Three-dimensional printing system with sloped build plane

    公开(公告)号:US11225020B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-01-18

    申请号:US16773342

    申请日:2020-01-27

    Inventor: Eric M. Innes

    Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system for manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes a transparent substrate, a fluid handling system, a support tray, and a light engine. The transparent substrate slopes downwardly from an upper end toward a lower end. The fluid handling system is configured to input photocurable resin at the upper end and to receive the photocurable resin at the lower end. The fluid handling system thereby forms a gravity-driven flowing sheet of resin over an upper surface of the transparent sheet. The support tray is mounted to a movement mechanism. The support tray has a lower face for supporting the three-dimensional article. The lower face is generally parallel to the upper surface of the transparent substrate. The light engine is positioned below the transparent substrate for selectively illuminating the resin along a build plane that is within the resin and parallel to the upper surface of the transparent substrate.

    Three-dimensional printing system with recirculating air handling system

    公开(公告)号:US11090868B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-08-17

    申请号:US16429311

    申请日:2019-06-03

    Inventor: Eric M. Innes

    Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system is for manufacturing and post-processing a three-dimensional article. The system includes a housing, a blower, and a residue trap. The housing is for surrounding the three-dimensional article during the post process and includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The blower includes an inlet and an outlet. The outlet supplies pressurized air to the air emitting nozzle. The residue trap is coupled between the housing air outlet and the inlet of the blower. The air circulates around a loop from the blower outlet, to the air inlet of the housing, out of the air outlet of the housing, and to the inlet of the blower.

    Stereolithography System with Parallel Processing Between Layer Formation and Selective Curing

    公开(公告)号:US20250018648A1

    公开(公告)日:2025-01-16

    申请号:US18768361

    申请日:2024-07-10

    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing system includes a vessel configured to contain a photocurable resin, a coating subsystem including a coater blade, a build plate coupled to a vertical movement mechanism, an imaging system configured to selectively image the photocurable resin at a build plane, and a controller. The controller is configured to operate the vertical movement mechanism to position an upper surface of the build plate at the build plane, translate a lower edge of the coater blade over the build plane along a scan direction, and concurrent with translating the lower edge of the coater blade, operate the imaging system to selectively image the build plane while maintaining an exclusion zone that includes a digital shadow that translates with the coater blade, the digital shadow includes an area of the coater blade and a fluidic wake area that follows the coater blade.

    Three-Dimensional Printing System Throughput Improvement by Sensing Volume Compensator Motion

    公开(公告)号:US20210323225A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-10-21

    申请号:US17228876

    申请日:2021-04-13

    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing system includes a resin vessel containing photocurable resin, an imaging system, a build plate with a plate upper surface, a vertical positioner, a volume compensator (VC), and a controller. The controller is configured to: (a) operate the VC to maintain a resin upper surface proximate to a build plane, (b) operate the imaging system and the vertical positioner to generate a plurality of base layers upon the plate upper surface, (c) receive a first signal responsive to vertical motion of the resin upper surface, (d) analyze the first signal to determine a metric that is related to an extent of immersion of the plate upper surface below the resin upper surface during formation of the base layers, and (e) operate the imaging system and the vertical positioner to begin generation of the 3D article after the metric has reached a predefined threshold.

    THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING SYSTEM WITH SLOPED BUILD PLANE

    公开(公告)号:US20200254685A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-08-13

    申请号:US16773342

    申请日:2020-01-27

    Inventor: Eric M. Innes

    Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system for manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes a transparent substrate, a fluid handling system, a support tray, and a light engine. The transparent substrate slopes downwardly from an upper end toward a lower end. The fluid handling system is configured to input photocurable resin at the upper end and to receive the photocurable resin at the lower end. The fluid handling system thereby forms a gravity-driven flowing sheet of resin over an upper surface of the transparent sheet. The support tray is mounted to a movement mechanism. The support tray has a lower face for supporting the three-dimensional article. The lower face is generally parallel to the upper surface of the transparent substrate. The light engine is positioned below the transparent substrate for selectively illuminating the resin along a build plane that is within the resin and parallel to the upper surface of the transparent substrate.

    Three-Dimensional Printing System with Resin Vessel Positioning System

    公开(公告)号:US20250128472A1

    公开(公告)日:2025-04-24

    申请号:US18913055

    申请日:2024-10-11

    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing system includes a print engine and a resin vessel. The print engine includes a pair of support plates in facing relation that define a receiving space therebetween. The pair of support plates include a pair of profiled ramps and a pair of hooks extending into the receiving space. An outer surface of the resin vessel includes a plurality of fixed rollers and a pair of cam rollers. The plurality of fixed rollers are configured to partially engage the pair of profiled ramps when the resin vessel is translated into the receiving space. In response to being revolved about the horizontal axis, the pair of cam rollers are configured to engage the pair of hooks and to lift and translate the plurality of fixed rollers into complete engagement with the pair of profiled ramps.

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