Abstract: A 3D printing system may include a tank in which a bottom of the tank is formed by a flexible membrane. The flexible membrane may be stretched within a frame, which together with the flexible membrane may form a membrane assembly that is secured to the tank sidewall by one or more hinged clamps. Each of the hinged clamps may comprise an arm and an angled member. The distal end of the arm may comprise a hooked attachment member that is complementary in shape to a lip of the frame of the membrane assembly. The proximal end of the arm may be attached to the angled member by a hinge. The angled member may be attached to the tank sidewall by another hinge. The angled member and the arm may be positioned to clamp the membrane assembly to the tank sidewall, or release the membrane assembly from the tank sidewall.

Abstract: A 3D printing system may include a tank in which a bottom of the tank is formed by a radiation-transparent flexible membrane, a spill tray with an outer wall configured to contain liquid resin that inadvertently leaks out from the bottom of the tank, and a light source configured to project radiation towards the bottom of the tank. The spill tray may contain an inner opening that allows the radiation from the light source to pass through the spill tray to the tank. A 3D printing system may also include a mask assembly which comprises a mask with pixels configurable to be individually transparent or opaque to portions of the radiation projected from the light source and a mask assembly receiving member configured to receive the mask assembly. The mask assembly may also include a rigid guide portion that is insertable into a slot of the mask assembly receiving member.

Abstract: Custom-fit versions of knitted articles are produced according to digital representations of objects for which the articles are to be manufactured. The digital representations, optionally augmented by surface fitting algorithms, allow for accurate scaling of pattern-specified stitch counts for pattern elements representing the article taking into account wales and courses densities for the material(s) from which the article is to be made. Displayed dimensionally-accurate representations of the custom-fit articles allow for user-specified style and fit preferences to be made and a final digital pattern of the article to be produced. Machine instructions representing pattern pieces to be knitted are automatically produced from the final digital pattern of the article for a target computerized knitting machine and the custom-fit article then manufactured according to the machine instructions.

Abstract: A 3D printing system may include a tank in which a bottom of the tank is formed by a flexible membrane. The flexible membrane may be stretched within a frame, which together with the flexible membrane may form a membrane assembly that is secured to the tank sidewall by one or more hinged clamps. Each of the hinged clamps may comprise an arm and an angled member. The distal end of the arm may comprise a hooked attachment member that is complementary in shape to a lip of the frame of the membrane assembly. The proximal end of the arm may be attached to the angled member by a hinge. The angled member may be attached to the tank sidewall by another hinge. The angled member and the arm may be positioned to clamp the membrane assembly to the tank sidewall, or release the membrane assembly from the tank sidewall.

Abstract: Custom-fit versions of knitted articles are produced according to digital representations of objects for which the articles are to be manufactured. The digital representations, optionally augmented by surface fitting algorithms, allow for accurate scaling of pattern-specified stitch counts for pattern elements representing the article taking into account wales and courses densities for the material(s) from which the article is to be made. Displayed dimensionally-accurate representations of the custom-fit articles allow for user-specified style and fit preferences to be made and a final digital pattern of the article to be produced. Machine instructions representing pattern pieces to be knitted are automatically produced from the final digital pattern of the article for a target computerized knitting machine and the custom-fit article then manufactured according to the machine instructions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article in which a powdered medium is distributed in a powder bed, heated to a temperature below its melting point, and fused by means of a laser beam projected in the form of an image of a cross section of the three-dimensional article. The image of the cross-sectional layer is created by spatial light modulation of the laser beam using an LCoS display. During the fabrication process, characteristics of the image of the cross-sectional layer are controlled through monitoring of the projection of a holographic representation of the image using one or more imaging devices.

Abstract: Custom-fit versions of knitted articles are produced according to digital representations of objects for which the articles are to be manufactured. The digital representations, optionally augmented by surface fitting algorithms, allow for accurate scaling of pattern-specified stitch counts for pattern elements representing the article taking into account wales and courses densities for the material(s) from which the article is to be made. Displayed dimensionally-accurate representations of the custom-fit articles allow for user-specified style and fit preferences to be made and a final digital pattern of the article to be produced. Machine instructions representing pattern pieces to be knitted are automatically produced from the final digital pattern of the article for a target computerized knitting machine and the custom-fit article then manufactured according to the machine instructions.

Abstract: A 3D printing system may include a tank in which a bottom of the tank is formed by a radiation-transparent flexible membrane, a spill tray with an outer wall configured to contain liquid resin that inadvertently leaks out from the bottom of the tank, and a light source configured to project radiation towards the bottom of the tank. The spill tray may contain an inner opening that allows the radiation from the light source to pass through the spill tray to the tank. A 3D printing system may also include a mask assembly which comprises a mask with pixels configurable to be individually transparent or opaque to portions of the radiation projected from the light source and a mask assembly receiving member configured to receive the mask assembly. The mask assembly may also include a rigid guide portion that is insertable into a slot of the mask assembly receiving member.

Abstract: Custom-fit versions of knitted articles are produced according to digital representations of objects for which the articles are to be manufactured. The digital representations, optionally augmented by surface fitting algorithms, allow for accurate scaling of pattern-specified stitch counts for pattern elements representing the article taking into account wales and courses densities for the material(s) from which the article is to be made. Displayed dimensionally-accurate representations of the custom-fit articles allow for user-specified style and fit preferences to be made and a final digital pattern of the article to be produced. Machine instructions representing pattern pieces to be knitted are automatically produced from the final digital pattern of the article for a target computerized knitting machine and the custom-fit article then manufactured according to the machine instructions.

Abstract: Custom-fit versions of knitted articles are produced according to digital representations of objects for which the articles are to be manufactured. The digital representations, optionally augmented by surface fitting algorithms, allow for accurate scaling of pattern-specified stitch counts for pattern elements representing the article taking into account wales and courses densities for the material(s) from which the article is to be made. Displayed dimensionally-accurate representations of the custom-fit articles allow for user-specified style and fit preferences to be made and a final digital pattern of the article to be produced. Machine instructions representing pattern pieces to be knitted are automatically produced from the final digital pattern of the article for a target computerized knitting machine and the custom-fit article then manufactured according to the machine instructions.

Abstract: Three-dimensional objects are formed by photo-curing a liquid polymer by exposure to a radiation in a space between a sheet transparent to the radiation and a supporting plate. On a side of the sheet facing towards the photo-curing liquid polymer, a membrane is arranged. The membrane is transparent to the radiation and covered by a layer of liquid lubricant. The membrane is displaceable with respect to an area in which said liquid polymer is undergoing curing by exposure to the radiation, which radiation (e.g., at 410 nm) may be provided by a collimated light source composed of an array of light emitting diode (LED) sources, an array of baffles, and an array of lenses. The baffles limit beam widths of each individual LED source in the array of LED, and the array of lenses is located one focal length from said array of LED sources.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article in which a powdered medium is distributed in a powder bed, heated to a temperature below its melting point, and fused by means of a laser beam projected in the form of an image of a cross section of the three-dimensional article. The image of the cross-sectional layer is created by spatial light modulation of the laser beam using an LCoS display. During the fabrication process, characteristics of the image of the cross-sectional layer are controlled through monitoring of the projection of a holographic representation of the image using one or more imaging devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article in which a powdered medium is distributed in a powder bed, heated to a temperature below its melting point, and fused by means of a laser beam projected in the form of an image of a cross section of the three-dimensional article. The image of the cross-sectional layer is created by spatial light modulation of the laser beam using an LCoS display. During the fabrication process, characteristics of the image of the cross-sectional layer are controlled through monitoring of the projection of a holographic representation of the image using one or more imaging devices.

Abstract: A computer-aided design (CAD) model of an article for manufacture, together with user problem definition input including materials, constraints, load conditions, preferred manufacturing processes, etc. for an optimized design of the article or material microstructure are received via a prompt-and-response graphical user interface. Based on this information, one or more routines to iteratively optimize material distribution within said article or the material microstructure design are executed in order to achieve best performance for materials, loads, and constraints specified by the user. At the completion of the optimization process, the user is presented the optimized design in a CAD file describing the optimized design of the article for the preferred manufacturing process or a newly designed material microstructure, as appropriate.

Abstract: A 3D printing apparatus includes a tank holding a photo-curing liquid polymer. A transparent membrane forms a bottom surface of the tank. A circular-shaped disk is disposed below the membrane, and is supported by a frame that has a radiation-transparent printing window. The liquid polymer is cured into desired shapes by exposure to radiation as the membrane is rotated about an axis. The rotation of the membrane causes a first region thereof to be rotated out of the printing window and a second region thereof to be rotated into the printing window. A light source projects the radiation through the printing window, through the second region of the membrane, into the photo-curing liquid polymer and onto a focal plane in the photo-curing liquid polymer, thereby curing a portion of the photo-curing liquid polymer.

Abstract: Custom-fit versions of knitted articles are produced according to digital representations of objects for which the articles are to be manufactured. The digital representations, optionally augmented by surface fitting algorithms, allow for accurate scaling of pattern-specified stitch counts for pattern elements representing the article taking into account wales and courses densities for the material(s) from which the article is to be made. Displayed dimensionally-accurate representations of the custom-fit articles allow for user-specified style and fit preferences to be made and a final digital pattern of the article to be produced. Machine instructions representing pattern pieces to be knitted are automatically produced from the final digital pattern of the article for a target computerized knitting machine and the custom-fit article then manufactured according to the machine instructions.