公开(公告)号：US20230311419A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-05

申请号：US18191227

申请日：2023-03-28

Applicant: Formlabs, Inc.

Inventor： Luke Plummer ,  Maria Rosa Ruiz ,  Carlos Ruiz-Vargas ,  Robert Morgan ,  Joseph Johnson ,  Connor Evans

IPC: B29C64/343 ,  B29C64/329 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B33Y40/00

CPC classification number: B29C64/343 ,  B29C64/329 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B33Y40/00

Abstract: Techniques are described for consistently moving powder from a hopper into a trough for subsequent delivery into a build area of an additive fabrication system. A powder conveyer may be arranged at least partially within the hopper and configured to be actuated to transfer powder to the trough. The powder conveyer may be formed as a screw conveyor, for example. Such techniques do not require complex closed-loop control systems and may be effective irrespective of the flowability of the powder. In at least some cases, there may be no production of excess powder because the amount of powder that is metered into the trough may be precisely controlled to be the amount needed for recoating.

公开(公告)号：US20240017493A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-18

申请号：US18337716

申请日：2023-06-20

Applicant: Formlabs, Inc.

Inventor： Luke Plummer ,  Maria Rosa Ruiz ,  Carlos Ruiz-Vargas ,  Robert Morgan ,  Joseph Johnson ,  Connor Evans

IPC: B29C64/343 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B29C64/329 ,  B22F12/57 ,  B22F12/52

CPC classification number: B29C64/343 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B29C64/329 ,  B22F12/57 ,  B22F12/52 ,  B33Y10/00

Abstract: Techniques are described for consistently moving powder from a hopper into a trough for subsequent delivery into a build area of an additive fabrication system. A powder delivery apparatus may comprise a hopper, a trough, and a doser. The doser may be configured to rotate about an axis and may include a recess that, when the doser is rotated about the axis, travels into and out of the hopper and into and out of the trough. As a result, when powder is present in the hopper, the recess may carry powder from the hopper to the trough when the doser rotates. The trough and doser may be configured so that when the trough contains the desired amount of powder for recoating, the doser does not transfer additional material from the hopper into the trough. As a result, the amount of powder in the trough may be self-regulating.

公开(公告)号：US20210394439A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-23

申请号：US17350007

申请日：2021-06-17

Applicant: Formlabs, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew M. Goldman ,  Connor Evans

IPC: B29C64/153 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B29C64/255 ,  B29C64/268 ,  B29C64/277 ,  B29C64/286 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00

Abstract: Techniques are described for tagging source materials for additive fabrication by incorporating a fluorescent and/or phosphorescent taggant into the source material. A light source within an additive fabrication device may direct light onto the source material and a light sensor may detect whether light having appropriate characteristics was produced from the source material through fluorescence and/or phosphorescence. If such light is detected, the additive fabrication device may determine that the source material is from an approved source and thereby has known properties that may be relied upon for fabrication. Otherwise, the additive fabrication device may determine that the source material is from an unapproved source and may take action such as inhibiting fabrication and/or providing a warning to a user.

公开(公告)号：US11685118B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-27

申请号：US17326700

申请日：2021-05-21

Applicant: Formlabs, Inc.

Inventor： Luke Plummer ,  Maria Rosa Ruiz ,  Carlos Ruiz-Vargas ,  Robert Morgan ,  Joseph Johnson ,  Connor Evans

IPC: B29C67/00 ,  B29C64/343 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B29C64/329 ,  B22F12/57 ,  B22F12/52 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B29C64/153 ,  B22F10/28

CPC classification number: B29C64/343 ,  B22F12/52 ,  B22F12/57 ,  B29C64/329 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B22F10/28 ,  B29C64/153 ,  B33Y10/00

Abstract: Techniques are described for consistently moving powder from a hopper into a trough for subsequent delivery into a build area of an additive fabrication system. A powder delivery apparatus may comprise a hopper, a trough, and a doser. The doser may be configured to rotate about an axis and may include a recess that, when the doser is rotated about the axis, travels into and out of the hopper and into and out of the trough. As a result, when powder is present in the hopper, the recess may carry powder from the hopper to the trough when the doser rotates. The trough and doser may be configured so that when the trough contains the desired amount of powder for recoating, the doser does not transfer additional material from the hopper into the trough. As a result, the amount of powder in the trough may be self-regulating.

公开(公告)号：US20210339477A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-04

申请号：US16865276

申请日：2020-05-01

Applicant: Formlabs, Inc.

Inventor： Christopher Auld ,  Connor Evans

IPC: B29C64/393 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B29C64/153 ,  B29C64/268 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B29C64/40

Abstract: Techniques for designing and fabricating thermal support regions via additive fabrication are described. Defects produced as a result of temperature differentials within an additive fabrication device that forms parts by sintering particles of material may be mitigated or avoided by directing energy to regions around a part that is sufficient to heat the material and cause it to partially sinter, but not enough to fully sinter the material. The mechanical properties of such a thermal support region may resist the effects caused by temperature gradients. In addition, or alternatively, the heating of the thermal support region material may reduce heat lost by nearby sintered material. In either or both cases, the thermal support region acts as a kind of ‘volumetric armor’ that surrounds some or all of the part and protects the part from defects.