Patents Assigned to Stratasys, Inc.
  • Method for building three-dimensional objects in extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems using core-shell consumable filaments
    Patent number: 8920697
    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: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: James K. Mikulak, Carl R. Deckard, Robert L. Zinniel
  • Electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system with reciprocating operation
    Patent number: 8879957
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part using electrophotography, the additive manufacturing system comprising a rotatable photoconductor component, first and second development stations configured to develop layers of materials on a surface of the rotatable photoconductor component while the rotatable photoconductor component rotates in opposing rotational directions, and a platen configured to operably receive the developed layers in a layer-by-layer manner to print the three-dimensional part from at least a portion of the received layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Hanson, J. Randolph Sanders, Michael W. Bacus, Steven A. Chillscyzn
  • Consumable assembly for use in extrusion-based layered deposition systems
    Patent number: 8864482
    Abstract: A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Swanson
  • Method for building and using three-dimensional objects containing embedded identification-tag inserts
    Patent number: 8858856
    Abstract: A method for building a three-dimensional object containing an identification-tag insert, the method comprising performing a build operation to form layers of the three-dimensional object using a layer-based additive technique, placing the identification-tag insert on at least a portion of the layers during the build operation, and reading information from the identification-tag insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Kozlak, Steven A. Chillscyzn, J. Samuel Batchelder
  • CONSUMABLE ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED LAYERED DEPOSITION SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20140271967
    Abstract: A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Swanson
  • ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS USING VELOCIMETRY
    Publication number: 20140265040
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system that retains a print head for printing a three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner using an additive manufacturing technique, where the retained print head is configured to receive a consumable material, melt the consumable material, and extrude the molten material. The system also includes a velocimetry assembly configured to determine flow rates of the molten material, and a controller assembly configured to manage the extrusion of the molten material from the print head, and to receive signals from the velocimetry assembly relating to the determined flow rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Method for building three-dimensional models with extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 8815141
    Abstract: A method for building a three-dimensional model with an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system having an extrusion head, the method comprising depositing a consumable material from a liquefier assembly at an extrusion rate to substantially normalize a meniscus height within the liquefier assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson, Timothy A. Hjelsand, J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Solid identification grid engine for calculating support material volumes, and methods of use
    Patent number: 8818544
    Abstract: A method for calculating a support material volume, the method comprising generating a grid of cells for a tree data structure of a digital part, where the cells define a plurality of cell arrays, and pinging the cells of one of the cell arrays until a cell containing a subset of the tree data structure is reached or until each cell in the cell array is pinged, where if a cell containing the subset of the tree data structure is reached, then designating the reached cell and all remaining unpinged cells in the cell array as filled. The method also includes repeating the pinging step for each remaining cell array to determine a total filled volume, and subtracting a volume of the digital part from the total filled volume to determine a support material volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Ziad A. Nehme, Amer E. Mouawad
  • Consumable assembly for use in extrusion-based layered deposition systems
    Patent number: 8808603
    Abstract: A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Swanson
  • Method for building three-dimensional models in extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems using core-shell semi-crystalline consumable filaments
    Patent number: 8801990
    Abstract: A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a first portion of a first semi-crystalline polymeric material, and a second portion of a second semi-crystalline polymeric material, and where the second semi-crystalline polymeric material has a crystallization temperature that is greater than a crystallization temperature of the first semi-crystalline polymeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: James K. Mikulak, Carl R. Deckard
  • Surface-treatment method for rapid-manufactured three-dimensional objects
    Patent number: 8765045
    Abstract: A method for forming a surface-treated, three-dimensional object, comprising: solvent smoothing an exterior surface of a rapid-manufactured, three-dimensional object, and media blasting at least a portion of the solvent-smoothed exterior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Zinniel
  • AUTOMATED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS, PRINTING FARM THEREOF, AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF
    Publication number: 20140178585
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system comprising a platen assembly configured to restrain and release a film, a head gantry configured to retain a print head for printing a three-dimensional part on the restrained film, and a removal assembly configured to draw the film having the printed three-dimensional part from the platen assembly and to cut the drawn film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, Dominic F. Mannella, Joseph E. LaBossiere, Michael W. Hansen, Saurav Upadhyaya, Ronald G. Schloesser
  • FILAMENT DRIVE MECHANISM FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20140159273
    Abstract: A filament drive mechanism for use with an additive manufacturing system, the filament drive mechanism comprising first and second drive shafts engaged with each other and configured to rotate in opposing rotational directions around substantially parallel and fixed axes, where the first and second drive shafts include engagement surfaces substantially aligned with each other for engaging a filament therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn M. Koop, Peter D. Schuller, Paul J. Leavitt
  • Additive Manufacturing with Polyamide Consumable Materials
    Publication number: 20140141168
    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: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Luke M.B. Rodgers
  • ENCODED CONSUMABLE MATERIALS AND SENSOR ASSEMBLIES FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20140127524
    Abstract: A consumable material and sensor assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by the sensor assembly, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, Michael D. Bosveld
  • Layer transfusion with part heating for additive manufacturing
    Patent number: 8718522
    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: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Chillscyzn, James W. Comb, William J. Hanson, J. Randolph Sanders, Michael W. Bacus
  • PRINT HEAD ASSEMBLY AND PRINT HEAD FOR USE IN FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20140120194
    Abstract: A print head assembly that includes a print head carriage and multiple, replaceable print heads that are configured to be removably retained in receptacles of the print head carriage. The print heads each include a cartridge assembly and a liquefier pump assembly retained by the cartridge assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, J. Samuel Batchedler, Kevin C. Johnson, Timothy A. Hjelsand, James W. Comb
  • LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20140120197
    Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the liquefier assembly comprising a downstream portion having a first average inner cross-sectional area, and an upstream having a second average inner cross-sectional area that is less than the first inner cross-sectional area, the upstream portion defining a shoulder configured to restrict movement of a melt meniscus of a consumable material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson, Timothy A. Hjelsand
  • Method of using print head assembly in fused deposition modeling system
    Patent number: 8663533
    Abstract: A method of using a print head assembly that includes a print head carriage and multiple, replaceable print heads that are configured to be removably retained in receptacles of the print head carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, J. Samuel Batchelder, Kevin C. Johnson
  • Encoded consumable materials and sensor assemblies for use in additive manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 8658250
    Abstract: A consumable material and sensor assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by the sensor assembly, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, Michael D. Bosveld