Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) printer enables the continuous manufacture of 3D articles of manufacture. The 3D printer includes a 3D print engine for generating articles of manufacture through a layer by layer solidification of a print medium, a transport mechanism, a receiving station, and a controller. The controller is configured to (a) operate the 3D print engine to generate a continuous build platform, (b) concurrently with (a), operate the print engine to generate a plurality of 3D articles of manufacture that are attached to the continuous build platform; and operate the transport mechanism to engage the continuous build platform to transport the continuous build platform along a path that extends between the 3D print engine and the receiving station.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes a resin vessel, a light engine, a support scaffold, and a positioning actuator. The resin vessel includes an opening closed by a transparent sheet with opposed upper and lower surfaces. The light engine is disposed below the transparent sheet and is configured to transmit or project radiation up through the transparent sheet for selectively curing layers of the resin over a build plane. The support scaffold includes at least one ridge having an upper surface that contacts the lower surface of the transparent sheet to reduce an unsupported width. At a first lateral position the scaffold blocks the radiation from reaching a first blocked region of the build plane. The positioning actuator is configured to laterally move the scaffold from the first position to a second position to allow radiation to reach the first blocked region of the build plane.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel, a light engine, a movement mechanism, a support fixture, and a controller. The resin vessel is for containing a photocurable resin and has a lower portion with a transparent sheet. The light engine is configured to selectively project radiation up through the transparent sheet and over a build plane. The support fixture is coupled to the movement mechanism and has a lower rim that surrounds a central opening and faces the transparent sheet. The controller is configured to: (1) operate the movement mechanism to position the rim at an operating distance from the transparent sheet, (2) operate the light engine and the movement mechanism to form a particle trapping sheet that spans the central opening, and (3) operate the light engine and the movement mechanism to form the three dimensional article.

Abstract: A method and system for calibrating a three dimensional printing system includes a specialized sensor. The three dimensional printing system forms a three dimensional article of manufacture through a layer-by-layer process. Layers are formed by the operation of a light engine selectively curing photocure resin onto a face of the three dimensional article of manufacture. The sensor includes a photodetector overlaid by an optical element. The optical element simulates a “dense portion” of an optical path between the light engine and the face of the three dimensional article of manufacture being formed. The “dense portion” of the optical path includes a layer of photocure resin that is disposed between the light engine and the face of the three dimensional article of manufacture.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a print engine, a storage system, and a controller. The controller is configured to (1) receive a build order defining a plurality of three dimensional articles to be manufactured, (2) allocate partitions for receiving the plurality of the three dimensional articles within the storage system, (3) operate the print engine to fabricate the three dimensional articles, and (4) transfer the three dimensional articles to the partitions as they are built.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a fluid spill containment vessel, and a light engine. The support plate is affixed to the vertical support at a proximal end. The support plate has an inner surface defining a first central opening. The resin vessel is supported above the support plate and has an inner edges surrounding a second central opening. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that closes the second central opening. The fluid spill containment vessel is supported below the support plate and includes a transparent window. The light engine is supported below the fluid spill containment vessel. The first central opening, the second central opening, and the window laterally overlap to provide an optical path whereby the light engine can project light upwardly to a build plane in the resin vessel.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a laser system, a beam splitter, a pinhole, a sensor, and a controller. The laser system emits a light beam of varying diameter carrying at least 100 watts of optical power along an optical path. The laser has an imaging plane along the optical path which can be coincident or close to a focal plane at which the beam has a minimum diameter. The beam splitter is positioned along the optical path to receive the beam and to transmit most of the optical power and to reflect remaining optical power. The pinhole is positioned along the optical path at the imaging plane to receive the reflected beam having a minimal diameter. The controller is configured to analyze a signal from the sensor to determine intensity and distribution parameters for the light beam.

Abstract: A composition and method of infiltrating an article of manufacture prepared by a laser sintering process is disclosed. The infiltration process maintains the dimensions and flexibility of the article, increases the strength of the article, and improves the physic& and esthetic properties of the article.

Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosure, a three dimensional (3D) printing system includes a printhead and an ink supply subsystem. The printhead is for ejecting drops of phase change ink to define a three dimensional article of manufacture. The ink supply subsystem includes an ink tube, a helical resistor, a return conductor, and an outer tube. The ink tube has an inside surface for contacting and transporting the phase change ink and an outer tubular surface. The resistor is helically wound around the outer tubular surface of the ink tube. The return conductor is helically wound around the resistor and has a resistance that is lower than that of the resistor. The outer tube surrounds and protects the resistor and the return conductor and provides insulation to the heated ink transport component.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel, a light engine, a movement mechanism, a fixture, and a controller. The resin vessel is for containing a photocurable resin and has a lower portion with a transparent sheet. The light engine is configured to selectively project radiation up through the transparent sheet and over a build plane. The fixture is coupled to the movement mechanism and has a lower face that faces the transparent sheet. The controller is configured to operate the light engine to solidify a particle trapping sheet proximate to the build plane thereby trapping particles that extend upwardly from the transparent sheet into the build plane.

Abstract: A kit enables an efficient and contamination-free method of changing a resin used in a three dimensional printer from a first resin to a second resin. The three dimensional printer includes a print engine and a receptacle. The kit includes a conduit assembly and a resin container. The conduit assembly includes a fluid inlet configured to be affixed in the receptacle in an upward orientation, a pump head configured to be coupled to a motorized pump actuator in the receptacle, a first conduit coupling the fluid inlet to the pump head, a fluid outlet configured to supply resin to the print engine, and a second conduit coupling the pump head to the fluid outlet.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a print engine, a fluid processing station, a fixture, a transport mechanism, and a controller. The fluid processing station includes a fluid injector port coupled to a fluid source. The fixture has a lower portion with a lower face and a first fluid conduit coupled to the lower face. The controller is configured to: (a) Operate the print engine to form a three dimensional article of manufacture onto the lower face and thereby defining an internal cavity and an inlet port that couples the internal cavity to the first fluid conduit of the fixture. (c) Transfer the fixture to the fluid processing station. (d) Couple the fluid injector port of the fluid processing station to the first fluid conduit of the fixture. (e) Operate the fluid source to inject fluid out of the fluid injector port and into the internal cavity.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system for producing a three dimensional article of manufacture includes a build platform, a powder dispensing apparatus, a light emitting device head, a drop ejecting head, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The light emitting device head may be a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) head that has a columnar arrangement of VCSELs that emit light having a defined spectral distribution. The drop ejecting head is configured to separately eject a plurality of different inks having correspondingly different absorption coefficients for the defined spectral distribution. The controller operates the powder dispensing apparatus to dispense powder, move and operate the drop ejecting head to define an array of inked pixels, and move and operate the VCSEL head to fuse the inked pixels. The controller varies an energy output of the VCSELs in correspondence with a variation of an absorption coefficient of the inked pixels.

Abstract: A support fixture is provided for forming a three dimensional article of manufacture onto a lower build surface thereof. The formation of the three dimensional article occurs in a resin vessel containing photocurable resin. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that forms a lower bound for the resin. The support fixture includes an interface fixture and a replaceable support. The interface fixture includes an upper portion having alignment and gripping features, a lower portion surrounding a central opening and including a plurality of attachment features, and a side wall coupling the upper and lower portions. The replaceable support includes a planar portion having a lower surface (providing the lower build surface) for attachment of the three dimensional article of manufacture and a peripheral support portion including complementary attachment features engaging the attachment features when the peripheral support portion is mounted to the lower portion of the interface fixture.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, and an interface mechanism. The support plate extends away from the vertical support along a first lateral axis from a proximal end to a distal end. The resin vessel is disposed above the support plate and includes a pair of latch features disposed at opposing ends of the resin vessel relative to a second lateral axis. The interface mechanism includes a pair of latches and a movable plate. The pair of latches are disposed adjacently to the opposed ends of the resin vessel. The movable plate is configured to engage the pair of latches with a single downward movement of the movable plate. In response to the engagement by the movable plate, the latches engage the latch features of the resin vessel.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a light engine having a spatial light modulator for curing individual layers of a photocure resin to form a three dimensional article of manufacture. The light engine is configured to: (1) receive a slice image that defines an array of energy values for curing a layer, (2) process the slice image to define an image frame compatible with the spatial light modulator, (3) receive an on signal, (4) activate the first light source in response to the on signal; (5) repeatedly send the first defined image frame to the first spatial light modulator during a defined cure time for the single layer of resin; (6) receive an off signal; (7) deactivate the first light source in response to the off signal; and (8) repeat steps (1)-(7) until the three dimensional article of manufacture is formed.

Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) printing system includes a print engine, a first powder handling module, a sieve, a second powder handling module, and a controller. The controller operates the print engine to fabricate 3D articles of manufacture. The controller operates the first powder handling module to transfer excess powder from the print engine to the first powder handling module and to receive new powder. The first powder handling module dispenses powder to the sieve. The controller operates the second handling module to transfer powder from the sieve to the second powder handling module. The second powder handling module provides powder to the print engine.

Abstract: A device is provided for layered manufacture of at least a three-dimensional product by an additive manufacturing technique based on a powder. The invention therefore relates to a device for the layered manufacturer of a product based on a powder, in particular a metal powder. This device is fitted with a build chamber with a vertically movable build platform on which said product is manufactured and contains a powder dispenser for application of the successive powder layers on the build platform in a horizontal build surface. The powder dispenser can be moved back and forth over the build surface along a horizontal dispensing direction in order to apply said powder layers. Moreover, the device contains a hopper that must contain said powder in order to supply powder to the powder dispenser. This hopper has a bottom with a dosing opening that lets out into the build chamber and that works in combination with a dosing valve.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel, a light engine, and a fluid spill containment vessel. The resin vessel is for containing resin and has a transparent sheet on a lower side that provides a lower bound for the resin. The light engine is disposed below the resin vessel for projecting pixelated light up through the transparent sheet. The fluid spill containment vessel is disposed between the resin vessel and the light engine to capture resin that spills from the resin vessel. The fluid spill containment vessel includes a housing for containing the spilled resin, a transparent window for allowing the pixelated light to project up through the fluid spill containment vessel and to the transparent sheet, and a fluid barrier wall surrounding at least part of the clear window and configured to reduce an amount of spilled resin required to occlude the pixelated light.

Abstract: An automated mechanism for measuring the amount of accuracy loss attributable to reverse engineering processes that use 3D scan data is discussed. The embodiments provide a mechanism that displays to a user the effect scan data editing and CAD remodeling operations have on scan data accuracy. Additionally, the user can choose the way the graphical display illustrates the error distribution on the model such as by color mapping and whisker mapping. The accuracy loss may be displayed to the user after finishing an editing/modeling command or during the previewing of the command thereby allowing a user to take appropriate action. Parameters may also be adjusted programmatically based on the amount of accuracy loss determined to be attributable to scan data editing or CAD remodeling operations.