Abstract: A build plate for a three-dimensional printer includes: a rigid, optically transparent, gas-impermeable planar base having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having an upper and lower surface, the sheet upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface positioned on the base upper surface. The build plate includes a gas flow enhancing feature configured to increase gas flow to the build surface.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of forming a three-dimensional object, wherein the method includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, said carrier and said build surface defining a build region therebetween; filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g.

Abstract: A method of making a three-dimensional object (11) from a light polymerizable dual cure resin (16), includes the steps of: (a) producing a green intermediate object by light polymerization of the resin in a stereolithography process(e.g., continuous liquid interface production);(i) the object comprising a body portion and a circumferential boundary portion (12) included in at least part of the body portion i(ii)the stereolithography process including overexposing the boundary portion (as compared to the exposure of the body portion) with light; (b) cleaning the intermediate object; and then (c) baking the object to produce the three-dimensional object.

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: An apparatus for manufacturing an object from a light polymerizable resin includes (a) an carrier platform on which an object can be produced; (b) a resin cassette configured for carrying a light-polymerizable resin, said cassette including a light-transmissive window having a liquid inhibitor supply bed therein, said supply bed having an inlet and an outlet; (c) a light source positioned beneath said resin cassette and configured for projecting an enlarged image through said window; (d) a drive operatively associated with said resin cassette and said carrier platform; (e) a gas exchanger comprising a liquid side, a gas side, and an oxygen permeable barrier therebetween; said liquid side having an inlet and an outlet, with said supply bed inlet connected to said liquid side outlet, and said supply bed outlet connected to said liquid side inlet; (f) an oxygen carrying liquid in said liquid inhibitor supply bed and said gas exchanger liquid side; and (g) a pump operatively associated with said supply bed and sa

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface. The carrier and the build surface define a build region therebetween. The method further includes filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid; continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid; applying a reduced pressure and/or polymer inhibitor-enriched gas to the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent member to thereby reduce a gas content of the polymerizable liquid; and continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer.

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: A method and an apparatus of forming a three-dimensional object includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface. The carrier and the build surface define a build region therebetween. The method further includes filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid; continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid; applying a reduced pressure and/or polymer inhibitor-enriched gas to the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent member to thereby reduce a gas content of the polymerizable liquid; and continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer.

Abstract: A system for retaining a spin-coating fluid when forming a thin film includes a rotatable chuck; a substrate on the rotatable chuck, the substrate having an interior area and an outer perimeter edge; and a fluid retention wall on the outer perimeter edge of the substrate, the fluid retention wall being configured to retain a spin-coating fluid deposited on the interior area of the substrate during rotation of the rotatable chuck.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stereolithography resin useful for producing black-colored objects, the resin comprising: (a) an unpigmented base stereolithography resin; and (b) a pigment blend, the pigment blend consisting essentially of: (i) a CMY blend; and (ii) black pigment. Methods of making a black-colored object and objects so produced are also provided.

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 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: 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: An assembly useful for thermoforming a dental aligner from polymer sheet material includes (a) a custom dental model having a planar bottom surface and a receptacle formed in said planar bottom surface; and (b) a reusable die removably received in said receptacle.

Abstract: A system for retaining a spin-coating fluid when forming a thin film includes a rotatable chuck; a substrate on the rotatable chuck, the substrate having an interior area and an outer perimeter edge; and a fluid retention wall on the outer perimeter edge of the substrate, the fluid retention wall being configured to retain a spin-coating fluid deposited on the interior area of the substrate during rotation of the rotatable chuck.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of forming a three-dimensional object includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface. The carrier and the build surface define a build region therebetween. The method further includes filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid; continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid; applying a reduced pressure and/or polymer inhibitor-enriched gas to the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent member to thereby reduce a gas content of the polymerizable liquid; and continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer.

Abstract: A system for retaining a spin-coating fluid when forming a thin film includes a rotatable chuck; a substrate on the rotatable chuck, the substrate having an interior area and an outer perimeter edge; and a fluid retention wall on the outer perimeter edge of the substrate, the fluid retention wall being configured to retain a spin-coating fluid deposited on the interior area of the substrate during rotation of the rotatable chuck.

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 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 method and an apparatus of forming a three-dimensional object, wherein the method includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, said carrier and said build surface defining a build region therebetween; filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g.