing of the article after manufacturing, and / or (4) protecting the surface of the build platform from contamination.

[0150] Figures 8A - 8I An apparatus 800 is shown that includes a covering 802 for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology. Specifically, Figure 8A is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of the apparatus 800, Figure 8B and Figure 8C is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of the apparatus 800 during an additive manufacturing operation, Figure 8D and Figure 8E is a partial schematic side view of a support structure of the apparatus 800, and Figures 8F - 8I is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of removing an article from the apparatus 800.

[0151] First referring to Figure 8A , the apparatus 800 includes a covering 802 coupled to a build platform 804. The build platform 804 may be a generally flat substrate that includes a first surface 806 and a second surface 808 opposite the first surface 806. The first surface 806 may be oriented toward the article to be manufactured and / or toward a printer assembly (not shown) of the additive manufacturing system. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the first surface 806 is an upper surface, and the additive manufacturing system may be configured to manufacture the article in a top-down process. Alternatively, the first surface 806 may be a bottom surface, and the additive manufacturing system may be configured to manufacture the article in a bottom-up process.

[0152] The covering 802 may be coupled to the first surface 806 of the build platform 804 and may cover part or all of the first surface 806. AsFigure 8A As shown, the covering 802 includes a generally flat substrate 810 (e.g., a plate, film, sheet, gasket), which has a first surface 812 oriented away from the build platform 804, a second surface 808 oriented toward the first surface 806 of the build platform 804 and coupled to the first surface, and a plurality of support structures 816 on the first surface 812. The thickness of the substrate 810 (e.g., as measured between the first surface 812 and the second surface 814) can be at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, or 20 mm; and / or in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, 1 mm to 10 mm, 5 mm to 10 mm, or 10 mm to 20 mm.

[0153] The covering 802 can be removably coupled to the build platform 804 at one or more attachment regions 818 using an adhesive (e.g., a sticky liquid), a fastener (e.g., a clip), a snap fit, an interference fit, a magnet, chemical affinity, or any other suitable attachment mechanism (the attachment regions 818 are omitted in the subsequent figures for simplicity). Optionally, the covering 320 can include one or more tabs 820 to facilitate coupling and separating the covering 320 from the build platform 302. In some embodiments, the covering 802 is configured to protect the first surface 806 of the build platform 804. For example, the covering 802 can serve as a barrier between the first surface 806 of the build platform 804 and the precursor material for forming an article, e.g., to prevent residual precursor material from adhering to the first surface 806. In some embodiments, the covering 802 is a reusable or disposable component that can be separated from the build platform 804 once printing is complete, as further described below.

[0154] The covering 802 can be made of any suitable material, such as high modulus materials (e.g., metals, high modulus polymers, ceramics), low modulus materials (e.g., silicone, rubber, elastomers), or suitable combinations thereof. The material of the covering 802 can be a biocompatible non-toxic material, such as a food-grade material. Optionally, the covering 802 can be partially or completely made of a protective material (e.g., siloxane, fluorinated material (such as polytetrafluoroethylene)), and / or can include a coating of the protective material to resist adhesion to the precursor material and / or other contaminants. In embodiments where the precursor material is a polar material (e.g., a polar resin), the protective material for the covering 802 can be a non-polar material. Conversely, in embodiments where the precursor material is a non-polar material (e.g., a non-polar resin), the protective material for the covering 802 can be a polar material. Optionally, the covering 802 or selected portions thereof (e.g., the support structure 816) can include pores, surface roughness, and / or other mechanical features that enhance the coupling of the article to the covering 320 during the manufacture of the article, as further described below. Additional examples of materials that can be used for the covering 802 are provided below.

[0155] The support structure 816 can be an elongated member (e.g., a strut, a post, a rod, a pin, a column) built into the covering 802. For example, the support structure 816 can be formed integrally with the covering 802. Alternatively, the support structure 816 can be a discrete component (e.g., via an adhesive, bonding, fusing, fasteners) coupled to the covering 802. The support structure 816 can be made of the same material as the covering 802, or can be partially or completely made of a different material (e.g., a material that is more brittle than the material of the covering 802).

[0156] The covering 802 can include any suitable number of support structures 816, such as at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 or more support structures 816. The support structures 816 can be arranged in any suitable configuration (such as a 2D array). In such an embodiment, the array can have any suitable shape, such as a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a U-shape, a polygon, or a combination thereof. The dimensions of the array (e.g., length, width, spacing) can also vary as needed. In some embodiments, the geometry of the array is customized for the particular article to be manufactured. For example, the shape and / or dimensions of the array can conform to the shape and / or dimensions of the article. Alternatively, the geometry of the array can be generic.

[0157] As Figure 8AAs shown, each support structure 816 includes an elongated body 822 having a first end 824 (e.g., upper end) and a second end 826 (e.g., lower end) opposite the first end 824. The first end 824 may be positioned above the first surface 812 of the cover 802, and the second end 826 may be connected to the first surface 812 of the cover 802. The support structure 816 may have any suitable height H4 above the first surface 812, such as a height H4 in the range of 1 mm to 50 mm, 5 mm to 25 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm. In some embodiments, the height H4 is at least 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, or 50 mm; and / or not greater than 50 mm, 45 mm, 40 mm, 35 mm, 30 mm, 25 mm, 20 mm, 15 mm, or 10 mm.

[0158] The geometry of the first end 824, the body 822, and the second end 826 of the support structure 816 may be the same as or generally similar to the corresponding embodiments described in Sections II.A and II.B above. For example, as Figure 8A shown, the first end 824 may be wider than the body 822 and / or the second end 826. In some embodiments, the first end 824 has a width and / or diameter of at least 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm; and / or the body 822 and / or the second end 826 each have a width and / or diameter less than 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or 0.5 mm. In other embodiments, the first end 824 may have the same width as the body 822 and / or the second end portion 826, or the first end 824 may be narrower than the body 822 and / or the second end portion 826. Additionally, although the first end 824 is shown as having a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape, in other embodiments, the first end 824 may have a different shape, such as any of the shapes described in Sections II.A and II.B.

[0159] Although Figure 8AThe support structures 816 are depicted as having the same geometry, but in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 816 may have different geometries (e.g., different heights and / or shapes). Additionally, although the support structures 816 are shown as being parallel to each other, in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 816 may be angled with respect to each other. Further, although the support structures 816 are depicted as being orthogonal to the first surface 812 of the covering 802, in other embodiments, some or all of the support structures 816 may be at different angles with respect to the first surface 812, such as angles less than or equal to 80°, 70°, 60°, 50°, 45°, 40°, 30°, 20°, or 10°.

[0160] Figure 8B The apparatus 800 and an article 828 formed using an additive manufacturing process are shown. The article 828 can be formed using any suitable additive manufacturing technique (such as any of the techniques described herein). For example, the article 828 can be built from a plurality of sequentially formed article portions 830 (e.g., layers). In some embodiments, one or more initial article portions 830 are formed by directly applying a precursor material (e.g., a polymerizable resin) onto the support structures 816 and / or the covering 802; and then applying energy to an area of the precursor material that is adjacent to at least some or all of the support structures 816 to cure the precursor material around the support structures 816. Subsequent article portions 830 can then be formed on the initial article portions 830 until the geometry of the entire article is complete.

[0161] The coupling between the support structures 816 and the article 828 can reduce or prevent the article 828 from collapsing, sagging, deforming, or otherwise deviating from the desired geometry due to its own weight, particularly if the article 828 includes unstable regions (e.g., overhangs, bridges, valleys, islands). As Figure 8B shown, the article 828 can contact and / or surround the first end 824 of the support structure 816, and optionally, contact and / or surround portions of the body 822 of the support structure 816. In some embodiments, the first end 824 of the support structure 816 is mechanically coupled to the article 828 by virtue of the contact between these elements. Optionally, the support structure 816 can include a rough surface located at the first end 824 and / or along the body 822 to enhance the mechanical coupling with the article 828. In some embodiments, the article 828 is not covalently bonded to the support structure 816.

[0162] In some embodiments, article 828 is spaced from and does not contact the first surface 812 of covering 802. For example, the spacing distance between article 828 and the first surface 812 can be at least 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm. The spacing distance can be controlled based on the height of support structure 816 and / or the thickness of initial article portion 830. In some embodiments, the thickness of initial article portion 830 is related to the cure depth of the precursor material, which can be controlled by including an inhibitor and / or blocker in the precursor material that restricts energy penetration into the material. However, in other embodiments, article 828 can contact the first surface 812 of covering 802.

[0163] Figure 8C Removal of article 828 from apparatus 800 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, support structure 816 is configured to break to release article 828 from covering 802. For example, support structure 816 can be broken by lifting article 828 away from covering 802 (e.g., manually, via a robotic gripper, or other automated mechanism), lowering build platform 804 and covering 802 away from article 828, or a combination thereof. Support structure 816 can be designed to break at body 822 of support structure 816 such that first end 824 and optionally portions of body 822 remain embedded in article 828.

[0164] In some embodiments, support structure 816 is more brittle than the remainder of covering 802 and article 828 such that the removal force preferentially breaks support structure 816 rather than the remainder of covering 802 or article 828. For example, support structure 816 can be more brittle due to its geometry, e.g., support structure 816 can be thinner than the remainder of covering 802 and article 828. Alternatively or in combination, support structure 816 can be made of a material that is more brittle than the remainder of covering 802 and / or article 828. In such embodiments, the brittle material can be confined to certain portions of support structure 816 (e.g., first end 824 and / or body 822), or the entire support structure 816 can be made of a brittle material.

[0165] Optionally, support structure 816 can be weakened at one or more predetermined regions, e.g., by removing material at the predetermined regions. For example, Figure 8D Support structure 816 is shown including a thinning region 832 in body 822. Thinning region 832 can be formed by cutting a notch, recess, groove, etc. in one side of body 822. Figure 8EThe support structure 816 is shown to include a thinning region 834 that is similar to the thinning region 832, except that the thinning region 834 extends around the entire perimeter of the body 822 (e.g., the thinning region 834 is a circumferential groove).

[0166] Figure 8F An article 828 is shown after the remaining portions of the support structure 816 have been removed. In some embodiments, after separating the article 828 from the cover 802 by breaking the support structure 816, the remaining portions of the support structure 816 (e.g., the first end 824 and / or the body 822) can be removed from the article 828. The removal process can include any suitable technique, such as melting the remaining portions, dissolving the remaining portions (e.g., in water or a solvent), thermally degrading the remaining portions, photodegrading the remaining portions, pulverizing or otherwise breaking the remaining portions into smaller pieces that can be removed from the article 828, peeling the remaining portions from the article 828, sonicating away the remaining portions, sublimating away the remaining portions, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0167] In such embodiments, the support structure 816 (or the entire cover 802) can be made of a material that is susceptible to the removal process (e.g., soluble, dissolvable, degradable, and / or sublimable under certain processing conditions; has a low melting point; and / or is more brittle). The article 828 can be made of a material that is substantially unaffected by the removal process (e.g., insoluble, undissolvable, non-degradable, and / or non-sublimable under the processing conditions; has a high melting point; and / or is less brittle).

[0168] In some embodiments, the support structure 816 or the entire cover 802 is partially or completely made of a removable material (e.g., a material that can be dissolved, degraded, melted, etc.). For example, the removable material can be a thermoformable material. Thermoformable materials tend to be linear polymers and can thus be suitable for dissolving in a selected solvent. In such embodiments, the cover 802 can be produced using thermoforming processes known to those skilled in the art, such as vacuum molding, injection molding, etc. As another example, the removable material can be a material with a low melting point, such as wax or a low molecular weight polymer (e.g., an oligomer). As yet another example, the removable material can be a material configured to dissolve in water, such as a sugar-based material. In another example, the removable material can be a sublimable material, such as camphorquinone, naphthalene, dry ice, etc. In such embodiments, heat and / or vacuum can be used to remove the remaining portions of the support structure 816.

[0169] In yet another example, the removable material can include chemical moieties having degradable bonds, such as esters, acid anhydrides, azo derivatives, Diels - Alder adducts, and / or other thermally degradable or reversible bonds. In such an embodiment, heating can be sufficient to soften, melt, cause loss of connectivity, cause a decrease in molecular weight, or otherwise alter the properties of the removable material to facilitate removal of the remaining portion of the support structure 816. As another example, the removable material can include photoactive groups capable of photo - induced cleavage or photo - reversal, such as anthracene, acenaphthene, maleimide, coumarin, uracil, and other photo - dimerizable moieties. In such an embodiment, light can be applied to the remaining portion of the support structure 816 to facilitate removal.

[0170] Referring again to Figure 8A , in some embodiments, the overlay 802 includes a durable portion (e.g., the substrate 810) intended to be reused, and a sacrificial portion (e.g., the first end 824 of the support structure 816, or the entire support structure 816) that is dissolved, melted, degraded, etc. and replaced after each print. The sacrificial portion can be made of a removable material, while the durable portion can be made of a material that is substantially unaffected by the removal process. The sacrificial portion can be coupled to the article 828 during the additive manufacturing process, as described above. Thus, once the article 828 has been separated from the overlay 802, any sacrificial portion remaining on the overlay 802 can be removed (e.g., by dissolution, melting, degradation, etc.), and the durable portion of the overlay 802 can be made reusable by forming or coupling a new sacrificial portion onto it. This configuration can reduce the amount of waste generated during each print.

[0171] Referring again to Figure 8F , once the remaining portion of the support structure 816 has been removed, the article 828 can include a plurality of cavities 836 (e.g., recesses, holes, perforations, voids) corresponding to the shape of the remaining portion. In some embodiments, the cavities 836 can be filled with a material (e.g., the same material as that used to form the rest of the article, or a different material) such that the formed surface of the article 828 is smooth and continuous. Alternatively or in combination, the article 828 can be polished to eliminate the cavities 836 and produce a smooth, continuous surface. However, in other embodiments, e.g., if the cavities 836 are relatively small or do not otherwise interfere with the use of the article 828, the cavities can be left in place.

[0172] Figure 8GArticle 828 is shown, where a remaining portion of support structure 816 remains attached to article 828. In some embodiments, after separating article 828 from overwrap 802 by breaking support structure 816, a remaining portion of support structure 816 (e.g., first end 824 and / or body 822) can be incorporated into article 828 and can thus be part of the final product. A portion of article 828 near the remaining portion of support structure 816 can be polished to produce a smooth, continuous surface. Alternatively, in embodiments where the remaining portion is small enough and / or does not interfere with the use of article 828, polishing can be omitted.

[0173] In some embodiments, support structure 816 (or the entire overwrap 802) is made of the same material used to form article 828. Alternatively, support structure 816 (or the entire overwrap 802) can be made of a different second material suitable to be part of the finished article 828. For example, the second material can have optical properties (e.g., refractive index, color, transparency) similar or matching to those of article 828 to maintain a uniform aesthetic appearance. As another example, the second material can include chemical moieties covalently bonded to the material of article 828 to provide a fused continuous interface. In some embodiments, the second material is biocompatible, non-toxic, and / or food-grade.

[0174] Figure 8H Another example of removing article 828 from device 800 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, support structure 816 is removably coupled to article 828 such that first end 824 can be slid out of article 828 without breaking support structure 816. Thus, support structure 816 can remain attached to overwrap 802 while article 828 leaves a cavity 836 corresponding to the shape of first end 824 of support structure 816. Cavity 836 can be filled, removed via polishing, or left in place, as previously discussed. Additionally, if article 828 is removed from support structure 816 while liquid precursor material (e.g., uncured resin) is still present on article 828, the liquid precursor material can flow into cavity 836 by capillary action and can thus cure in place, for example, during a post-curing process to form a smooth, continuous surface.

[0175] In some embodiments, a removable coupling between the support structure 816 and the article 828 is achieved by forming the support structure 816 (or the entire overwrap 802) with a material that resists adhesion to the article 828, as described elsewhere herein. Alternatively or in combination, the support structure 816 can be made, in whole or in part, of a flexible and / or deformable material (e.g., an elastomer, silicone rubber) that changes shape from an expanded configuration to a low-profile configuration when a force is applied. For example, the first end 824 can be made of a flexible and / or deformable material such that when the article 828 is pulled away from the support structure 816, the first end 824 deforms into a narrow shape and can thus be pulled out of the cavity 836 within the article 828 without damaging the support structure 816 or the article 828. This method allows the overwrap 802 and the support structure 816 to be reused. Additionally, in some embodiments, using a silicone-based material can create a layer of liquid precursor material near the support structure 816 that serves as an anti-adhesion coating (e.g., due to an oxygen inhibition effect).

[0176] Figure 8I Shown is the removal of the article 828 and the overwrap 802 from the build platform 804. Although Figure 8C and 8H shown is the separation of the article 828 from the overwrap 802 while the overwrap 802 remains coupled to the build platform 804, in other embodiments, the overwrap 802 and the article 828 can be removed together from the build platform 804 (e.g., by pulling up on the tab 820 of the overwrap 802). Then, as described above, the article 828 can be removed from the overwrap 802 in a subsequent removal process. For example, in embodiments where the overwrap 802 is made, in whole or in part, of a dissolvable material, the overwrap 802 and the article 828 can be immersed in a solvent to release the article 828 from the overwrap 802.

[0177] Figure 9A and Figure 9B is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view showing another process for forming an additive manufactured article 902 on an overwrap 802 according to an embodiment of the present technology. First refer to Figure 9A, any of the additive manufacturing processes described herein can be used to build an article 902 from a precursor material in a layer-by-layer manner. The article 902 can include sacrificial regions 904 (e.g., rafts, supports) that do not remain in the final product and functional regions 906 that are intended to remain in the final product. The additive manufacturing process can begin by forming the sacrificial region 904 on the support structure 816 of the covering 802. In some embodiments, the sacrificial region 904 includes a raft 908 formed of one or more layers of precursor material. The raft 908 can be a relatively large area of cured material that serves as a base to which subsequent portions of the article 902 adhere. The sacrificial region 904 can also include a plurality of supports 910 (e.g., struts, cones) formed on the raft 908, which can be formed of one or more layers of precursor material. Subsequently, the functional region 906 can be formed on the supports 910 of the sacrificial region 904.

[0178] As Figure 9A shown, even if an initial portion of the article 902 (e.g., the raft 908 of the sacrificial region) is not aligned with the surfaces of the covering 802 and the build platform 804, the article 902 can still be successfully manufactured because the presence of the support structure 816 provides sufficient surface area for the raft 908 to attach. In contrast, for the case of printing an article on a conventional build platform without a built-in support structure, if the initial layer of the article is not aligned with the surface of the build platform, print failure may easily occur due to poor adhesion.

[0179] Next, referring to Figure 9B , once the entire article 902 has been formed, the functional region 906 of the article 902 can be separated from the covering 802 by detaching the functional region 906 from the sacrificial region 904 that is adhered to the covering 802. In the illustrated embodiment, the supports 910 of the sacrificial region 904 can be relatively thin and / or fragile components that are designed to break when a force is applied, thereby allowing the functional region 906 to be removed from the covering 802 while the raft 908 remains attached to the covering 802. The remaining portions of the supports 910 attached to the functional region 906 can then be removed by polishing, or if the remaining portions are small enough and / or do not interfere with the use of the article 902, they can be retained on the article 902.

[0180] Figure 10 is a partial schematic side cross-sectional view of a device 1000 for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present technology. The device 1000 can be generally similar to Figures 8A - 8I the device 800, except that the device 1000 includes one or more adjustable structures 1002 configured to change the geometry of the covering 802. The adjustable structures 1002 can be similar to those described above in connection with Figures 3A - 5DThe described adjustable structure and may include Figures 3A - 5D any feature of the embodiments of. For example, the adjustable structure 1002 may be an elongate member (e.g., strut, column, rod, pin, post) extending through the build platform 804. Each adjustable structure 1002 may include an elongate body 1006 having a first end 1008 configured to engage the covering 802 and a second end 1010 coupled to the actuator 1004.

[0181] As Figure 10 shown, the actuator 1004 may raise the corresponding adjustable structure 1002 such that the first end 1008 contacts and presses against the second surface 814 of the covering 802. The covering 802 may be made of a flexible and / or deformable material such that the force applied by the adjustable structure 1002 stretches the covering 802, thereby raising the corresponding support structure 816 above the remainder of the covering 802. The support structure 816 may be raised to any suitable height above the first surface 812 of the covering 802, such as a height of at least 1 mm, at least 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, or 50 mm. For example, according to the techniques described in Part II.A, the support structure 816 may be raised during an additive manufacturing process to support an unstable region of an article. Optionally, when the article is ready to be removed from the covering 802, the adjustable structure 1002 may be retracted by the actuator 1004 to lower the corresponding support structure 816 away from the article. In some embodiments, a selected portion of the covering 802 proximate the first end 1008 of the adjustable structure 1002 may be fixed (e.g., via an adhesive, fastener, bond) to the build platform 804 such that adjacent support structures 816 are not affected by the movement of the adjustable structure 1002.

[0182] In some embodiments, each support structure 816 of the covering 802 is coupled to a corresponding adjustable structure 1002 and may thus move independently of one another. Alternatively, only some of the support structures 816 may be coupled to the adjustable structures 1002 such that the remaining support structures 816 remain in a fixed configuration and are immovable.

[0183] In some embodiments, a covering can be provided without any prefabricated support structure. In such embodiments, the covering can be a planarized substrate configured to form a good mechanical bond with the material of the article such that a support can be printed onto the surface of the covering. For example, the covering can have a porous and / or rough microscale structure to facilitate mechanical adhesion to the cured material. Optionally, for example, in embodiments where the article is printed directly onto the covering without a support and a smooth finish is desired for the article, the covering can be made in part or entirely of a material capable of covalently bonding with the cured material. In such embodiments, the covalent bond can be reversed or disrupted using heat, chemical degradation, and / or other suitable techniques. Alternatively, a small amount of the covalently bonded covering material can remain on the printed article, for example, similar to a monolayer coating. Optionally, the covering can include surface features (e.g., texture, pattern, cavities) that are filled and cured with a material to form an article with corresponding surface features, similar to a molding process. The covering can then be dissolved, degraded, or otherwise separated from the article to expose the surface features of the article.

[0184] In some embodiments, the covering provided by the present technology is not a prefabricated device but is manufactured in the same additive manufacturing operation as the additive manufactured article. For example, the additive manufacturing operation can include forming an additive manufacturing covering using a first additive manufacturing process and then forming one or more additive manufactured articles on the covering using a second additive manufacturing process (which can be the same as or different from the first additive manufacturing process). Thus, the covering can be connected to and / or integrally formed with the article such that the article and the covering can be handled and processed as a single unit.

[0185] The covering can be removably coupled to the build platform of the additive manufacturing system to facilitate removal of the article from the build platform after manufacturing. Removal of the covering from the build platform can be accomplished via mechanical techniques (e.g., peeling, lifting, scraping) and / or with the aid of removal tools (e.g., a knife or blade). Alternatively or in combination, other techniques such as solvents, heating, cooling, etc. can be used to accomplish removal of the covering from the build platform. The covering can be removed from the build platform by an operator or by an automated mechanism. Removal of the covering can be performed while the build platform remains in the additive manufacturing system, or the build platform and the covering can be removed from the additive manufacturing system before removing the covering from the build platform. Optionally, the covering can include features that facilitate removal, such as one or more handle structures (e.g., tabs, loops) and / or one or more chamfered sides. The covering can alternatively or additionally include features that facilitate draining of residual curable material (e.g., liquid resin) from the article and / or the covering, such as a rounded top surface, a honeycomb structure, grooves, channels, holes, etc.

[0186] The covering can be configured to have sufficient strength to resist cracking, deformation, weakening, or other damage during removal that could otherwise cause the item to separate from the covering and / or compromise the integrity of the covering. For example, the covering can be thick enough to withstand the removal force, e.g., the thickness can be in the range of 0.1 mm to 10 mm. The thickness can be selected based on the properties of the material used to form the covering (e.g., the mechanical properties of the material in the green state and the post-cured state). The thickness can also depend on the number of material layers used to form the covering (e.g., the covering can be made of a single material layer or multiple material layers) and the height of the individual layers. Other dimensions of the covering, such as length and width, can also vary as needed, e.g., depending on the number and arrangement of items on the covering, the size of the build platform, compatibility with post-processing devices, etc.

[0187] After removal from the build platform, the additive manufacturing covering can be used as a base structure (e.g., a substrate) for processing, manipulating, securing, and / or tracking one or more additive manufacturing items thereon during post-processing. For example, the item can undergo at least one post-processing operation, such as (e.g., via centrifugation) removal of residual material, post-curing, solvent extraction, annealing, laser trimming of support structures, laser marking, etc., while remaining attached to the covering. Optionally, the covering can include one or more securing structures (e.g., holes, pins, hooks, interlocking features) that allow the covering to be temporarily coupled to other components during post-processing, such as containers (e.g., buckets, cylinders, boxes), platforms (e.g., pallets, plates), conveyor belts, movable arms, etc. Additionally, the covering can have standardized dimensions and / or shapes that are designed to fit into, couple to, or otherwise engage with one or more post-processing devices (e.g., centrifuges, solvent baths, ovens, laser marking devices, laser trimming devices), thereby ensuring compatibility with the post-processing devices regardless of the geometry of the item. Using the covering rather than the build platform as the base structure for supporting items during post-processing can provide various advantages, such as allowing for a less expensive and / or base material build platform, simplifying the cleaning of the build platform, and / or reducing the number of build platforms required in production.

[0188] In some embodiments, an additive manufacturing overlay is used to prevent or reduce spalling. For example, spalling may occur in additively manufactured articles that are post-processed via centrifugation, post-curing, solvent extraction, and annealing. Centrifugation can be used to remove residual curable material from the article, but some residual material may adhere to the surface of the build platform rather than being completely removed. The residual material on the build platform may cure with the article during post-curing, thereby forming a thin layer of cured material on the build platform. During solvent extraction and annealing, the thin layer of cured material may be prone to spalling. For example, dipping the article into a solvent and then removing the excess solvent by evaporation can cause the thin layer of cured material to form flakes. The flakes may detach from the build platform during annealing and may adhere to the article. Removing the flakes from the article may be required before the article is ready for use, which may introduce additional process steps, reduce manufacturing efficiency, and increase manufacturing time and cost. Using an additive manufacturing overlay can eliminate the need to use the build platform to support the article during post-processing, thereby avoiding conditions that may lead to spalling. Additionally, the overlay itself can be thick and durable enough to resist spalling during post-processing. Further, since the article and the overlay can be removed from the build platform before post-curing occurs, the build platform can be more easily cleaned because any residual material on the build platform will still be in liquid form.

[0189] In some embodiments, the overlay includes an identifier (e.g., a barcode, QR code, label, or other machine-readable marker) that can be used to track the article during additive manufacturing and post-processing. Additionally, by keeping the article on the same overlay throughout additive manufacturing and post-processing, the specific location of each article can be determined and tracked, which can be beneficial for operations (e.g., laser trimming, laser marking) that are useful for information about the location of individual articles and / or the spatial relationships between articles.

[0190] Figure 11A and Figure 11B FIG. shows a component 1100 according to an embodiment of the present technology, which includes an additively manufactured article 1102 on an additive manufacturing overlay 1104. Specifically, Figure 11A is a top view of the component 1100, Figure 11B is a partial schematic side view of the component 1100 (for simplicity, only the article 1102 is schematically depicted in Figure 11B ). Referring together to Figure 11A and Figure 11B, the article 1102 and the covering 1104 can be formed on the build platform 1106 via an additive manufacturing operation. The covering 1104 can be a planarizing structure (e.g., film, sheet, diaphragm) that is connected to and supports the article 1102 during the additive manufacturing operation and / or during post-processing of the article 1102. The covering 1104 can have a larger surface area than the covered area of the article 1102, e.g., to improve adhesion and stability to the build platform 1106. As Figure 11A shown, the covering 1104 can be a continuous structure (e.g., a continuous film, sheet, diaphragm, etc. that does not include any holes or gaps) that covers most or all of the exposed surface of the build platform 1106.

[0191] The covering 1104 can be made of any material that can be formed via an additive manufacturing process (e.g., SLA, DLP), such as a curable material (e.g., a polymerizable resin) as described herein. The material of the covering 1104 can exhibit sufficient adhesion to the build platform 1106 to provide a stable base for manufacturing the article 1102 (e.g., to avoid peeling during the initial stages of printing). The covering 1104 can be a single-layer material or can be a multi-layer material (e.g., two layers, three layers, four layers, five layers, or more layers). The covering 1104 can have any suitable thickness, such as a thickness in the range of 0.1 mm to 10 mm. In some embodiments, the covering 1104 is made of the same material as the article 1102, while in other embodiments, the covering 1104 can be made of a different material than the article 1102. In embodiments where the covering 1104 is made of a different material than the article 1102, the covering 1104 can be made of a lower-cost material since the covering 1104 does not remain in the final product and thus may not need to exhibit the same material properties (e.g., durability, strength, transparency) as the article 1102.

[0192] As Figure 11BAs best shown, article 1102 can be connected to covering 1104 via one or more support structures 1108. Support structure 1108 can include raft 1110 formed on covering 1104, and a plurality of elongate support members 1112 (e.g., struts, rods, pins, cones) formed on raft 1110. Raft 1110 can be a planarizing structure having a surface area similar to or greater than the covered area of article 1102, thereby forming a stable base for printing article 1102 on covering 1104. The surface area of raft 1110 can be less than the surface area of covering 1104. Elongate support members 1112 can connect article 1102 to raft 1110, and can be used to stabilize overhangs, bridges, islands, valleys, and / or other portions of article 1102 that might otherwise deform or collapse. Optionally, raft 1110 can be omitted such that elongate support members 1112 connect directly to covering 1104.

[0193] Support structure 1108 (e.g., raft 1110 and / or elongate support members 1112) can be made of any material that can be formed via an additive manufacturing process (e.g., SLA, DLP), such as the curable materials (e.g., polymerizable resins) described herein. In some embodiments, support structure 1108 is made of the same material as article 1102 and / or covering 1104, while in other embodiments, support structure 1108 can be made of a different material than article 1102 and / or covering 1104. In embodiments where support structure 1108 is made of a different material than article 1102, support structure 1108 can be made of a lower cost material since support structure 1108 generally does not remain in the final product and thus may not need to exhibit the same material properties (e.g., durability, strength, transparency) as article 1102.

[0194] Article 1102, covering 1104, and support structure 1108 can be formed in the same additive manufacturing operation. In some embodiments, covering 1104 is formed from an initial one or more material layers deposited and cured on build platform 1106 during the additive manufacturing operation, and support structure 1108 and covering 1104 are formed from subsequent material layers deposited and cured on the initial layer. For example, covering 1104 can be formed from one or more first material layers deposited and cured on build platform 1106, support structure 1108 can be formed from one or more second material layers deposited and cured on the one or more first material layers, and article 1102 can be formed from one or more third material layers deposited and cured on the one or more second material layers. In some embodiments, support structure 1108 is omitted such that the material layers of article 1102 are deposited and cured directly onto the material layers of covering 1104.

[0195] The covering 1104 may be removably coupled to the build platform 1106 to facilitate removal of the article 1102 from the build platform 1106. For example, the adhesion force between the build platform 1106 and the covering 1104 may be weak enough that the covering 1104 can be separated from the build platform 1106 by mechanical techniques such as peeling, lifting, scraping, etc. Alternatively or in combination, other techniques such as solvents, heating, cooling, etc. may be used to effect separation of the covering 1104 from the build platform 1106, provided that these techniques do not damage the article 1102. The covering 1104 may be removed from the build platform 1106 manually, with the aid of a tool (e.g., a blade), or using an automated mechanism. Optionally, the covering 1104 may include one or more handle structures such as tabs, loops, etc. to facilitate grasping the covering 1104 and removing it from the build platform 1106.

[0196] The article 1102 and the support structure 1108 may remain connected to the covering 1104 and thus may be removed from the build platform 1106 as a single integral assembly with the covering 1104. Once removed from the build platform 1106, the article 1102 may undergo at least one post-processing operation while remaining connected to the covering 1104 and the support structure 1108. The post-processing operation may include any of the processes described herein, such as removing residual material (e.g., via centrifugation), post-curing, solvent extraction, and / or annealing.

[0197] In some embodiments, the covering 1104 is configured to resist flaking during post-processing of the article 1102. For example, the covering 1104 may be thick enough such that when exposed to a solvent during a solvent extraction process, the solvent does not penetrate through the covering 1104 upon evaporation of the residual solvent and cause flaking of the covering 1104. The thickness of the covering 1104 may be at least 25 μm, 50 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, or 200 μm.

[0198] In some embodiments, the overlay 1104 serves as a substrate for handling and supporting the article 1102 during post-processing. For example, the overlay 1104 can include one or more securing structures (e.g., holes, pegs, hooks, interlocking features) that allow the overlay 1104 to be temporarily coupled to other components (e.g., containers, conveyor belts, plates, movable arms) during post-processing. Additionally, the overlay 1104 can have standardized dimensions and / or shapes that are designed to fit into, couple to, or otherwise engage one or more post-processing devices (e.g., centrifuges, solvent baths, ovens, laser trimming devices), thereby ensuring compatibility with the post-processing devices regardless of the geometry of the article 1102. Optionally, the overlay 1104 can include an identifier (e.g., barcode, QR code, label, or other machine-readable marker) that can be used to track the article 1102 during additive manufacturing and post-processing.

[0199] Once the desired post-processing operations are complete, the article 1102 can be removed from the overlay 1104. For example, the support structure 1108 can be broken, dissolved, degraded, or otherwise removed to separate the article 1102 from the overlay 1104. If appropriate, the article 1102 can undergo further post-processing and / or can be prepared for packaging and shipping.

[0200] Although Figure 11A and Figure 11B a single article 1102 on the overlay 1104 is shown, the overlay 1104 and any other overlay described herein can be used to support multiple articles, such as two, three, four, five, 10, 20, 50, or more articles. In such embodiments, the articles 1102 can be simultaneously manufactured and post-processed on the overlay 1104 such that the overlay 1104 can be used to support, manipulate, secure, and / or track multiple articles 1102 through any of the additive manufacturing and post-processing operations described herein.

[0201] Figure 11C is a perspective view of a component 1120 according to an embodiment of the present technology, the component including multiple additive manufacturing articles 1122 on an additive manufacturing overlay 1124. The features of the overlay 1124 can be generally similar to Figure 11A and Figure 11BThe cover 1104 is characterized in that the cover 1124 is a network structure (e.g., grid, lattice) composed of a plurality of interconnected units, rather than a continuous sheet. Although the units are depicted as having a hexagonal shape such that the cover 1124 has a honeycomb structure, in other embodiments, some or all of the units may have different shapes, such as circular, oval, square, rectangular, triangular, or any other polygonal or non-polygonal shape. Each unit of the cover 1124 may have a corresponding opening that can be used to discharge uncured material (e.g., liquid resin) from the article 1122 and the cover 1124 during post-processing (e.g., during centrifugation). The cover 1124 may include a plurality of interconnected struts that define the units, and the struts may have a thickness and / or width in the range of 0.3 mm to 30 mm.

[0202] Figure 11D is a top view of a component 1130 according to an embodiment of the present technology, the component including a plurality of additive manufacturing articles 1132 on an additive manufacturing cover 1134. The characteristics of the cover 1134 may be generally similar to Figures 11A - 11C the embodiment of, except that the cover 1134 consists of a plurality of connectors that couple the articles 1132 to each other, rather than a single integral structure. The connectors may be elongated members (e.g., struts, rods, bridges, arms) that are coupled to corresponding portions of adjacent articles 1132 such that the articles 1132 can be removed from the build platform and / or post-processed as a single unit. The position and size of the connectors may be selected based on the geometry of the articles 1132, the spacing between the articles 1132, the strength of the material used to form the connectors, etc. The connectors may have a thickness and / or width in the range of 0.3 mm to 30 mm.

[0203] Figure 11E is a top view of an additive manufacturing cover 1144 according to an embodiment of the present technology. The cover 1144 may be generally similar to Figure 11C the cover 1124, in that the cover 1144 is a network structure (e.g., grid) composed of a plurality of interconnected units. As Figure 11E shown, the cover 1144 includes a plurality of rectangular units arranged in an array. Although Figure 11E shows an array having two rows and eight columns of rectangular units, in other embodiments, the number of rows and columns may be changed as needed. The cover 1144 may include a plurality of interconnected struts that define the rectangular units, and the struts may have a thickness and / or width in the range of 0.3 mm to 30 mm.

[0204] Figure 11F is a top view of an additive manufacturing cover 1154 according to an embodiment of the present technology. The cover 1154 may be generally similar to Figure 11COverlay 1124 and Figure 11E Overlay 1144, because overlay 1154 is a network structure (e.g., a grid) composed of multiple interconnected units. As Figure 11F shown, overlay 154 includes a plurality of square units arranged in an array. Although Figure 11F an array with five rows and five columns of square units is shown, in other embodiments, the number of rows and columns can be changed as needed. Overlay 1154 can include a plurality of interconnected struts that define the square units, and the struts can have a thickness and / or width in the range of 0.3 mm to 30 mm.

[0205] In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing system herein is configured to form an additive manufacturing overlay together with one or more additive manufacturing articles based on a set of manufacturing instructions. The manufacturing instructions can include a first digital representation of the article (e.g., a first 3D digital model of the article) and a second digital representation of the overlay (e.g., a second 3D digital model of the overlay). In some embodiments, the second digital representation of the overlay is added to the first digital representation of the article via layout software. The layout software can select the appropriate type of overlay to use and then determine how to arrange the article on the overlay for printing. The overlay selection and article arrangement processes can be performed automatically, manually by the user, or by a suitable combination thereof.

[0206] D. Additive Manufacturing System with Sensors

[0207] Figure 12 is a partial schematic view of an additive manufacturing system (“system 1200”) configured according to an embodiment of the present technology. System 1200 can include a printer assembly 1202 (schematically shown) for manufacturing one or more articles via an additive manufacturing process (such as any process described herein). For example, printer assembly 1202 can include a precursor material source (e.g., a recoater, nozzle, reservoir, extruder) and an energy source (e.g., a light engine) configured to apply energy to the precursor material to form the article.

[0208] System 1200 further includes a device 1204 that includes a plurality of prefabricated support structures 1206 for supporting the article during the additive manufacturing process. Device 1204 can be or include any embodiment provided herein, such as any embodiment described above in Sections II.A-II.C. For example, support structure 1206 can be part of a build platform 1208 (e.g., similar to Figures 3A - 7B the embodiment of Figures 8A - 11FExamples), or suitable combinations thereof (e.g., some support structures 1206 can be part of the build platform 1208, while other support structures 1206 can be part of the cover).

[0209] System 1200 can include at least one sensor 1210 configured to monitor the device 1204 (e.g., one, two, three, four, five or more sensors 1210, schematically shown). In some embodiments, the sensor 1210 is used to generate sensor data that can be used to identify the configuration of the support structure 1206. For example, the sensor data can be used to determine one or more of the following parameters: the type of support structure 1206 present (e.g., number, size, shape, material composition), the geometry of the support structure 1206 (e.g., how the support structures 1206 are arranged (such as the array shape and size)), the position of the support structure 1206 (x, y, and / or z coordinates), the height of the support structure 1206, whether the support structure 1206 is actuatable, whether the support structure 1206 is fixed, whether there is a cover, the characteristics of the cover (e.g., size, shape, material composition), whether the support structure 1206 is part of the build platform 1208, whether the support structure 1206 is part of the cover, and / or any other information related to the support structure configuration.

[0210] In some embodiments, the sensor 1210 directly detects the configuration of the support structure 1206. For example, the sensor 1210 generates measurements of the position, height, shape, etc. of the support structure. For example, the sensor 1210 can include an imaging device (e.g., a camera, a scanner) that generates image data of the support structure 1206. The image data can be sent to a controller 1212 (schematically shown), which uses computer vision techniques, machine learning algorithms, and / or other suitable methods to analyze the image data to determine the configuration of the support structure 1206 and its position relative to the printer assembly 1202 (e.g., 3D coordinates). Optionally, in embodiments where some or all of the support structures 1206 are adjustable, the height of the support structure 1206 can be determined based on feedback from an actuator that controls the support structure 1206. For example, strain sensors, potentiometers, and / or other suitable devices operably coupled to the actuator can be used to generate the feedback.

[0211] Alternatively or in combination, the sensor 1210 can detect an identifier 1214 associated with the device 1204, and the identifier 1214 can be used to determine the support structure configuration. The identifier 1214 can be or include a tag (e.g., an RFID tag), a code, a marker, etc., which includes information directly identifying the current configuration of the support structure 1206 or can be used to retrieve such information. The identifier 1214 can be located at any suitable part of the device 1204, such as on or associated with the build platform 1208, on or associated with the covering (if present), or a suitable combination thereof. The sensor 1210 can scan the identifier 1214 to retrieve information for identifying the currently used build platform 1208 and / or the covering (if present). Then, for example, by retrieving configuration information from a database or other suitable data structure stored in the memory of the printer assembly 1202, the controller 1212, or other computing device, the identification information can be used to find the configuration of the support structure 1206 and / or the covering of the specific build platform 1208.

[0212] In some embodiments, the build platform 1208 and / or the covering (if present) includes fiducial marks on one or more of its parts, which can be detected by the sensor 1210. For example, the fiducial marks can indicate the 3D spatial position of any of the following components relative to the printer assembly 1202: the support structure 1206, the build platform 1208, the printable surface of the build platform 1208, the covering (if present), the printable surface of the covering, or a suitable combination thereof. Thus, the fiducial marks can be used to align the print with the build platform 1208, the covering, and / or the support structure. In addition, the fiducial marks can provide feedback during the additive manufacturing process to confirm whether the print is still correctly aligned with the above components or whether the print has become misaligned and should be adjusted or aborted.

[0213] The fiducial marks can include surface marks on the build platform 1208 and / or the covering, which can be imaged by the sensor 1210 and analyzed using computer vision, machine learning algorithms, etc. to determine 3D spatial information. Alternatively or in combination, the fiducial marks can include devices coupled to or integrated with the build platform 1208 and / or the covering, such as mechanical switches or devices (e.g., protrusions that strike a contact sensor), electrical switches, electromagnetic tracking devices, magnets, acoustic emitters, optical emitters, etc., which can be detected by the sensor 1210 or otherwise interact with the sensor to generate sensor data indicating 3D spatial information.

[0214] The controller 1212 can be or include a computing device that includes one or more processors and a memory that stores instructions for controlling the operation of the printer assembly 1202. Although the controller 1212 is depicted as separate from and operatively coupled to the printer assembly 1202, in other embodiments, the controller 1212 can be part of the printer assembly 1202. In some embodiments, the controller 1212 receives and processes data from the sensor 1210 to determine configuration and position information, as described above. The controller 1212 can then adjust the operation of the printer assembly 1202 so that the printer assembly 1202 engages the support structure 1206 correctly.

[0215] For example, the controller 1212 can receive a digital representation of an item (e.g., a 3D model). The controller 1212 can use the digital representation along with the configuration and position information of the support structure 1206 to align the item with the build platform 1208, the covering (if present), and / or the support structure 1206. The controller 1212 can implement one or more software algorithms that determine the optimal position and / or orientation of the item relative to the build platform 1208, the covering, and / or the support structure 1206. In some embodiments, the algorithm adjusts the position and / or orientation of the item to match the position and geometry of the support structure 1206. For example, in embodiments where some or all of the support structure 1206 has different heights, the algorithm can determine the position and / or orientation of the item such that local and / or global maxima and / or minima of the item geometry conform to the height distribution of the support structure 1206. The algorithm can ensure that unstable regions (e.g., overhangs, islands, bridges, valleys) will be stabilized by the corresponding support structure 1206 at the appropriate stage of printing. The algorithm can also ensure that unused support structures 1206 do not obstruct the printer assembly 1202, collide with other parts of the item, or otherwise interfere with the printing process. In embodiments where some or all of the support structure 1206 is adjustable, the algorithm can determine the height distribution of the support structure 1206 that will appropriately support the item geometry. Additionally, the algorithm can determine the appropriate timing for raising the support structure 1206 to their respective target heights to provide appropriate support without interfering with printing.

[0216] Optionally, in embodiments where the support structure 1206 is part of a removable covering, the support structure 1206 can be modified by subtractive methods to match the item to be printed. For example, before starting an additive manufacturing process to fabricate an item, the printer assembly 1202 or a separate subtractive manufacturing device or system can implement subtractive manufacturing techniques (e.g., milling, laser cutting, etching, grinding, melting) to remove certain support structures 1206 and / or alter the geometry of certain support structures 1206 to better conform to the item geometry.

[0217] In some embodiments, the sensor 1210 also provides feedback during the additive manufacturing process. For example, image data of the printed item can be used to verify whether printing is occurring as needed. As another example, infrared data can be used to detect the degree of curing of a resin or other precursor material. In another example, ultrasonic imaging can be used to determine whether the printed item matches the expected item geometry. The controller 1212 can use the feedback to adjust the operation of the printer assembly 1202. Optionally, if the controller 1212 determines that the print is too far off from what is expected, the controller 1212 can abort the print at an earlier stage, thereby reducing time loss and material waste.

[0218] III. Dental Appliances and Associated Methods

[0219] Figure 13A A representative example of a tooth repositioning appliance 1300 configured according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. Any of the systems, methods, and devices described herein can be used to fabricate and post-process the appliance 1300. The appliance 1300 (also referred to herein as an "orthodontic appliance") is capable of being worn by a patient to effect incremental repositioning of the individual teeth 1302 in the jaw. The appliance 1300 can include a housing (e.g., a continuous polymeric housing or a segmented housing) having tooth receiving cavities that receive and elastically reposition the teeth. The appliance 1300 or portions thereof can be fabricated indirectly using a physical model of the teeth. For example, a physical model of the teeth and suitable polymeric material laminae can be used to form the appliance (e.g., a polymeric appliance). In some embodiments, for example, the physical appliance is fabricated directly from a digital model of the appliance using additive manufacturing techniques.

[0220] Appliance 1300 can be adapted to all the teeth present in the upper or lower jaw, or to fewer than all the teeth. Appliance 1300 can be specifically designed to accommodate the patient's teeth (e.g., the topography of the tooth-receiving cavities matches the topography of the patient's teeth), and can be manufactured based on a positive or negative mold of the patient's teeth generated by impression, scanning, etc. Alternatively, appliance 1300 can be a general-purpose appliance configured to accommodate teeth but not necessarily shaped to match the topography of the patient's teeth. In some cases, only certain teeth received by appliance 1300 are repositioned by appliance 1300, while other teeth can provide a base or anchoring region for holding the appliance in place when appliance 1300 exerts a force on one or more teeth intended to be repositioned. In some cases, some, most, or even all of the teeth can be repositioned at some point during treatment. The teeth being moved can also serve as a base or anchor for holding the appliance when the appliance is worn by the patient. In a preferred embodiment, no wires or other devices are provided for holding appliance 1300 in place on the teeth. However, in some cases, it may be desirable or necessary to provide separate attachments 1304 or other anchoring elements on teeth 1302, which have corresponding receptacles 1306 or holes in appliance 1300, such that appliance 1300 can exert a selected force on the teeth. Representative examples of appliances, including those used in the systems, are described in many patents and patent applications of Align Technology, Inc. (including, for example, U.S. Patents Nos. 6,450,807 and 5,975,893) and on the company's website accessible on the World Wide Web (e.g., see the website address "invisalign.com"). Examples of tooth-mounted attachments suitable for use with orthodontic appliances are also described in patents and patent applications of Align Technology, Inc., including, for example, U.S. Patents Nos. 6,309,215 and 6,830,450.

[0221] Figure 13BShown is a tooth repositioning system 1310 that includes a plurality of appliances 1312, 1314, 1316 in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Any appliance described herein may be designed and / or provided as part of a set of a plurality of appliances for use in a tooth repositioning system. Each appliance may be configured such that the tooth receiving cavity has a geometry corresponding to an intermediate or final tooth alignment that the appliance is desired to be used on. By placing a series of incremental position adjustment appliances on a patient's teeth, the patient's teeth may be gradually repositioned from an initial tooth alignment to a target tooth alignment. For example, the tooth repositioning system 1310 may include: a first appliance 1312, corresponding to the initial tooth alignment; one or more intermediate appliances 1314, corresponding to one or more intermediate alignments; and a final appliance 1316, corresponding to the target alignment. The target tooth alignment may be a planned final tooth alignment selected for the patient's teeth at the end of all planned orthodontic treatment. Alternatively, the target alignment may be one of some intermediate alignments for the patient's teeth during orthodontic treatment, which may include a variety of different treatment scenarios, including but not limited to cases where surgery is recommended, cases suitable for interproximal reduction (IPR), cases for scheduling progress checks, cases where anchorage placement is optimal, cases where palatal expansion is desired, cases involving restorative dentistry (e.g., inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges, implants, veneers, etc.), and the like. Thus, it should be understood that the target tooth alignment may be any planned resulting alignment for the patient's teeth following one or more incremental repositioning phases. Similarly, the initial tooth alignment may be any initial alignment for the patient's teeth, followed by one or more incremental repositioning phases.

[0222] Figure 13CMethod 1320 for orthodontic treatment using multiple appliances in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown. Method 1320 may be practiced using any appliance or group of appliances described herein. In block 1322, a first orthodontic appliance is applied to a patient's teeth to reposition the teeth from a first tooth alignment to a second tooth alignment. In block 1324, a second orthodontic appliance is applied to the patient's teeth to reposition the teeth from the second tooth alignment to a third tooth alignment. Method 1320 may be repeated as needed using any suitable number of sequential appliances and combinations of sequential appliances to incrementally reposition the patient's teeth from an initial alignment to a target alignment. The appliances may all be generated in the same phase or in groups or batches (e.g., at the start of a treatment phase), or the appliances may be manufactured one at a time and the patient may wear each appliance until the pressure of each appliance on the teeth can no longer be felt or until the maximum amount of expressed tooth movement has been achieved for that given phase. Multiple different appliances (e.g., a group) may be designed and even manufactured before any of the multiple appliances are worn by the patient. After an appropriate period of time of wearing an appliance, the patient may replace the current appliance with the next appliance in the series until there are no more appliances. The appliances are generally not fixed to the teeth and the patient may place and replace the appliances at any time during the procedure (e.g., patient-removable appliances). The final one or more appliances in the series may have a geometry selected to overcorrect the tooth alignment. For example, one or more appliances may have a geometry that would (if fully realized) move the individual teeth beyond the tooth alignment that has been selected as "final". Such overcorrection may be desirable to counteract potential relapse after the repositioning method has terminated (e.g., allowing the individual teeth to move towards their pre-correction positions). Overcorrection may also be beneficial to accelerate the correction rate (e.g., an appliance having a geometry positioned beyond the desired intermediate or final position may move the individual teeth towards that position at a greater rate). In such a case, the use of the appliance may be terminated before the teeth reach the position defined by the appliance. Additionally, overcorrection may be intentionally applied to compensate for any inaccuracies or limitations of the appliance.

[0223] Figure 14 Method 1400 for designing an orthodontic appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology is shown. Method 1400 may be applied to any embodiment of the orthodontic appliance described herein. Some or all of the steps of method 1400 may be performed by any suitable data processing system or device (e.g., one or more processors configured with suitable instructions).

[0224] In block 1402, a movement path for moving one or more teeth from an initial alignment to a target alignment is determined. The initial alignment can be determined, for example, from a mold or scan of the patient's teeth or oral tissues using techniques such as wax bite registration, direct contact scanning, x-ray imaging, tomography, ultrasound imaging, and other techniques for obtaining information about the position and structure of teeth, jaws, gums, and other orthodontically relevant tissues. A digital data set representing the initial (e.g., pre-treatment) alignment of the patient's teeth and other tissues can be derived from the acquired data. Optionally, the initial digital data set is processed to segment the tissue components from each other. For example, data structures can be generated that digitally represent individual crowns. Advantageously, a digital model of the entire tooth can be generated, including measured or inferred hidden surfaces and root structures, as well as surrounding bone and soft tissue.

[0225] The target alignment of the teeth (e.g., the desired and expected final outcome of orthodontic treatment) can be received from a clinician in the form of a prescription, can be calculated based on fundamental orthodontic principles, and / or can be inferred computationally based on a clinical prescription. In the case of having details such as the desired final positions of the teeth and a digital representation of the teeth themselves, the final position and surface geometry of each tooth can be specified to form a complete model of the tooth alignment at the end of the desired treatment.

[0226] If both the initial and target positions of each tooth are available, a movement path can be defined for the movement of each tooth. In some embodiments, the movement path is configured to move the tooth in the fastest way with the fewest number of back-and-forths to bring the tooth from its initial position to its desired target position. The tooth path can optionally be segmented, and the segments can be calculated such that the movement of each tooth within a segment remains within the threshold limits of linear and rotational translation. In this way, the endpoints of each path segment can constitute a clinically feasible repositioning, and the set of segment endpoints can constitute a clinically feasible sequence of tooth positions such that moving from one point to the next in the sequence does not cause the teeth to collide.

[0227] In block 1404, a force system for generating the movement of one or more teeth along the movement path is determined. The force system can include one or more forces and / or one or more torques. Different force systems can result in different types of tooth movement, such as tipping, translation, rotation, extrusion, intrusion, root movement, etc. Biomechanical principles, modeling techniques, force calculation / measurement techniques, etc., including knowledge and methods commonly used in orthodontics, can be used to determine the appropriate force system to be applied to the teeth to achieve tooth movement. When determining the force system to be applied, sources such as literature, force systems determined experimentally or through virtual modeling, computer-based modeling, clinical experience, and minimization of unwanted forces can be considered.

[0228] The determination of the force system can be carried out in various ways. For example, in some embodiments, the force system is determined on a patient-by-patient basis, such as using patient-specific data. Alternatively or in combination, the force system can be determined based on a generalized model of tooth movement (e.g., based on experiments, modeling, clinical data, etc.), and thus patient-specific data need not be used. In some embodiments, the determination of the force system involves calculating specific force values to be applied to one or more teeth to produce a specific movement. Alternatively, the determination of the force system can be carried out at a high level without calculating the specific force values of the teeth. For example, block 1404 can involve determining a specific type of force to be applied (e.g., extrusion force, intrusion force, translational force, rotational force, tipping force, torque force, etc.) without calculating the specific magnitude and / or direction of the force.

[0229] The determination of the force system can include constraints on the allowable forces, such as constraints on the allowable direction and magnitude and the desired movement caused by the applied forces. For example, when manufacturing a palatal expander, different patients may require different movement strategies. For example, the amount of force required to separate the palate may depend on the age of the patient, as very young patients may not have fully formed palatal sutures. Thus, in adolescent patients with non-fully closed palatal sutures and others, palatal expansion can be accomplished with a lower force magnitude. Slower palatal movement can also help the growing bone to fill the expanded palatal suture. For other patients, a more rapid expansion may be required, which can be achieved by applying a greater force. The structure and materials of the appliance can be selected according to these requirements as needed; for example, a palatal expander that is capable of applying a large force to rupture the palatal suture and / or cause rapid expansion of the palate can be selected. Subsequent appliance stages can be designed to apply different forces, such as first applying a large force to disrupt the palatal suture and then applying a smaller force to maintain the separation of the palatal suture or gradually expand the palate and / or dental arch.

[0230] The determination of the force system can also include modeling the patient's facial structure, such as the skeletal structure of the jaw and palate. For example, scan data of the palate and dental arch (such as X-ray data or 3D optical scan data) can be used to determine the parameters of the skeletal and muscular systems of the patient's oral cavity in order to determine the forces sufficient to provide the desired expansion of the palate and / or dental arch. In some embodiments, the thickness and / or density of the palatal midline can be measured or input by a treatment professional. In other embodiments, the treatment professional can select an appropriate treatment based on the patient's physiological characteristics. For example, the characteristics of the palate can also be estimated based on factors such as the patient's age. For example, younger adolescent patients will require less force to expand the palatal suture than older patients because the palatal suture has not been fully formed.

[0231] In block 1406, the design of an orthodontic appliance configured to generate a force system is determined. The design can include appliance geometry, material composition, and / or material properties and can be determined in various ways, such as using a treatment or force application simulation environment. The simulation environment can include, for example, a computer modeling system, a biomechanical system or device, etc. Optionally, a digital model of the appliance and / or teeth can be generated, such as a finite element model. Computer program application software available from various vendors can be used to create the finite element model. To create a solid geometry model, a computer-aided engineering (CAE) or computer-aided design (CAD) program, such as the software product available from Autodesk, Inc. of San Rafael, California, can be used. To create and analyze the finite element model, program products from multiple vendors can be used, including the finite element analysis package from ANSYS, Inc. of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and the SIMULIA (Abaqus) software product from Dassault Systèmes of Waltham, Massachusetts.

[0232] Optionally, one or more designs can be selected for testing or force modeling. As described above, the desired tooth movement and the force system required or desired to effect the desired tooth movement can be confirmed. Using the simulation environment, candidate designs can be analyzed or modeled to determine the actual force system generated by using the candidate appliance. Optionally, one or more modifications can be made to the candidate appliance, and the force modeling can be further analyzed as described, for example, to iteratively determine the appliance design that generates the desired force system.

[0233] In block 1408, instructions for manufacturing an orthodontic appliance incorporating the design are generated. The instructions can be configured to control a manufacturing system or device to produce an orthodontic appliance having the specified design. In some embodiments, the instructions are configured to manufacture the orthodontic appliance using direct manufacturing (e.g., stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, 3D printing, continuous direct manufacturing, multi-material direct manufacturing, etc.) according to the various methods presented herein. In alternative embodiments, the instructions can be configured to indirectly manufacture the appliance, for example, by thermoforming.

[0234] Although the above steps illustrate a method 1400 of designing an orthodontic appliance according to some embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize some variations based on the teachings described herein. Some steps may include sub-steps. Some steps may be repeated as needed. One or more steps of method 1400 may be performed using any suitable manufacturing system or apparatus, such as the embodiments described herein. Some steps may be optional. For example, the process of block 1404 may be omitted such that the orthodontic appliance is designed based on the desired tooth movement and / or the determined tooth movement path rather than based on a force system. Additionally, the order of the steps may be changed as needed.

[0235] Figure 15 A method 1500 for orthodontic treatment and / or design or manufacture of a digital planning appliance according to an embodiment is shown. Method 1500 may be applied to any treatment procedure described herein and may be executed by any suitable data processing system.

[0236] In block 1502, a digital representation of a patient's teeth is received. The digital representation may include surface topography data of the patient's oral cavity (including teeth, gingival tissue, etc.). The surface topography data may be generated by directly scanning the oral cavity, a physical model (positive or negative) of the oral cavity, or an impression of the oral cavity using a suitable scanning device (e.g., a hand-held scanner, a desktop scanner, etc.).

[0237] In block 1504, one or more treatment phases are generated based on the digital representation of the teeth. The treatment phases may be incremental repositioning phases of an orthodontic treatment process that are designed to move one or more of the patient's teeth from an initial tooth alignment to a target alignment. For example, the treatment phases may be generated by determining the initial tooth alignment indicated by the digital representation, determining the target tooth alignment, and determining the movement path of one or more teeth in the initial alignment required to achieve the target tooth alignment. The movement path may be optimized based on minimizing the total movement distance, preventing collisions between teeth, avoiding more difficult-to-achieve tooth movements, or any other suitable criteria.

[0238] In block 1506, at least one orthodontic appliance is manufactured based on the generated treatment phases. For example, a set of appliances may be manufactured, each appliance being shaped according to the tooth alignment specified by one of the treatment phases such that the appliances may be sequentially worn by the patient to incrementally reposition the teeth from the initial alignment to the target alignment. The set of appliances may include one or more orthodontic appliances described herein. The manufacture of the appliances may involve creating a digital model of the appliances for use as an input to a computer-controlled manufacturing system. As needed, direct manufacturing methods, indirect manufacturing methods, or a combination thereof may be used to form the appliances.

[0239] In some cases, staging of the various alignments or treatment phases may not be necessary for the design and / or manufacture of the appliance. As Figure 15 shown by the dashed lines in Figure 15 , the design and / or manufacture of the orthodontic appliance and the possible specific orthodontic treatment can include using a representation of the patient's teeth (e.g., including receiving a digital representation of the patient's teeth (block 1502)), and then designing and / or manufacturing the orthodontic appliance based on the representation of the patient's teeth in the alignment represented by the received representation.

[0240] As noted herein, the techniques described herein can be used to directly manufacture dental appliances, such as aligners and / or a series of aligners having tooth receiving cavities, which are configured to move a person's teeth from an initial alignment towards a target alignment according to a treatment plan. The aligners can include mandibular repositioning elements, such as those described in: U.S. Patent No. 10,912,629, entitled "Dental Appliances with Repositioning Jaw Elements", filed November 30, 2015; U.S. Patent No. 10,537,406, entitled "Dental Appliances with Repositioning Jaw Elements", filed September 19, 2014; and U.S. Patent No. 9,844,424, entitled "Dental Appliances with Repositioning Jaw Elements", filed February 21, 2014; the entire disclosures of these U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0241] The techniques used herein can also be used to fabricate attachment placement devices, e.g., appliances for positioning prefabricated attachments on a person's teeth according to one or more aspects of a treatment plan. Examples of attachment placement devices (also referred to as "attachment placement templates" or "attachment fabrication templates") can be found at least in the following documents: U.S. Application No. 17 / 249,218, filed Feb. 24, 2021, entitled "Flexible 3D Printed Orthodontic Device"; U.S. Application No. 16 / 366,686, filed Mar. 27, 2019, entitled "Dental Attachment Placement Structure"; U.S. Application No. 15 / 674,662, filed Aug. 11, 2017, entitled "Devices and Systems for Creation of Attachments"; U.S. Patent No. 11,103,330, filed Jun. 14, 2017, entitled "Dental Attachment Placement Structure"; U.S. Application No. 14 / 963,527, filed Dec. 9, 2015, entitled "Dental Attachment Placement Structure"; U.S. Application No. 14 / 939,246, filed Nov. 12, 2015, entitled "Dental Attachment Placement Structure"; U.S. Application No. 14 / 939,252, filed Nov. 12, 2015, entitled "Dental Attachment Formation Structures"; and U.S. Patent No. 9,700,385, filed Aug. 22, 2014, entitled "Attachment Structure"; the entire disclosures of these U.S. applications / patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0242] The techniques described herein can be used to fabricate an incremental palatal expander and / or a series of incremental palatal expanders for expanding a person's palate from an initial position toward a target position in accordance with one or more aspects of a treatment plan. Examples of incremental palatal expanders can be found, at least, in the following: U.S. Application No. 16 / 380,801, filed Apr. 10, 2019, entitled "Releasable Palatal Expanders"; U.S. Application No. 16 / 022,552, filed Jun. 28, 2018, entitled "Devices, Systems, and Methods for Dental Arch Expansion"; U.S. Patent No. 11,045,283, issued Jun. 2, 2021, entitled "Palatal Expander with Skeletal Anchorage Devices", filed Jun. 8, 2018; U.S. Application No. 15 / 831,159, filed Dec. 4, 2017, entitled "Palatal Expanders and Methods of Expanding a Palate"; U.S. Patent No. 10,993,783, issued May 26, 2021, entitled "Methods and Apparatuses for Customizing a Rapid Palatal Expander", filed Dec. 4, 2017; and U.S. Patent No. 7,192,273, issued Mar. 20, 2007, entitled "System and Method for Palatal Expansion", filed Aug. 7, 2003; the entire disclosures of these U.S. applications / patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0243] Examples

[0244] The following examples are included to further describe some aspects of the techniques and are not to be used to limit the scope of the techniques.

[0245] Example 1. A device for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process, the device comprising:

[0246] A build platform including a surface;

[0247] A plurality of support structures extending above the surface of the build platform, wherein each support structure is configured to couple with a portion of an additive manufactured article; and

[0248] A plurality of actuators, wherein each actuator is configured to adjust the position of a corresponding support structure relative to the build platform.

[0249] Example 2. The apparatus according to Example 1, wherein:

[0250] Each support structure includes an elongate body and an end,

[0251] The elongate body is coupled to the corresponding actuator, and

[0252] The end is configured to be coupled to the portion of the additive manufacturing article.

[0253] Example 3. The apparatus according to Example 2, wherein the end is wider than the elongate body.

[0254] Example 4. The apparatus according to Example 2 or 3, wherein the end includes an expanded configuration and a low-profile configuration.

[0255] Example 5. The apparatus according to Example 4, wherein when in the expanded configuration, the end has a first width, and when in the low-profile configuration, the end has a second width, and the first width is greater than the second width.

[0256] Example 6. The apparatus according to Example 4 or 5, wherein each support structure is configured to be in the expanded configuration when coupled to the portion of the additive manufacturing article, and is configured to be in the low-profile configuration when detached from the portion of the additive manufacturing article.

[0257] Example 7. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 4 to 6, further comprising a second actuator configured to transition the end between the expanded configuration and the low-profile configuration.

[0258] Example 8. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 4 to 7, wherein the end includes an elastic material configured to change shape to transition the end between the expanded configuration and the low-profile configuration.

[0259] Example 9. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of actuators includes a plurality of pistons.

[0260] Example 10. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein each actuator is configured to adjust the height of the corresponding support structure above the surface of the build platform.

[0261] Example 11. The apparatus according to Example 10, wherein the height corresponds to the vertical position of the portion of the additive manufacturing article.

[0262] Example 12. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 11, wherein each actuator is configured to retract the corresponding support structure towards the build platform to separate the corresponding support structure from the corresponding portion of the additive manufactured article.

[0263] Example 13. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 12, further comprising a covering positioned on the surface of the build platform.

[0264] Example 14. The apparatus according to Example 13, wherein the covering is configured to protect the surface of the build platform from contamination.

[0265] Example 15. The apparatus according to Example 13 or 14, wherein the covering is removable.

[0266] Example 16. A method, comprising:

[0267] providing a build platform comprising a plurality of support structures;

[0268] moving a first set of support structures to a first height above the build platform;

[0269] forming a first portion of an article onto the first set of support structures using an additive manufacturing process;

[0270] moving a second set of support structures to a second height above the build platform, the second height being different from the first height; and

[0271] forming a second portion of the article onto the second set of support structures using the additive manufacturing process.

[0272] Example 17. The method according to Example 16, wherein the first article portion and the second article portion are formed of a curable material.

[0273] Example 18. The method according to Example 16 or 17, wherein the first height corresponds to the vertical position of the first portion of the article and the second height corresponds to the vertical position of the second portion of the article.

[0274] Example 19. The method according to any one of Examples 16 to 18, further comprising determining the first height and the second height based on the geometry of the article.

[0275] Example 20. The method according to any one of Examples 16 to 19, wherein each support structure comprises an elongate body and an end.

[0276] Example 21. The method according to Example 20, wherein a first portion of the article is formed on an end of the first set of support structures, and a second portion of the article is formed on an end of the second set of support structures.

[0277] Example 22. The method according to Example 20 or 21, wherein the end is wider than the elongate body.

[0278] Example 23. The method according to any one of Examples 20 to 22, wherein the end includes an extended configuration and a low-profile configuration.

[0279] Example 24. The method according to Example 23, further comprising:

[0280] transitioning the end of the first set of support structures to the extended configuration before forming the first portion of the article on the first set of support structures, and

[0281] transitioning the end of the second set of support structures to the extended configuration before forming the second portion of the article on the second set of support structures.

[0282] Example 25. The method according to Example 23 or 24, further comprising separating the article from the build platform by:

[0283] transitioning the end of the first set of support structures and the end of the second set of support structures to the low-profile configuration, and

[0284] retracting the first set of support structures and the second set of support structures away from the article.

[0285] Example 26. The method according to any one of Examples 23 to 25, wherein the article includes a dental appliance.

[0286] Example 27. An apparatus for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising:

[0287] a build platform including a surface; and

[0288] a covering configured to be removably coupled to the surface of the build platform, wherein

[0289] the covering includes a plurality of support structures extending above the surface of the build platform, and wherein each support structure is configured to be coupled to a portion of an additive manufactured article.

[0290] Example 28. The apparatus according to Example 27, wherein the covering includes a substrate configured to at least partially cover the surface of the build platform, and the plurality of support structures are connected to the substrate.

[0291] Example 29. The apparatus according to Example 28, wherein:

[0292] Each support structure includes an elongated body and an end,

[0293] The elongated body is connected to the substrate, and

[0294] The end is configured to be coupled to the portion of the additive manufactured article.

[0295] Example 30. The apparatus according to Example 29, wherein the end has a width different from that of the elongated body.

[0296] Example 31. The apparatus according to Example 29, wherein the end has the same width as the elongated body.

[0297] Example 32. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 27 to 31, wherein at least some of the support structures are configured to break to separate the additive manufactured article from the covering.

[0298] Example 33. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 27 to 32, wherein at least some of the support structures are configured to change shape to separate the additive manufactured article from the covering.

[0299] Example 34. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 27 to 33, wherein at least some of the support structures have different geometries.

[0300] Example 35. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 27 to 34, wherein the plurality of support structures are customized based on the geometry of the additive manufactured article.

[0301] Example 36. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 27 to 35, wherein the covering includes a release tab configured to facilitate removal of the covering from the surface of the build platform.

[0302] Example 37. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 27 to 36, further comprising a plurality of actuators coupled to the covering, wherein each actuator is configured to adjust the position of a corresponding support structure relative to the build platform.

[0303] Example 38. A method, comprising:

[0304] Coupling a covering to a build platform, the covering including a plurality of support structures;

[0305] Forming an article onto at least some of the support structures using an additive manufacturing process;

[0306] Separating the covering from the build platform; and

[0307] Separating the article from the covering.

[0308] Example 39. The method according to Example 38, wherein the article is formed of a curable material.

[0309] Example 40. The method according to Example 38 or 39, wherein the article is formed onto respective ends of the plurality of support structures.

[0310] Example 41. The method according to any one of Examples 38 to 40, wherein separating the article from the covering includes rupturing at least some of the support structures.

[0311] Example 42. The method according to Example 41, wherein after rupturing at least some of the support structures, a remaining portion of at least some of the support structures remains with the article.

[0312] Example 43. The method according to Example 42, further comprising removing the remaining portion from the article.

[0313] Example 44. The method according to Example 43, wherein removing the remaining portion includes dissolving the remaining portion using a solvent.

[0314] Example 45. The method according to any one of Examples 42 to 44, further comprising polishing a surface of the article adjacent to the remaining portion.

[0315] Example 46. The method according to any one of Examples 38 to 45, wherein separating the article from the covering includes changing at least some of the support structures from an extended configuration to a low-profile configuration.

[0316] Example 47. The method according to any one of Examples 38 to 46, wherein the covering is separated from the build platform before separating the article from the covering.

[0317] Example 48. The method according to any one of Examples 38 to 46, wherein the article is separated from the covering before separating the covering from the build platform.

[0318] Example 49. The method according to any one of Examples 38 to 48, wherein the plurality of support structures are customized based on the geometry of the article.

[0319] Example 50. The method according to any one of Examples 38 to 49, wherein the article includes a dental appliance.

[0320] Example 51. A device for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process, the device comprising:

[0321] A build platform including a plurality of support structures, wherein each support structure is configured to couple to a portion of an additive manufactured article;

[0322] A cover configured to removably couple to the build platform, wherein the cover includes a plurality of holes, and wherein when the cover is coupled to the build platform, a portion of each support structure passes through a corresponding hole; and

[0323] An actuator configured to adjust the height of the cover relative to the build platform.

[0324] Example 52. The device according to Example 51, wherein each support structure includes an elongate body and an end.

[0325] Example 53. The device according to Example 52, wherein when the cover is coupled to the build platform, the elongate body of each support structure passes through the corresponding hole.

[0326] Example 54. The device according to Example 52 or 53, wherein:

[0327] The actuator is configured to move the cover between a first height and a second height,

[0328] when the cover is at the first height, the end of each support structure is above the surface of the cover, and

[0329] when the cover is at the second height, the end of each support structure is aligned with or below the surface of the cover.

[0330] Example 55. The device according to Example 54, wherein movement of the cover from the first height to the second height causes the additive manufactured article to separate from the plurality of support structures.

[0331] Example 56. The device according to any one of Examples 51 to 55, wherein the elongate body has a different width than the end.

[0332] Example 57. The device according to any one of Examples 51 to 55, wherein the elongate body has the same width as the end.

[0333] Example 58. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 51 to 57, wherein each support structure is configured to be coupled to a sacrificial component of the additive manufactured article.

[0334] Example 59. The apparatus according to any one of Examples 51 to 58, further comprising a plurality of second actuators, wherein each second actuator is configured to adjust the position of a corresponding support structure relative to the build platform.

[0335] Example 60. A method, comprising:

[0336] Providing a build platform that includes a plurality of support structures;

[0337] Coupling a cover to the build platform, wherein the cover includes a surface having a plurality of holes, and wherein each support structure extends through a corresponding hole and extends above the surface of the cover;

[0338] Forming an article onto at least some of the support structures using an additive manufacturing process; and

[0339] Separating the article from at least some of the support structures by raising the cover such that the surface contacts the article.

[0340] Example 61. The method according to Example 60, wherein the article is formed of a curable material.

[0341] Example 62. The method according to Example 60 or 61, wherein each support structure has an end, and the article is formed on the ends of the plurality of support structures.

[0342] Example 63. The method according to Example 62, wherein when the cover is coupled to the build platform, the ends of the plurality of support structures extend above the surface of the cover.

[0343] Example 64. The method according to Example 62 or 63, wherein separating the article from at least some of the support structures includes raising the cover until the ends of at least some of the support structures are aligned with or below the surface of the cover.

[0344] Example 65. The method according to any one of Examples 60 to 64, wherein separating the article from the cover includes rupturing at least some of the support structures.

[0345] Example 66. The method according to any one of Examples 60 to 65, wherein forming the article includes:

[0346] Form one or more sacrificial components on at least some of the support structures in the support structure; and

[0347] Form one or more functional components on the one or more sacrificial components.

[0348] Example 67. The method according to any one of Examples 60 to 66, wherein the article includes a dental appliance.

[0349] Example 68. A system for manufacturing an article, the system comprising:

[0350] A printer assembly configured to form an article using an additive manufacturing process;

[0351] A build platform including a plurality of support structures or coupled to a plurality of support structures, wherein each support structure is configured to be coupled to a portion of the article;

[0352] At least one sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of the configuration of the plurality of support structures; and

[0353] A controller configured to control the operation of the printer assembly based on the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

[0354] Example 69. The system according to Example 68, wherein the plurality of support structures is part of the build platform.

[0355] Example 70. The system according to Example 68, further comprising a cover configured to be removably coupled to the build platform, wherein the plurality of support structures are located on the cover.

[0356] Example 71. The system according to any one of Examples 68 to 70, wherein the plurality of support structures are adjustable.

[0357] Example 72. The system according to any one of Examples 68 to 70, wherein the plurality of support structures are fixed.

[0358] Example 73. The system according to any one of Examples 68 to 72, wherein at least some of the support structures have different geometries and control the operation of the printer assembly based on the different geometries.

[0359] Example 74. The system according to Example 73, wherein the different geometries include different heights.

[0360] Example 75. The system according to any one of Examples 68 to 74, wherein the controller is configured to determine the alignment between the article and the plurality of support structures based on the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

[0361] Example 76. The system according to any one of Examples 68 to 75, wherein the sensor data includes image data of the plurality of support structures, and wherein the controller is configured to analyze the image data to determine the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

[0362] Example 77. The system according to any one of Examples 68 to 76, further comprising an identifier associated with the build platform.

[0363] Example 78. The system according to Example 77, wherein the sensor data includes identification information stored by the identifier, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the configuration of the plurality of support structures based on the identification information.

[0364] Example 79. The system according to any one of Examples 68 to 78, further comprising a fiducial marker associated with the build platform, wherein the fiducial marker indicates the spatial position of the plurality of support structures relative to the printer assembly.

[0365] Example 80. A method comprising:

[0366] Receiving a digital representation of an article;

[0367] Receiving sensor data indicative of a configuration of a plurality of support structures associated with a build platform for supporting the article;

[0368] Determining an alignment between the article and the plurality of support structures based on the sensor data; and

[0369] Generating instructions to cause a printer assembly to manufacture the article on the plurality of support structures using an additive manufacturing process according to the determined alignment.

[0370] Example 81. The method according to Example 80, wherein the plurality of support structures are part of the build platform.

[0371] Example 82. The method according to Example 80, wherein the plurality of support structures are part of a covering coupled to the build platform.

[0372] Example 83. The method according to any one of Examples 80 to 82, further comprising adjusting at least some of the support structures during the additive manufacturing process.

[0373] Example 84. The method according to any one of Examples 80 to 82, wherein the plurality of support structures are fixed during the additive manufacturing process.

[0374] Example 85. The method according to any one of Examples 80 to 84, wherein at least some of the support structures have different geometries, and the alignment is determined at least in part based on the different geometries.

[0375] Example 86. The method according to Example 85, wherein the different geometries include different heights.

[0376] Example 87. The method according to any one of Examples 80 to 86, wherein the sensor data includes image data of the plurality of support structures, and the method further includes analyzing the image data to determine the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

[0377] Example 88. The method according to any one of Examples 80 to 87, wherein the sensor data includes identification information stored by an identifier associated with the build platform, and the method further includes determining the configuration of the plurality of support structures based on the identification information.

[0378] Example 89. The method according to any one of Examples 80 to 88, wherein the sensor data includes data of fiducial marks associated with the build platform, and the method further includes determining the spatial position of the plurality of support structures relative to the printer assembly based on the fiducial marks.

[0379] Example 90. A component, comprising:

[0380] One or more additive manufacturing articles;

[0381] An additive manufacturing cover configured to removably couple to the surface of a build platform; and

[0382] A plurality of additive manufacturing support structures coupling the one or more additive manufacturing articles to the additive manufacturing cover.

[0383] Example 91. The component according to Example 90, wherein the one or more additive manufacturing articles and the additive manufacturing cover are made of the same material.

[0384] Example 92. The component according to Example 90, wherein the one or more additive manufacturing articles and the additive manufacturing cover are made of different materials.

[0385] Example 93. The component according to any one of Examples 90 to 92, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay is configured to resist flaking during post-processing of the one or more additive manufactured articles.

[0386] Example 94. The component according to any one of Examples 90 to 93, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay includes one or more of the following: a handle structure, a fixing structure, or an identifier.

[0387] Example 95. The component according to any one of Examples 90 to 94, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay includes a continuous sheet, a mesh structure, a plurality of connectors between the one or more additive manufactured articles, or a combination thereof.

[0388] Example 96. A method, comprising:

[0389] Forming an additive manufacturing overlay on a build platform;

[0390] Forming one or more additive manufactured articles on the additive manufacturing overlay;

[0391] Removing the additive manufacturing overlay from the build platform; and

[0392] When the one or more additive manufactured articles are coupled to the additive manufacturing overlay,

[0393] Performing at least one post-processing operation on the one or more additive manufactured articles.

[0394] Example 97. The method according to Example 96, wherein the at least one post-processing operation includes centrifuging the one or more additive manufactured articles and the additive manufacturing overlay.

[0395] Example 98. The method according to Example 96 or 97, wherein the at least one post-processing operation includes:

[0396] Immersing the one or more additive manufactured articles and the additive manufacturing overlay in a solvent, and

[0397] Evaporating the solvent, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay is configured to resist flaking when the solvent evaporates.

[0398] Example 99. The method according to any one of Examples 96 to 98, wherein the at least one post-processing operation includes post-curing the one or more additive manufactured articles.

[0399] Example 100. The method according to any one of Examples 96 to 99, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay and the one or more additive manufactured articles are formed of the same material.

[0400] Example 101. The method according to any one of Examples 96 to 99, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay and the one or more additive manufacturing articles are formed of different materials.

[0401] Example 102. The method according to any one of Examples 96 to 101, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay includes one or more of the following: a handle structure, a securing structure, or an identifier.

[0402] Example 103. The method according to any one of Examples 96 to 102, wherein the additive manufacturing overlay includes a continuous sheet, a mesh structure, a plurality of connectors between the one or more additive manufacturing articles, or a combination thereof.

[0403] Conclusion

[0404] Although many embodiments have been described above with respect to systems, devices, and methods for manufacturing dental and orthodontic appliances, the technology is applicable to other applications and / or other methods, such as other types of additive manufacturing articles. In addition, other embodiments beyond those described herein are also within the scope of the technology. Additionally, several other embodiments of the technology may have configurations, components, or processes different from those described herein. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the technology may have other embodiments with additional elements, or that the technology may have other embodiments without several of the features referenced above Figures 1 - 15 shown and described.

[0405] The various processes described herein may be implemented, in part or in whole, using program code including instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing system to implement specific logical functions or steps in the processes. The program code may be stored on any type of computer-readable medium, such as a storage device including a magnetic disk or a hard drive. A computer-readable medium containing code or portions of code may include any suitable medium known in the art, such as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable medium may include volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing and / or transmitting information, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies; compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital video disc (DVD) or other optical storage devices; magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage device or other magnetic storage devices; solid state drive (SSD) or other solid state storage devices; or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by a system device.

[0406] The description of embodiments of the present technology is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present technology to the precise forms disclosed above. Where context permits, singular or plural terms may also respectively include plural or singular terms. Although specific embodiments and examples of the present technology have been described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the present technology as will be recognized by those skilled in the relevant art. For example, although steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform the steps in a different order. Various embodiments described herein may also be combined to provide additional embodiments.

[0407] As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “essentially,” “about,” and similar terms are used as approximate terms and not as terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent variations in measured or calculated values that would be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0408] In addition, unless the word “or” is explicitly limited to mean only a single item, excluding other items in a list of two or more items, the use of “or” in such a list should be construed to include (a) any single item in the list, (b) all items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list. As used herein, the phrase “and / or” in “A and / or B” means only A, only B, and both A and B. Additionally, the term “comprising” is used throughout to mean including at least the recited feature, such that no greater number of the same features and / or additional types of other features are excluded.

[0409] If any material incorporated by reference herein conflicts with the present disclosure, the present disclosure shall control.

[0410] It should also be understood that specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but various modifications can be made without departing from the present technology. In addition, although the advantages associated with certain embodiments of the present technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments must exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the present technology. Accordingly, the present disclosure and the related technology may cover other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising: A build platform including a surface; A plurality of support structures extending above the surface of the build platform, wherein each support structure is configured to couple to a portion of an additive manufactured article; and A plurality of actuators, wherein each actuator is configured to adjust the position of a corresponding support structure relative to the build platform.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: Each support structure includes an elongate body and an end, The elongate body is coupled to a corresponding one of the actuators, and The end is configured to couple to the portion of the additive manufactured article.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The end is wider than the elongate body.

4. The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The end includes an expanded configuration and a low-profile configuration.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein, When in the expanded configuration, the end has a first width, and when in the low-profile configuration, the end has a second width, the first width being greater than the second width.

6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein, Each support structure is configured to be in the expanded configuration when coupled to the portion of the additive manufactured article and to be in the low-profile configuration when detached from the portion of the additive manufactured article.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising a second actuator configured to transition the end between the expanded configuration and the low-profile configuration.

8. The device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein, The end includes an elastic material configured to change shape to transition the end between the expanded configuration and the low-profile configuration.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein The plurality of actuators includes a plurality of pistons.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, Each actuator is configured to adjust the height of the corresponding support structure above the surface of the build platform.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein, The height corresponds to the vertical position of the portion of the additive manufactured article.

12. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, Each actuator is configured to retract the corresponding support structure towards the build platform to separate the corresponding support structure from the corresponding portion of the additive manufactured article.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a covering positioned on the surface of the build platform.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, The covering is configured to protect the surface of the build platform from contamination.

15. The device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein, The covering is removable.

16. A method, comprising: Providing a build platform including a plurality of support structures; Moving a first set of support structures to a first height above the build platform; Forming a first portion of an article onto the first set of support structures using an additive manufacturing process; Moving a second set of support structures to a second height above the build platform, the second height being different from the first height; And Forming a second portion of the article onto the second set of support structures using the additive manufacturing process.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein The first article portion and the second article portion are formed from a curable material.

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein, The first height corresponds to the vertical position of the first portion of the article, and the second height corresponds to the vertical position of the second portion of the article.

19. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, further comprising determining the first height and the second height based on the geometry of the article.

20. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein Each support structure includes an elongate body and an end portion.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein, A first portion of the article is formed on the end portions of the first set of support structures, and a second portion of the article is formed on the end portions of the second set of support structures.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, wherein The end portion is wider than the elongate body.

23. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein The end portion includes an extended configuration and a low-profile configuration.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising: transitioning the end portions of the first set of support structures to the extended configuration before forming the first portion of the article on the first set of support structures, and transitioning the end portions of the second set of support structures to the extended configuration before forming the second portion of the article on the second set of support structures.

25. The method according to claim 23 or 24, further comprising separating the article from the build platform by: transitioning the end portions of the first set of support structures and the end portions of the second set of support structures to the low-profile configuration, and retracting the first set of support structures and the second set of support structures away from the article.

26. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 25, wherein, The article includes a dental appliance.

27. An apparatus for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising: a build platform including a surface; and a cover configured to be removably coupled to the surface of the build platform, wherein the cover includes a plurality of support structures extending above the surface of the build platform, and wherein each support structure is configured to be coupled to a portion of an additive manufactured article.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein, The cover includes a substrate configured to at least partially cover the surface of the build platform, and the plurality of support structures are connected to the substrate.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein: each support structure includes an elongate body and an end portion, the elongate body is connected to the substrate, and the end portion is configured to be coupled to the portion of the additive manufactured article.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein The end portion has a width different from that of the elongate body.

31. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein, The end portion has the same width as the elongate body.

32. The apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 31, wherein At least some of the support structures are configured to break to separate the additive manufactured article from the cover.

33. The apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 32, wherein, At least some of the support structures are configured to change shape to separate the additive manufactured article from the cover.

34. The apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 33, wherein, At least some of the support structures have different geometries.

35. The device according to any one of claims 27 to 34, wherein, Customize the plurality of support structures based on the geometry of the additive manufactured article.

36. The apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 35, wherein, The cover includes a release tab configured to facilitate removal of the cover from the surface of the build platform.

37. The apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 36, further comprising a plurality of actuators coupled to the covering, wherein, Each actuator is configured to adjust the position of a corresponding support structure relative to the build platform.

38. A method, comprising: coupling a cover to a build platform, the cover including a plurality of support structures; forming an article onto at least some of the support structures using an additive manufacturing process; separating the cover from the build platform; and separating the article from the cover.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein, The article is formed of a curable material.

40. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein, Form the article onto the respective end portions of the plurality of support structures.

41. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 40, wherein, Separating the article from the covering includes rupturing at least some of the support structures in the support structure.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein, After rupturing at least some of the support structures in the support structure, a remaining portion of at least some of the support structures in the support structure remains with the article.

43. The method according to claim 42, further comprising removing the remaining portion from the article.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein, Removing the remaining portion includes dissolving the remaining portion using a solvent.

45. The method according to any one of claims 42 to 44, further comprising polishing a surface of the article adjacent to the remaining portion.

46. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 45, wherein, Separating the article from the covering includes changing at least some of the support structures in the support structure from an extended configuration to a low-profile configuration.

47. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 46, wherein Before separating the article from the covering, the covering is separated from the build platform.

48. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 46, wherein Before separating the covering from the build platform, the article is separated from the covering.

49. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 48, wherein, Customize a plurality of support structures based on the geometry of the article.

50. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 49, wherein, The article includes a dental appliance.

51. An apparatus for supporting an article during an additive manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising: A build platform including a plurality of support structures, wherein each support structure is configured to couple to a portion of an additive manufactured article; A covering configured to removably couple to the build platform, wherein the covering includes a plurality of holes, and wherein when the covering is coupled to the build platform, a portion of each support structure passes through a corresponding hole; and An actuator configured to adjust the height of the covering relative to the build platform.

52. The apparatus according to claim 51, wherein, Each support structure includes an elongate body and an end.

53. The apparatus according to claim 52, wherein, When the covering is coupled to the build platform, the elongate body of each support structure passes through the corresponding hole.

54. The apparatus according to claim 52 or 53, wherein: The actuator is configured to move the covering between a first height and a second height, When the covering is at the first height, the end of each support structure is above the surface of the covering, and When the covering is at the second height, the end of each support structure is aligned with or below the surface of the covering.

55. The device according to claim 54, wherein, Movement of the covering from the first height to the second height causes the additive manufactured article to separate from the plurality of support structures.

56. The apparatus according to any one of claims 51 to 55, wherein, The elongate body has a width different from that of the end.

57. The device according to any one of claims 51 to 55, wherein, The elongate body has the same width as the end.

58. The apparatus according to any one of claims 51 to 57, wherein Each support structure is configured to couple to a sacrificial component of the additive manufactured article.

59. The apparatus according to any one of claims 51 to 58, further comprising a plurality of second actuators, wherein, Each second actuator is configured to adjust the position of a corresponding support structure relative to the build platform.

60. A method, comprising: Providing a build platform including a plurality of support structures; Coupling a covering to the build platform, wherein the covering includes a surface having a plurality of holes, and wherein each support structure extends through a corresponding hole and extends above the surface of the covering; Forming an article onto at least some of the support structures using an additive manufacturing process; and Separating the article from at least some of the support structures in the support structure by raising the covering such that the surface contacts the article.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein, The article is formed of a curable material.

62. The method according to claim 60 or 61, wherein, Each support structure has an end, and the article is formed on the ends of the plurality of support structures.

63. The method according to claim 62, wherein, When the covering is coupled to the build platform, the ends of the plurality of support structures extend above the surface of the covering.

64. The method according to claim 62 or 63, wherein, Separating the article from at least some of the support structures includes raising the covering until the ends of at least some of the support structures are aligned with or below the surface of the covering.

65. The method according to any one of claims 60 to 64, wherein, Separating the article from the covering includes rupturing at least some of the support structures.

66. The method according to any one of claims 60 to 65, wherein, Forming the article includes: forming one or more sacrificial components on at least some of the support structures; and forming one or more functional components on the one or more sacrificial components.

67. The method according to any one of claims 60 to 66, wherein, The article includes a dental appliance.

68. A system for manufacturing an article, the system comprising: a printer assembly configured to form an article using an additive manufacturing process; a build platform including a plurality of support structures or coupled to a plurality of support structures, wherein each support structure is configured to be coupled to a portion of the article; at least one sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of the configuration of the plurality of support structures; and a controller configured to control the operation of the printer assembly based on the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

69. The system according to claim 68, wherein, The plurality of support structures are part of the build platform.

70. The system according to claim 68, further comprising a covering configured to be removably coupled to the build platform, wherein, The plurality of support structures are located on the covering.

71. The system according to any one of claims 68 to 70, wherein, The plurality of support structures are adjustable.

72. The system according to any one of claims 68 to 70, wherein, The plurality of support structures are fixed.

73. The system according to any one of claims 68 to 72, wherein, At least some of the support structures have different geometries, and the operation of the printer assembly is controlled based on the different geometries.

74. The system according to claim 73, wherein, The different geometries include different heights.

75. The system according to any one of claims 68 to 74, wherein, The controller is configured to determine the alignment between the article and the plurality of support structures based on the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

76. The system according to any one of claims 68 to 75, wherein, The sensor data includes image data of the plurality of support structures, and wherein the controller is configured to analyze the image data to determine the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

77. The system according to any one of claims 68 to 76, further comprising an identifier associated with the build platform.

78. The system according to claim 77, wherein, The sensor data includes identification information stored by the identifier, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the configuration of the plurality of support structures based on the identification information.

79. The system according to any one of claims 68 to 78, further comprising a fiducial marker associated with the build platform, wherein, The fiducial marker indicates the spatial position of the plurality of support structures relative to the printer assembly.

80. A method, comprising: receiving a digital representation of an article; receiving sensor data indicative of the configuration of a plurality of support structures associated with a build platform for supporting the article; determining an alignment between the article and the plurality of support structures based on the sensor data; and Generate instructions for the printer assembly to fabricate the article on the plurality of support structures according to the determined alignment using an additive manufacturing process.

81. The method according to claim 80, wherein, The plurality of support structures are part of the build platform.

82. The method according to claim 80, wherein, The plurality of support structures are part of a covering coupled to the build platform.

83. The method according to any one of claims 80 to 82, further comprising adjusting at least some of the support structures during the additive manufacturing process.

84. The method according to any one of claims 80 to 82, wherein, The plurality of support structures are fixed during the additive manufacturing process.

85. The method according to any one of claims 80 to 84, wherein At least some of the support structures have different geometries, and the alignment is determined at least in part based on the different geometries.

86. The method according to claim 85, wherein, The different geometries include different heights.

87. The method according to any one of claims 80 to 86, wherein, The sensor data includes image data of the plurality of support structures, and the method further comprises analyzing the image data to determine the configuration of the plurality of support structures.

88. The method according to any one of claims 80 to 87, wherein, The sensor data includes identification information stored by an identifier associated with the build platform, and the method further comprises determining the configuration of the plurality of support structures based on the identification information.

89. The method according to any one of claims 80 to 88, wherein, The sensor data includes data of fiducial marks associated with the build platform, and the method further comprises determining the spatial position of the plurality of support structures relative to the printer assembly based on the fiducial marks.

90. An assembly, comprising: One or more additive manufactured articles; An additive manufactured covering configured to removably couple to a surface of a build platform; And A plurality of additive manufactured support structures coupling the one or more additive manufactured articles to the additive manufactured covering.

91. The component according to claim 90, wherein, The one or more additive manufactured articles and the additive manufactured covering are made of the same material.

92. The component according to claim 90, wherein The one or more additive manufactured articles and the additive manufactured covering are made of different materials.

93. The component according to any one of claims 90 to 92, wherein, The additive manufactured covering is configured to resist flaking during post-processing of the one or more additive manufactured articles.

94. The component according to any one of claims 90 to 93, wherein, The additive manufactured covering includes one or more of: a handle structure, a fixing structure, or an identifier.

95. The component according to any one of claims 90 to 94, wherein, The additive manufactured covering includes a continuous sheet, a mesh structure, a plurality of connectors between the one or more additive manufactured articles, or a combination thereof.

96. A method, comprising: Forming an additive manufactured covering on a build platform; Forming one or more additive manufactured articles on the additive manufactured covering; Removing the additive manufactured covering from the build platform; And Performing at least one post-processing operation on the one or more additive manufactured articles while the one or more additive manufactured articles are coupled to the additive manufactured covering.

97. The method according to claim 96, wherein The at least one post-processing operation includes centrifuging the one or more additive manufactured articles and the additive manufactured covering.

98. The method according to claim 96 or 97, wherein The at least one post-processing operation includes: Immersing the one or more additive manufactured articles and the additive manufactured covering in a solvent, and Evaporating the solvent, wherein the additive manufactured covering is configured to resist flaking when the solvent evaporates.

99. The method according to any one of claims 96 to 98, wherein, The at least one post-processing operation includes post-curing the one or more additive manufactured articles.

100. The method according to any one of claims 96 to 99, wherein, The additive manufacturing overlay and the one or more additive manufacturing articles are formed of the same material.

101. The method according to any one of claims 96 to 99, wherein, The additive manufacturing overlay and the one or more additive manufacturing articles are formed of different materials.

102. The method according to any one of claims 96 to 101, wherein, The additive manufacturing overlay includes one or more of the following: a handle structure, a securing structure, or an identifier.

103. The method according to any one of claims 96 to 102, wherein The additive manufacturing overlay includes a continuous sheet, a mesh structure, a plurality of connectors between the one or more additive manufacturing articles, or a combination thereof.

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