公开(公告)号：JP2000000893A

公开(公告)日：2000-01-07

申请号：JP16677199

申请日：1999-06-14

Applicant: 3D SYSTEMS INC ,  3 D SYSTEMS INC

Inventor： HULL CHARLES WILLIAM ,  LEWIS CHARLES WILLIAM ,  FREED RAYMOND SAMUEL ,  SPENCE STUART THOMAS ,  VINSON WAYNE ALLAN ,  SMALLEY DENNIS ROLLETTE ,  HULL CHARLES W ,  SPENCE STUART T ,  LEWIS CHARLES W ,  VINSON WAYNE B ,  WAYNE S FRED ,  SMALLEY DENNIS R

IPC: B29C35/08 ,  B29C67/00 ,  B29K105/24 ,  B44B1/00 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/50

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the automatic designing economically with rapidity and high reliability by providing a step to partially change stored sets of data for defining the solid part of the shape of an object and coverting the solid part into a part consisting of a region where it is cured or a region where it is maintained in an uncured state according to each of exposure levels. SOLUTION: When a design displayed on the output image screen of a computer is satisfactory, parts are manufactured and when the design needs to be corrected, a change is repeatedly made through the computer. In this case, a pattern for stimulating each of many superposed thin layers 30a, 30b, 30c of a transferable fluid medium 22 is changed partially in a data processing step 25. Further, alteration data for converting the solid part to the part comprising a region where it is cured according to a first exposure level and a region where it is cured according to a second lower exposure level or a region where it is maintained in an uncured state while each of the thin layers 30a, 30b, 30c is initially formed, is created.

公开(公告)号：JP2001353786A

公开(公告)日：2001-12-25

申请号：JP12621899

申请日：1999-03-29

Applicant: 3 D SYSTEMS INC

Inventor： HULL CHARLES W ,  SPENCE STUART T ,  ALBERT DAVID J ,  SMALLEY DENNIS R ,  HARLOW RICHARD A ,  STEINBURGH PHILIP ,  TARNOFF HARRY L ,  NGUYEN HOP D ,  LEWIS CHARLES W ,  VORGITCH TOM J ,  REMBA DAVID Z

IPC: B29C35/08 ,  B29C67/00 ,  B29K105/24 ,  G01J1/42 ,  G03C9/08 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/50 ,  G06T17/00 ,  G06T17/10 ,  G06T17/20

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately form an object by a method for automatically forming a three-dimensional object. SOLUTION: The three-dimensional object (30) is formed by selectively curing many layers (23) of a transitive fluid medium (22) through exposing each of the layers (23) in a pattern selected by a specific stimulation (27). The fluid medium 22 is irradiated with the stimulation (27) in the form of a beam having a specified width and thereby thin layers (30a, 30b, 30c) which transit are successively laminated into a constituted object. Further, the selected pattern (20) of the layers (23) is obtained by processing stored data (20) which define the desired shape of the object (30). A data processing step (21) partially changes the stored data so that the changed data representing the individual thin layers corrected appropriately to the width of the beam is provided.

公开(公告)号：JP2002316364A

公开(公告)日：2002-10-29

申请号：JP2002015983

申请日：2002-01-24

Applicant: 3 D SYSTEMS INC

Inventor： SPENCE STUART T ,  TARNOFF HARRY ,  ALMQUIST THOMAS

IPC: G01B11/24 ,  B29C67/00 ,  G01J1/02 ,  G01J1/42

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for measuring the overall intensity and power of a beam by measuring the intensity profile of the beam, with regard to an optical three-dimensional shaping process. SOLUTION: In a sensor for beam profile measurement equipped with a pinhole plate and an optical detector arranged behind the former, a beam spot is transferred and consequently, the sensor for beam profile measurement measures an intensity which is respectively covered by some of different regions inside the beam spot. Software interrelated with the sensor for beam profile measurement controls a beam scan mechanism in a computer to transfer the beam spot onto a pinhole. Further, the software controls the mechanism to make the beam spot traverse over the pinhole and thus the intensity profile of the beam is obtained. A related device and a related method for the calibration and standardization of a three-dimensional shaping device are disclosed. In addition, a related device and a related method for correcting a positional deviation over time in the process of shaping a three-dimensional object are revealed.

公开(公告)号：JP2000015706A

公开(公告)日：2000-01-18

申请号：JP13310999

申请日：1999-04-05

Applicant: 3 D SYSTEMS INC

Inventor： HULL CHARLES W ,  SPENCE STUART T ,  ALBERT DAVID J ,  SMALLEY DENNIS R ,  HARLOW RICHARD A ,  STEINBURGH PHILIP ,  TARNOFF HARRY L ,  NGUYEN HOP D ,  LEWIS CHARLES W ,  VORGITCH TOM J ,  REMBA DAVID Z

IPC: B29C35/08 ,  B29C67/00 ,  B29K105/24 ,  G01J1/42 ,  G03C9/08 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/50 ,  G06T17/00 ,  G06T17/10 ,  G06T17/20

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize the quicker development and production of a highly accurate three dimensional plastic by a method wherein the coordinate data on an offered three dimensional substance are operated so as to automatically produce a three dimensional substance in response to the operated coordinate data. SOLUTION: By converting the CAD/CAM data of a substance into data representing the sections of the substance and directing a laser beam, the sectional shapes of the substance are drawn on the surfaces of liquid photosensitive polymer layers by means of the above-mentioned sectional data. By directing the beam so as to form a section to be adhered onto the sections already hardened and piled up through the hardening of the liquid photosensitive polymer layer in order to be arranged on the sections already hardened and piled up, the sections already hardened and piled up are positioned to the liquid photosensitive polymer layer. Further, by controlling a directing means and a positioning means by utilizing the above-mentioned sectional data, the piled-up sections of the substance are reproduced out of hardened photosensitive polymers.

公开(公告)号：CA1334052C

公开(公告)日：1995-01-24

申请号：CA596826

申请日：1989-04-17

Applicant: 3D SYSTEMS INC

Inventor： SPENCE STUART T ,  TARNOFF HARRY L ,  ALMQUIST THOMAS

IPC: B29C67/00 ,  G01J1/42 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06T17/00 ,  G06T17/10 ,  G06T17/20 ,  B32B1/10 ,  G01B11/14 ,  G01J1/00 ,  G03C9/08

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for profiling the intensity of a beam and thus measuring the overall intensity and power of a beam are disclosed that have particular use in stereolithography. A beam sensor comprising a pinhole in a plate and a photodetector behind the pinhole measures the intensity of portions of a beam as the beam is moved over the beam sensor. Software associated with the sensors in a computer controls the scanning mechanism for the beam so that the beam is shifted to find the pinhole and move across it in order to develop the intensity profile. The invention can be used to detect drift in the scanning mechanism, determine the focus of the beam, and predict the depth and width of photopolymer cured by the beam. A related apparatus and method for calibrating and normalizing a stereolithographic apparatus is described, and a related apparatus and method for correcting for drift in production of objects by stereolithography, is also described.

公开(公告)号：CA1339750C

公开(公告)日：1998-03-17

申请号：CA596827

申请日：1989-04-17

Applicant: 3D SYSTEMS INC

Inventor： HULL WILLIAM CHARLES ,  SPENCE STUART T ,  LEWIS CHARLES W ,  VINSON WAYNE A ,  FREED RAYMOND S ,  SMALLEY DENNIS R

IPC: B29C35/08 ,  B29C67/00 ,  B29K105/24 ,  B44B1/00 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/50 ,  G06T17/00

Abstract: 94 An improved stereolithography system for generating a three-dimensional object by creating a cross-sectional pattern of the object to be formed at a selected surface of a fluid medium capable of altering its physical state in response to appropriate synergistic stimulation by impinging radiation, particle bombardment or chemical reaction, information defining the object being structurally specified to reduce curl, stress and distortion in the ultimately formed object, the successive adjacent laminae, representing corresponding successive adjacent cross-sections of the object, being automatically formed and integrated together to provide a step-wise laminar buildup of the desired object, whereby a three-dimensional object is formed and drawn from a substantially planar surface of the fluid medium during the forming process. A stereolithographic distortion known as curl is defined, and several techniques to eliminate or reduce curl are described, including dashed line, bent line, secondary structure, rivets, and multi-pass techniques. In addition, a quantitative measurement of curl known as the curl factor, and a test part known as a quarter cylinder are described, which together can be used to measure the effectiveness of the above techniques in reducing curl.