Patents Assigned to Stratasys, Inc.
  • Universal adapter for consumable assembly used with additive manufacturing system
    Patent number: 9050788
    Abstract: A universal adapter for use with a consumable assembly that is configured for use with an additive manufacturing system, the universal adapter comprising an inlet opening configured to receive a guide tube of the consumable assembly, and a connection member at the outlet end, which is configured interface with a mating panel of the additive manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, Dominic F. Mannella
  • MAGNETIC PLATEN ASSEMBLY FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150145174
    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: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Comb
  • Soluble support material for electrophotography-based additive manufacturing
    Patent number: 9029058
    Abstract: A support material for printing a support structure with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the support material including a composition having a charge control agent and a thermoplastic copolymer having aromatic groups, (meth)acrylate-based ester groups, carboxylic acid groups, and anhydride groups, with a high anhydride conversion. The composition is provided in a powder form having a controlled particle size, and the support material is configured for use in the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having a layer transfusion assembly for printing the support structure in a layer-by-layer manner, and is at least partially soluble in an aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Trevor I. Martin
  • System and method for building three-dimensional objects with metal-based alloys
    Patent number: 9027378
    Abstract: A digital manufacturing system comprises a build chamber, a build platform disposed within the build chamber, at least one extrusion line configured to heat a metal-based alloy up to a temperature between solidus and liquidus temperatures of the metal-based alloy, a deposition head disposed within the build chamber and configured to deposit the heated metal-based alloy onto the build platform in a predetermined pattern, an umbilical having a first end located outside of the build chamber and a second end connected to the deposition head, and at least one gantry assembly configured to cause relative motion between the build platform and the deposition head within the build chamber, where the at least one gantry assembly comprises a motor disposed outside of the build chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Scott Crump, J. Samuel Batchelder, Timothy Sampson, Robert Zinniel, John Barnett
  • Multiple-zone liquefier assembly for extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 9022769
    Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, and a method for building a three-dimensional model with the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the liquefier assembly includes a liquefier tube having multiple, independently heatable zones along a longitudinal length of the liquefier tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Liquefier assembly for use in extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 9022771
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson, Timothy A. Hjelsand, J. Samuel Batchelder
  • ABS part material for electrophotography-based additive manufacturing
    Patent number: 9023566
    Abstract: A part material for printing three-dimensional parts with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material including a composition having a copolymer (including acrylonitrile units, butadiene units, and aromatic units), a charge control agent, and a heat absorber. The part material is provided in a powder form having a controlled particle size, and is configured for use in the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having a layer transfusion assembly for printing the three-dimensional parts in a layer-by-layer manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Trevor I. Martin
  • LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF
    Publication number: 20150096717
    Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson
  • ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WITH DYNAMIC HEAT FLOW CONTROL
    Publication number: 20150097307
    Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson
  • LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY WITH MULTIPLE-ZONE PLATE HEATER ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20150097053
    Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson
  • ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND PROCESS WITH MATERIAL FLOW FEEDBACK CONTROL
    Publication number: 20150097308
    Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson
  • Consumable assembly with payout tube for additive manufacturing system
    Patent number: 8985497
    Abstract: A payout tube for enabling payout of a consumable filament from a consumable assembly that is configured for use with an additive manufacturing system, the payout tube comprising a tip end having an inlet opening, a base end having an outlet opening, and a tube body having an average effective outer diameter that is substantially greater than an effective inner diameter of the inlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic F. Mannella, William J. Swanson, Kevin C. Johnson, J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Additive Manufacturing System and Process with Precision Substractive Technique
    Publication number: 20150076739
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system and process for producing three-dimensional parts, which includes forming layers of the three-dimensional part from a part material at a first resolution, and ablating selected voxels of the formed layers with a laser beam at a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Method for generating and building support structures with deposition-based digital manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 8983643
    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: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventor: Erik K. Heide
  • Biodegradable polymer compositions
    Patent number: 8981002
    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: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Jacob Cernohous, Garrett Scott Van Gorden
  • Seam concealment for three-dimensional models
    Patent number: 8974715
    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: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Hopkins, Donald J. Holzwarth
  • Automated additive manufacturing system for printing three-dimensional parts, printing farm thereof, and method of use thereof
    Patent number: 8961167
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Swanson, Dominic F. Mannella, Joseph E. LaBossiere, Michael W. Hansen, Saurav Upadhyaya, Ronald G. Schloesser
  • Hopper valve for extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems, and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 8955558
    Abstract: A hopper valve for transferring particles from a supply container to a hopper, the hopper valve comprising a valve body coupled to the supply container, a fill tube moveably coupled to the valve body, and a foot member moveably coupled to the fill tube and configured to engage the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Bosveld, John A. Bushey
  • POLYGLYCOLIC ACID SUPPORT MATERIAL FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20150028523
    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: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Vittorio L. Jaker, James E. Orrock, Christopher Scott Graley
  • Head tool changer for use with deposition-based digital manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 8926484
    Abstract: A head tool changer for use with a deposition-based digital manufacturing system, the head tool changer comprising a tooling unit configured to retain a deposition head, a grip unit configured to engage with tooling unit and to relay electrical power to the tooling unit, and a master unit operably mounted to a gantry and configured to engage with the tooling unit and to relay electrical power to the tooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Comb, Joseph E. Labossiere, Michael D. Bosveld, David G. Bocek, Max Peters