Abstract: A scanning 3-D printing system comprises a printing platform movable in a printing direction and in an indexing direction, the printing platform comprising a printing head configured for dispensing building material while the printing platform is moving in a printing direction one pass at a time, and layer by layer, a roller configured for leveling the dispensed building material one pass at a time, wherein the roller is rotatably mounted on a roller axle, and wherein the roller axle extends over all passes of the printing system and is stationary in the indexing direction, a scraper configured for scraping excess building material off the roller, and a trough configured for collecting the building material scraped off the roller.

Abstract: The combination of 3D printing technology plus the additional dimension of transformation over time of the printed object is referred to herein as 4D printing technology. Particular arrangements of the additive manufacturing material(s) used in the 3D printing process can create a printed 3D object that transforms over time from a first, printed shape to a second, predetermined shape.

Abstract: A system and methods for solid freeform fabrication of an object is disclosed. The system comprises a solid freeform fabrication apparatus having a plurality of dispensing heads, a building material supply apparatus configured to supply a plurality of building materials to the fabrication apparatus, and a control unit configured for controlling the fabrication apparatus and the supply apparatus based on an operation mode selected from a plurality of predetermined operation modes.

Abstract: A method for forming three dimensional objects is disclosed. The method includes printing building material, layer by layer, to form a three dimensional object on a printing tray by moving a printing block that comprises a printing head, at least two curing sources and a leveler in forward and reverse passages. The printing is done by moving the printing block in a forward passage when the distance between the printing block and the printing tray is such that the leveler does not touch a layer being built, adjusting a height position of the printing tray relative to the printing block prior to printing a reverse passage and moving the printing block in the reverse passage, wherein during the reserve passage the leveler touches and levels the layer being built.

Abstract: generating an image data for cross sectional layers of the three-dimensional object, wherein the image data includes a first set of data for selectively printing building material at a first print resolution and a second set of data for printing one or more colored additives at a higher resolution and selectively depositing the building material and the one or more additives on successive layers based on the 2D image data to produce the three-dimensional object.

Abstract: A printing head for a printing system is disclosed. The printing head comprises a plurality of compartments, each having an outlet port for depositing liquid and an inlet port separately connectable to a separate liquid container. At least two compartments are in controllable fluid communication with each other, and the printing head comprises an arrangement of sensors configured for generating signals indicative of (i) a filling state of each compartment, and (ii) a fluid communication state between the at least two compartments.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a composite material having a pre-designed structure and properties according to the intended use of said composite material is provided. The method includes generating data for dispensing two or more different interface materials having different properties into at least two different phases; selectively depositing said two or more different interface materials having different properties from two or more corresponding dispensers to form layers according to the data generated, each interface material being dispensed from a different dispenser to form at least two different phases of interface materials; and curing or solidifying the dispensed layers to obtain a composite material with pre-designed structure and properties.

Abstract: A radiation curing composition suitable for building a three-dimensional object by a solid freeform method is disclosed. The composition includes one or more mono-functional monomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C., one or more di-functional oligomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C. and a phase separation inducing component. The phase separation may be induced during curing, resulting in a non-clear cured material having an improved impact strength and higher elongation, when compared to similar compositions without a phase separation inducing component.

Abstract: A method for physically reconstructing a body part using multi-material additive manufacturing includes receiving image data of the body part in the form of arrays of voxels, each array of voxels representing image data pertaining to cross-section of the body part, translating the image data in the arrays of voxels to printable bitmap images representing combinations of modeling materials for reconstructing the body part, and dispensing the combinations of modeling materials responsive to the bitmap images in a layerwise manner.

Abstract: A support construction and a method of creating a support construction in a volume generated by solid freeform fabrication, where the support construction includes layers of supporting materials, such layers comprising a continuous strip of material within such volume such that when the strip is lifted or pulled, the layers of supporting materials including the strip are removed together from the volume.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for preparing a layer of an object being fabricated by a three-dimensional printing process. Embodiments of the invention combine selective deposition with selective curing to benefit from the respective advantages of both techniques. Multiple printing heads deposit a two-dimensional cross section of the object being fabricated on a substrate which is transparent to curing radiation. The multiple printing heads selectively deposit different object body materials in different regions of the cross section and also selectively deposit regions of support material as necessary. The transparent substrate is then moved into registration with the object being fabricated so that the new layer is in contact with the object body, and an ultraviolet two-dimensional image of the cross section is projected through the substrate to selectively cure the new layer.

Abstract: A material supply apparatus for supplying printing materials to a printing system is provided. The apparatus includes a container to store printing material and a source of electromagnetic radiation to cure remnant printing material within the container. The printing system may be a three-dimensional printing system for producing three-dimensional objects.

Abstract: A method of three-dimensional fabrication of an object is disclosed. The method comprises: forming a plurality of layers in a configured pattern corresponding to the shape of the three-dimensional object, at least one layer of the plurality of layers being formed at a predetermined and different thickness selected so as to compensate for post-formation shrinkage of the layer along a vertical direction. In various exemplary embodiments of the invention spread of building material of one or more layers is diluted at least locally such as to maintain a predetermined thickness and a predetermined planar resolution for the layer.

Abstract: A method of producing an object by sequentially printing layers of construction material one on top of the other, the method comprising: providing the construction material at a first lower temperature; flowing the construction material through a heated flow path in a flow structure to heat the construction material and delivering the heated construction material to a heated reservoir in a printing head; and dispensing the heated construction material from the reservoir to build the object layer by layer.

Abstract: The method comprises sequentially forming a plurality of layers in a configured pattern corresponding to the shape of the object, thereby forming the object. The formation of each layer comprises dispensing at least one uncured building material, and at least partially curing the uncured building material, wherein for at least one layer, the curing is initiated at least t seconds after commencement of curing of a layer immediately preceding that layer. The t parameter is longer than the number of seconds required for the formation of the layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for disposal of photocurable fluid waste may include a conduit for conducting photocurable fluid waste from a source of photocurable fluid waste; a dispenser for automatically dispensing a receptacle made of material that is impermeable to the photocurable fluid waste and that transmits radiation capable of curing; a welder or other sealing device for welding the receptacle to form a bag with a portion of the photocurable fluid waste inside; and a source of radiation for curing the photocurable fluid waste in the bag.

Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include an apparatus and a method for removing the support structures from three-dimensional objects, in which the support removal is carried out using techniques that decrease the duration of the support removal process and increase the quality of the final three-dimensional objects. This method also ensures the safe removal of the support structures without damage to the three-dimensional object.

Abstract: An apparatus to help control the quality of printed three-dimensional objects is provided. The apparatus may include a printing head to print a three-dimensional object and a printing tray having defined surface characteristics serving to control adherence of the object being printed to the printing tray and/or prevent deformations in the printed object.

Abstract: A Solid Freeform Fabrication system, apparatus and method is provided, that includes a movable fabrication tray adapted to hold an object being fabricated; a depositing surface to hold deposited materials, and ink jet printing heads to selectively deposit a plurality of building materials on the depositing surface; wherein the deposited materials are merged to the object being fabricated, when said fabrication tray moves said object being fabricated to be in contact with said deposited materials.

Abstract: A method of additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object is disclosed. The method comprises sequentially forming a plurality of layers in a configured pattern corresponding to the shape of the object. Each layer is formed by dispensing at least one modeling material to form an uncured layer, and curing the uncured layer by radiation. In various exemplary embodiments of the invention the method comprises, for at least one layer, forming a stack of sacrificial radiation-protective layers to cover an exposed portion of the layer, such that an upper layer of the stack remains exposed during formation of any subsequent layer of the plurality of layers.