Abstract: An additive three-dimensional fabrication process uses multiple build materials with different optical properties (e.g., color, opacity) at different surface depths to achieve grayscale-rendered images on exterior surfaces thereof.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 23, 2012
Date of Patent:
February 2, 2016
Assignee:
MakerBot Industries, LLC
Inventors:
Nathaniel B. Pettis, Adam G. Mayer, Anthony James Buser
Abstract: A three-dimensional printer uses its extruder and build platform to properly orient the build platform within a working volume. In a multi-point leveling operation, the extruder is moved to the z-axis origin at a number of x-y positions within the plane of the build platform, and the height of the build platform is adjusted to meet the extruder at the origin. If the build platform is a meltable material such as a plastic, then this leveling process must be performed while the extruder is cool. A homing operation may be performed periodically after leveling in order to realign the z-axis positions of the build platform and extruder. A non-meltable contact point may be usefully provided so that homing can be performed while the extruder is hot, such as immediately before a build or between a number of builds.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 28, 2014
Date of Patent:
February 2, 2016
Assignee:
MakerBot Industries, LLC
Inventors:
Taylor S. Goodman, Mark Waller, Aljosa Kemperle
Abstract: An additive three-dimensional fabrication process is improved by controlling deposition rate to obtain surface textures or other surface features below the nominal processing resolution of fabrication hardware. Sub-resolution information may be obtained, for example, from express metadata (such as for surface texture), or by interpolating data from a source digital model.
Abstract: An extruder or other similar tool head of a three-dimensional printer is slidably mounted along a feedpath of build material so that the extruder can move into and out of contact with a build surface according to whether build material is being extruded. The extruder may be spring-biased against the forward feedpath so that the extruder remains above the build surface in the absence of applied forces, and then moves downward into a position for extrusion when build material is fed into the extruder. In another aspect, modular tool heads are disclosed that can be automatically coupled to and removed from the three-dimensional printer by a suitable robotics system. A tool crib may be provided to store multiple tool heads while not in use.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 23, 2014
Date of Patent:
January 19, 2016
Assignee:
MakerBot Industries, LLC
Inventors:
Peter Joseph Schmehl, Aljosa Kemperle, Stewart Schmehl, David R. Tuzman
Abstract: A supply of build material such as a spool or cartridge is instrumented with a data tag that includes information about the build material. A three-dimensional printer can read the information from the tag and determine how to use the build material during fabrication of a three-dimensional object.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 28, 2013
Date of Patent:
January 12, 2016
Assignee:
MakerBot Industries, LLC
Inventors:
Ariel Douglas, Robert J. Steiner, Aric Lynn Jennings, William B. Buel, Anthony D. Moschella
Abstract: A three-dimensional printer uses its extruder and build platform to properly orient the build platform within a working volume. In a multi-point leveling operation, the extruder is moved to the z-axis origin at a number of x-y positions within the plane of the build platform, and the height of the build platform is adjusted to meet the extruder at the origin. If the build platform is a meltable material such as a plastic, then this leveling process must be performed while the extruder is cool. A homing operation may be performed periodically after leveling in order to realign the z-axis positions of the build platform and extruder. A non-meltable contact point may be usefully provided so that homing can be performed while the extruder is hot, such as immediately before a build or between a number of builds.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 28, 2014
Publication date:
December 3, 2015
Applicant:
MakerBot Industries, LLC
Inventors:
Taylor S. Goodman, Mark Waller, Aljosa Kemperle
Abstract: A three-dimensional printer includes a laser line scanner and hardware to rotate the scanner relative to an object on a build platform. In this configuration, three-dimensional surface data can be obtained from the object, e.g., for use as an input to subsequent processing steps such as the generation of tool instructions to fabricate a three-dimensional copy of the object, or various surfaces thereof.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 21, 2012
Date of Patent:
October 27, 2015
Assignee:
MakerBot Industries, LLC
Inventors:
Hugo Boyer, Anthony James Buser, Ariel Douglas, Nathaniel B. Pettis
Abstract: An extruder or other tool head of a three-dimensional printer is instrumented to detect contact force against the extruder, such as by a build platform or an object being fabricated. The tool head may also be instrumented to detect deflection forces and the like acting on the tool that might indicate an operating error. The resulting feedback data can be used in a variety of ways to control operation of the three-dimensional printer during fabrication or diagnostics.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 29, 2013
Date of Patent:
October 27, 2015
Assignee:
MakerBot Industries, LLC
Inventors:
Aljosa Kemperle, Filipp Gelman, Peter Joseph Schmehl
Abstract: By reversing the direction of a first build material fed into an extruder, the first build material can be wholly or partially evacuated from the extruder before a second material is introduced. This approach mitigates transition artifacts and permits faster, more complete changes from one build material to another.
Inventors:
Vishnu Anantha, Jackson Seidenberg, Taylor S. Goodman, William B. Buel, Marguerite Siboni, Kevin C. Rand, Peter Joseph Schmehl, Jonah Gold, Bryan Vaccaro