Patents Assigned to Stratasys, Inc.
  • Magnetic platen assembly for additive manufacturing system
    Patent number: 9744730
    Abstract: A platen assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a platen plate that is preferably secured to a gantry mechanism of the additive manufacturing system, and having a top surface, and one or more magnets secured to the platen plate and configured to generate one or more magnetic fields at the top surface of the platen plate. The platen gantry is configured to magnetically couple interchangeable and replaceable build sheets to the top surface of the platen plate due to the one or more generated magnetic fields, and where the magnetically-coupled build sheets are configured to receive the printed layers from the printing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Comb
  • Additive manufacturing with polyamide consumable materials
    Patent number: 9744722
    Abstract: A consumable material for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable filament comprising a polyamide blend of at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and at least one amorphous polyamide that is substantially miscible with the at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and a physical geometry configured to be received by the additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part from the consumable material in a layer-by-layer manner using an additive manufacturing technique. The consumable material is preferably capable of printing three-dimensional parts having good part strengths and ductilities, and low curl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Luke M. B. Rodgers
  • Additive manufacturing method for building three-dimensional objects with core-shell arrangements
    Patent number: 9738031
    Abstract: A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a first thermoplastic material, and a shell portion of a second thermoplastic material that is compositionally different from the first thermoplastic material, where the consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional object, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: James K. Mikulak, Carl R. Deckard, Robert L. Zinniel
  • Seam concealment for three-dimensional models
    Patent number: 9724866
    Abstract: A three-dimensional model built with an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, and having a perimeter based on a contour tool path that defines an interior region of a layer of the three-dimensional model, where at least one of a start point and a stop point of the contour tool path is located within the interior region of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Hopkins, Donald J. Holzwarth
  • LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLIES FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF
    Publication number: 20170217089
    Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system to print three-dimensional parts. In one aspect, the liquefier assembly includes a liquefier that is transversely compressible, and having an inlet end configured to receive a consumable material in a solid or molten state and an outlet end, a nozzle at the outlet end, and an actuator mechanism configured to transversely compress and expand the liquefier in a controlled manner In another aspect, the liquefier assembly is self heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, William J. Swanson
  • Layer transfusion with rotatable belt for additive manufacturing
    Patent number: 9720363
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Chillscyzn, James W. Comb, William J. Hanson, J. Randolph Sanders, Michael W. Bacus
  • Polyglycolic acid support material for additive manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 9714318
    Abstract: A support material for use in an additive manufacturing system, which compositionally includes a polyglycolic acid polymer, which is at least partially soluble in an aqueous solution, and which is configured for use in the additive manufacturing system for printing a support structure in coordination with printing of a three-dimensional part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Vittorio L. Jaker, James E. Orrock, Christopher Scott Graley
  • Biodegradable polymer compositions
    Patent number: 9714319
    Abstract: Hyper-branched biodegradable polymers are produced by melt processing biodegradable polymers with a branching agent at temperatures that promote free radical reactions between the biodegradable polymer and the branching agent. The biodegradable compositions have an excellent balance of mechanical properties and are suitable for flame retardant applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Cernohous, Garrett S. Van Gorden
  • Spool assembly with locking mechanism for additive manufacturing system, and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 9714153
    Abstract: A spool assembly comprising a housing structure, a spool rotatably retained in an interior region of the housing structure, and a sealed sheath encasing the housing structure to define a barrier for the encased housing structure and the rotatably retained spool. The spool assembly further comprises a locking arm disposed outside of the sealed sheath and configured to operably engage the spool through the sealed sheath and through the housing structure in a manner that does not penetrate the sealed sheath, where the locking arm prevents the spool from rotating relative to the housing mechanism when operably engaged with the spool. The locking arm may disengage from the spool in a hands-free manner when the spool assembly is loaded into a bay of an additive manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad E. Beery, David M. Kozlak, Timothy A. Hjelsand
  • Moisture scavenger composition
    Patent number: 9708457
    Abstract: A moisture scavenger composition to address the processing of moisture sensitive materials or high moisture content materials in melt processable feed stocks. The moisture scavenger includes a desiccant, an elastomeric dispersant, and an optional hydrophillic synergist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Jacob Cernohous, Neil R. Granlund
  • Remotely-adjustable purge station for use in additive manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 9694545
    Abstract: A purge station assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a purge station having a base bracket, a slide mount slidably engaged with the base bracket, and a contact head configured to clean a nozzle tip of a print head. The purge station assembly also includes a mechanism, such as a cable line, operably attached to the slide mount that allows an operator to mechanically move the slide mount relative to the base bracket from a location that is remote from the purge station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Skubic, Logan R. Kiene, Joel E. Farley, Benjamin L. Braton, James Flannigan, Joel Ostby
  • Electrophotography-based additive manufacturing with overlay control
    Patent number: 9688027
    Abstract: A method and system for printing a three-dimensional part, which includes rotating a transfer belt with a developed layer, scanning the developed layer on the rotating transfer belt, pressing the developed layer into contact with an intermediate build surface of the three-dimensional part retained on a moveable build platform, scanning the pressed layer on the three-dimensional part, comparing the scanned layers to detect an overlay error, and adjusting a position of the moveable build platform relative to the transfer belt to reduce the overlay error for a subsequent developed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, Zeiter Farah
  • Electrophotography-based additive manufacturing with powder density detection and utilization
    Patent number: 9643357
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part, which includes one or more electrophotography engines configured to develop layers of the three-dimensional part, a rotatable transfer belt configured to receive the developed layers from the electrophotography engine(s), a detector configured to measure powder densities of the developed layers on the rotatable transfer belt, and to transmit signals relating to the measured powder densities to a controller assembly, and a printing assembly configured to receive the developed layer from the rotatable transfer belt and to print the three-dimensional part from the developed layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Zeiter S. Farah, J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Additive manufacturing system with extended printing volume, and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 9636868
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for printing three-dimensional parts, the system comprising a heatable region, a receiving surface, a print head configured to print a three-dimensional part onto the receiving surface in a layer-by-layer manner along a printing axis, and a drive mechanism configured to index the receiving surface along the printing axis such that the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part out of the heated region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Scott Crump, Dominic F. Mannella, William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson, Ronald G. Schloesser, Joseph E. LaBossiere, Richard Thomas Anderson, Michael D. Bosveld, Paul J. Leavitt
  • Method for printing three-dimensional parts with part strain orientation
    Patent number: 9636872
    Abstract: A method and program for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, the method including generating or otherwise providing strain data from a digital model of the three-dimensional part, orienting the digital model to align the directions of high tensile strain in a build plane, and printing the three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner based on the oriented digital model with the additive manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Additive manufacturing with soluble build sheet and part marking
    Patent number: 9610733
    Abstract: A method for producing three-dimensional parts, which includes printing the three-dimensional parts and associated support structures onto soluble build sheets, marking each three-dimensional part with information relating to the three-dimensional part, and removing the associated support structures and the soluble build sheets from the printed three-dimensional parts with an aqueous solution using a support removal process. The markings remain applied to the three-dimensional parts after the support removal process, and preferably do not detract from aesthetic qualities of the three-dimensional parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, Dominic F. Mannella
  • Support cleaning system
    Patent number: 9592539
    Abstract: An automated support cleaning system comprising a tank disposed within a housing and configured to circulate an aqueous cleaning solution to remove a support structure from a three-dimensional model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin N. Dunn, Thomas J. McDonough, Bryan L. Smith, William J. Swanson, James E. Orrock, Claudia Mosher, Randall R. Shay, Robert L. Skubic, Martin G. Zalusky, David M. Kozlak, Jerome W. Goetzke
  • Additive manufacturing with polyamide consumable materials
    Patent number: 9592530
    Abstract: A consumable material for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable filament comprising a polyamide blend of at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and at least one amorphous polyamide that is substantially miscible with the at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and a physical geometry configured to be received by the additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part from the consumable material in a layer-by-layer manner using an additive manufacturing technique. The consumable material is preferably capable of printing three-dimensional parts having good part strengths and ductilities, and low curl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Luke M. B. Rodgers
  • Ribbon filament and assembly for use in extrusion-based digital manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 9586357
    Abstract: A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising a length and a cross-sectional profile of at least a portion of the length that is axially asymmetric. The cross-sectional profile is configured to provide a response time with a non-cylindrical liquefier of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system that is faster than a response time achievable with a cylindrical filament in a cylindrical liquefier for a same thermally limited, maximum volumetric flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, William J. Swanson, S. Scott Crump
  • Method for generating and building support structures with deposition-based digital manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 9573323
    Abstract: A method for generating data for a support structure to be built with a deposition-based digital manufacturing system, the method comprising generating a convex hull polygon based on a boundary polygon of a layer of the support structure, offsetting the convex hull polygon inward, offsetting the boundary polygon outward, and generating an intersection boundary polygon based at least in part on the offset boundary polygon and the offset convex hull polygon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Erik K. Heide