Abstract: A rotor for separating residual resin from additively manufactured objects in a centrifugal separator, the rotor including a rotor base and a plurality of engagement members configured to secure additively manufactured, light polymerized, objects to the rotor base, each object carrying unpolymerized resin on a surface thereof. The improvement includes a plurality of catch pans removably connected to the base, each catch pan configured to receive unpolymerized resin therein upon centrifugal separation of the resin from the additively manufactured, light polymerized, objects.

Abstract: A method of making an object from a data file and a light polymerizable resin by additive manufacturing includes the steps of: (a) optionally modifying the data file to add additional vacuum cycling nucleation (VCN) nucleation sites to surfaces of the object (2A); (b) producing the object from the data file and the resin by light polymerization in an additive manufacturing process (3), optionally under conditions in which additional VCN nucleation sites are added to surfaces of the object, the object having residual resin adhered to the surface thereof; and then (c) cleaning the residual resin from the object with a wash liquid by vacuum cycling nucleation (4).

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing includes a drive assembly operatively associated with a carrier and a window mount and configured to advance the carrier and the window mount away from one another. A first fluid switch is connected to a first fluid orifice when a window is present, or connected to the window mount and configured for connection to the window when the window is absent. A second fluid switch is connected to a second fluid orifice when the window is present, or connected to the window mount and configured for connection to the window when the window is absent. A fluid supply is connected to both the first and second fluid switch, and the fluid includes a polymerization inhibitor.

Abstract: A method of cleaning residual resin from an additively manufactured object, includes: (a) enclosing an additively manufactured object in an inner chamber of a centrifugal separator, the additively manufactured object including a light polymerized resin with a surface coating of viscous, unpolymerized, residual resin; (b) flooding the chamber with a volatile organic solvent vapor without contacting liquid organic solvent to the object, the vapor present in an amount sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the residual resin; and (c) spinning the additively manufactured object in the chamber to centrifugally separate at least a first portion of the residual resin from the object.

Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects by additive manufacturing, which may include: (a) optionally a window permeable to an inhibitor of polymerization; (b) a window mount to which the window is secured when the window is present; (c) optionally a carrier platform on which the three-dimensional object can be produced; (d) a carrier platform mount operatively associated with the window mount; (e) a drive assembly operatively associated with the window mount and the carrier platform mount; (f) a light source operatively associated with the window mount operatively associated with a patterning array; (g) an inhibitor of polymerization supply configured for operative association with the feed surface when present; and (h) at least one or two reactant supplies configured for operative association with the feed surface when present. Methods of making a three-dimensional object from a polymerization liquid that may use such apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: Provided herein according to some embodiments is a dual cure additive manufacturing resin, comprising: (i) a light polymerizable component, (ii) a photoinitiator, (iii) a heat polymerizable component, and (iv) a non-reactive diluent, which resin is useful for the production of three-dimensional objects by additive manufacturing. Methods of using the same are also provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide a method of making an object from a three-dimensional geometry file and a light polymerizable resin on a light-transmissive window by projection of light through the window in a bottom-up stereolithography process. The method may comprise: slicing the file into a series of sequential images. Temperature fluctuations in the resin may be calculated for at least some of the sequential images upon light polymerization thereof based on sequential exposure of the resin to light, the light corresponding to the series of sequential images. During producing of the object, the production may be modified based on the calculated temperature fluctuations by: (i) reducing production speed during at least a portion of the production; (ii) activating a window cooler during at least a portion of the production; or (iii) increasing production speed during at least a portion of the production.

Abstract: A build plate assembly for a three-dimensional printer includes: a lighting panel having individually addressable pixels configured to selectively emit light and/or transmit light from illumination below the pixels to a top surface top surface of the lighting panel; a rigid, optically transparent, gas-impermeable planar screen or base having an upper surface having an uneven surface topology and a lower surface that is affixed to the top surface of the lighting panel; and a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface positioned opposite the base, wherein the build plate is configured to permit gas flow to the build surface.

Abstract: A build plate assembly for a three-dimensional printer includes: a lighting panel having individually addressable pixels configured to selectively emit light and/or transmit light from illumination below the pixels to a top surface top surface of the lighting panel; a rigid, optically transparent, gas-impermeable planar screen or base having an upper surface having an uneven surface topology and a lower surface that is affixed to the top surface of the lighting panel; and a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface positioned opposite the base, wherein the build plate is configured to permit gas flow to the build surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a window cassette for a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus. The window cassette includes an optically transparent semipermeable member, on which the semipermeable member a three-dimensional object can be produced, a frame surrounding and connected to the semipermeable member, and a fluid supply bed in or adjacent the semipermeable member and configured to feed a polymerization inhibitor through the semipermeable member. The fluid supply bed has at least two opposing sides and includes a first channel array having an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice and a second channel array interdigitated with but separate from the first channel array, and the second channel array having an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing utilizing a window cassette is also described.

Abstract: A method of improving production performance of an additive manufacturing system includes obtaining a first production plan and a second production plan, different from the first production plan, for the manufacture of a plurality of objects using a fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus, automatically generating a first allocation of a first quantity of the plurality of objects to the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus using the first production plan, automatically generating a second allocation of a second quantity of the plurality of objects to the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus using the second production plan, comparing a production performance of the first and second quantity of the plurality of objects after being manufactured by the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus, and based on the comparison of the production performance, automatically regenerating the first and second allocations to change the first and second quantities.

Abstract: A method of making an object on a bottom-up stereolithography apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a light source, a drive assembly, and a controller operatively associated with the light source and the drive assembly, with the light source and/or the drive assembly having at least one adjustable parameter that is adjustable by the controller. The method includes installing a removable window cassette on the apparatus in a configuration through which the light source projects, the window cassette comprising an optically transparent member having a build surface on which an object can be produced, and with the optically transparent member having and at least one variable property therein; and then modifying the at least one adjustable parameter by the controller based on the at least one variable optical property of the window; and then producing the object on the build surface from a light-polymerizable liquid by bottom-up stereolithography.

Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide a method of making an object from a three-dimensional geometry file and a light polymerizable resin on a light-transmissive window by projection of light through the window in a bottom-up stereolithography process. The method may comprise: slicing the file into a series of sequential images. Temperature fluctuations in the resin may be calculated for at least some of the sequential images upon light polymerization thereof based on sequential exposure of the resin to light, the light corresponding to the series of sequential images. During producing of the object, the production may be modified based on the calculated temperature fluctuations by: (i) reducing production speed during at least a portion of the production; (ii) activating a window cooler during at least a portion of the production; or (iii) increasing production speed during at least a portion of the production.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of forming a three-dimensional object, which may be carried out by: (a) forming a three-dimensional intermediate by polymerization of a polymerizable liquid in an additive manufacturing process, the polymerizable liquid comprising a light polymerizable component; then (b) contacting at least a portion of the three-dimensional intermediate to a penetrant fluid, the penetrant fluid carrying a solidifiable component, the contacting step carried out under conditions in which the solidifiable component penetrates into the three-dimensional intermediate; (c) optionally but preferably separating the three-dimensional intermediate from the penetrant fluid; and then (d) solidifying and/or curing the solidifiable component in the three-dimensional intermediate to form the three-dimensional object.

Abstract: A carrier plate assembly for use in producing a three-dimensional object by bottom-up stereolithography includes: (a) an upper support; (b) an adhesion plate having a substantially flat planar lower adhesion surface, on which surface the three-dimensional object can be formed; (c) at least one energy absorber interconnecting the upper support and the adhesion plate; and (d) a carrier lock portion connected to the upper support.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of making an object having a matte surface finish by stereolithography. The method may include: (a) stereolithographically producing an intermediate object by polymerization of a dual cure resin with a first light having a first peak wavelength, the object having excess unpolymerized resin retained on the surface thereof; (b) separating a portion of said excess unpolymerized resin from said object while leaving a thin film of unpolymerized resin on the surface thereof; (c) partially curing said thin film by exposing said thin film to a second light at a second peak wavelength; and then (d) further curing said intermediate object by heating, microwave irradiating, or both heating and microwave irradiating, to produce an object having a matte surface finish.

Abstract: A method of making an object on a bottom-up stereolithography apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a light source (11), a drive assembly (14), and a controller (15) operatively associated with the light source and the drive assembly, with the light source and/or the drive assembly having at least one adjustable parameter that is adjustable by the controller. The method includes installing a removable window cassette (12) on the apparatus in a configuration through which the light source projects, the window cassette comprising an optically transparent member, provided as a window (12a), having a build surface on which an object can be produced, and with the optically transparent member having and at least one variable property therein; and then modifying the at least one adjustable parameter by the controller based on the at least one variable optical property of the window; and then producing the object on the build surface from a light-polymerizable liquid by bottom-up stereolithography.

Abstract: A rotor for separating residual resin from additively manufactured objects in a centrifugal separator, the rotor including a rotor base and a plurality of engagement members configured to secure additively manufactured, light polymerized, objects to the rotor base, each object carrying unpolymerized resin on a surface thereof. The improvement includes a plurality of catch pans removably connected to the base, each catch pan configured to receive unpolymerized resin therein upon centrifugal separation of the resin from the additively manufactured, light polymerized, objects.

Abstract: A method of making a three-dimensional object from a light polymerizable resin, includes the steps of: (a) producing an object adhered to a carrier plate by light polymerization of the resin in a bottom-up stereolithography process (e.g., continuous liquid interface production); (i) the object including a carrier plate adhesion portion, a main body portion, and a circumferential boundary portion included in the carrier plate adhesion portion and optionally extending into at least part of the main body portion; (ii) the stereolithography process including overexposing the boundary portion (as compared to the exposure of the adhesion portion or main body portion) with light; (b) optionally cleaning the object; and then (c) optionally baking the object to produce a further cured three-dimensional object.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of making an object having a matte surface finish by stereolithography. The method may include: (a) stereolithographically producing an intermediate object by polymerization of a dual cure resin with a first light having a first peak wavelength, the object having excess unpolymerized resin retained on the surface thereof; (b) separating a portion of said excess unpolymerized resin from said object while leaving a thin film of unpolymerized resin on the surface thereof; (c) partially curing said thin film by exposing said thin film to a second light at a second peak wavelength; and then (d) further curing said intermediate object by heating, microwave irradiating, or both heating and microwave irradiating, to produce an object having a matte surface finish.