Abstract: A print method for printing three dimensional (3D) objects that are difficult to copy by use of a 3D scanner and 3D printer. The printer includes a print head with an extrusion nozzle with a heated portion and a print bed with a surface for receiving material extruded from the extrusion nozzle. The printer includes a print material supply spool loaded with an anti-scanning filament. The method includes operating the print head to draw the anti-scanning filament into the heated portion for heating and to extrude the heated filament from the extrusion nozzle to form a 3D object. The printed 3D object includes one or more scan protected exterior surfaces on at least one element of the 3D object. The scan protected exterior surfaces are either light absorbing or reflect light in unconventional directions. The anti-scanning filament is a plastic mixed with an anti-scanning additive such as a retroreflective material.

Abstract: A print method for printing three dimensional (3D) objects that are difficult to copy by use of a 3D scanner and 3D printer. The printer includes a print head with an extrusion nozzle with a heated portion and a print bed with a surface for receiving material extruded from the extrusion nozzle. The printer includes a print material supply spool loaded with an anti-scanning filament. The method includes operating the print head to draw the anti-scanning filament into the heated portion for heating and to extrude the heated filament from the extrusion nozzle to form a 3D object. The printed 3D object includes one or more scan protected exterior surfaces on at least one element of the 3D object. The scan protected exterior surfaces are either light absorbing or reflect light in unconventional directions. The anti-scanning filament is a plastic mixed with an anti-scanning additive such as a retroreflective material.

Abstract: A method for operating a three dimensional (3D) printer to limit unauthorized copying and provide authentication of 3D objects printed from authorized models fabricated on 3D printers. The method includes providing a digital file defining a 3D model of an object to the 3D printer. The 3D model includes a model of an identification (ID) element. The method includes processing the digital file to define print layers of the 3D model, and a number of the print layers include layers of the model of the ID element. The method involves operating the 3D printer to print the layers to form a 3D object with an integrally formed ID element. The ID element is embedded within object elements of the 3D object. The integrally formed ID element may be a radio frequency ID (RFID) tag providing identification data when read by an RFID reader scanning the 3D object.

Abstract: A method for operating a three dimensional (3D) printer to limit unauthorized copying and provide authentication of 3D objects printed from authorized models fabricated on 3D printers. The method includes providing a digital file defining a 3D model of an object to the 3D printer. The 3D model includes a model of an identification (ID) element. The method includes processing the digital file to define print layers of the 3D model, and a number of the print layers include layers of the model of the ID element. The method involves operating the 3D printer to print the layers to form a 3D object with an integrally formed ID element. The ID element is embedded within object elements of the 3D object. The integrally formed ID element may be a radio frequency ID (RFID) tag providing identification data when read by an RFD reader scanning the 3D object.

Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) for printing a 3D object without the need for printing support structure for overhanging or cantilevered portions of the 3D object. The 3D printer includes a print head with a nozzle for extruding print material and a build plate with an upper surface receiving the print material extruded from the nozzle, whereby the 3D object is formed on the upper surface of the build plate. The 3D printer includes a tilt adjustment mechanism tilting the build plate about at least one axis to orient the upper surface and the 3D object relative to the nozzle during the extruding of the print material. The tilting can be performed such that a previously extruded portion of the print material is vertically aligned with the nozzle to receive the print material extruded to form an overhanging element of the 3D object.

Abstract: An apparatus for building a three dimensional (3D) object using volumetric addition. The apparatus includes a print chamber containing a volume of a curable resin. The apparatus includes a first and second curing energy sources outputting first and second beams of energy. The apparatus includes a controller operating targeting mechanisms to align the beams of energy to sequentially intersect at a plurality of curing positions associated with build volumes of a digital model of the 3D object. The energy sources may be lasers generating a desired amount of heat when their beams are crossed. The curable resin may be a heat-curable fluid curing when heated into a curing temperature range, and the amount of heat provided by intersected pairs of the first and second beams heats volumes of the heat-curable fluid, proximate to each of the curing positions only, to a temperature in the curing temperature range.

Abstract: A printer adapted for printing three dimensional (3D) objects that are difficult to copy by use of a 3D scanner and 3D printer. The printer includes a print head with an extrusion nozzle with a heated portion and a print bed with a surface for receiving material extruded from the extrusion nozzle. The printer includes a print material supply spool loaded with an anti-scanning filament. The print head is adapted for drawing the anti-scanning filament into the heated portion for heating prior to extrusion from the extrusion nozzle to form a 3D object. Further, the 3D object includes one or more scan protected exterior surfaces on at least one element of the 3D object. The scan protected exterior surfaces are either light absorbing surfaces or reflect light in one or more unconventional directions. The anti-scanning filament may be a plastic mixed with an anti-scanning additive such as a retroreflective material.

Abstract: A printer adapted for printing three dimensional (3D) objects with material having two or more colors. The printer includes a print head with an extrusion nozzle having an outlet, a mixing chamber upstream of the outlet, and a heated portion. The printer also includes a print bed with a surface for receiving material extruded from the outlet of the extrusion nozzle and a print material supply that is loaded with a filament of a plastic having a first color. The print head is adapted for drawing the filament into the heated portion to liquefy the plastic upstream of or in the mixing chamber. The printer includes a dye supply assembly fluidically coupled with the mixing chamber supplying dyes, such as inks, of two or more colors to the mixing chamber, whereby the liquefied plastic has its color changed from the first color to a second color prior to being extruded.