Abstract: Water dispersible support materials for use with a three-dimensional printing system are described herein. In some embodiments, a support material described herein comprises a phase change wax component and an ethoxylated polyethylene having the formula H—(CH2)m—(OCH2CH2)n—OH, wherein m is an integer from 22 to 60 and n is an integer from 2 to 200. In some cases, the phase change wax component and the ethoxylated polyethylene are each present in the support material in an amount of 20-80% by weight.

Abstract: In one aspect, build materials and support materials for use with a 3D printer are described herein. Such materials include a phosphor component in combination with other components. In some embodiments, the phosphor component of a build material or support material is present in the material in an amount of 0.001-0.5 wt. % and has a peak photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength of 430-750 nm and a photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) of 0.10-1.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous binder liquid that can advantageously be used in the layer-by-layer production of 3-D sugar-based food products. More particularly, the invention relates to an aqueous binder liquid containing: (a) 50-70 wt. % water; (b) 12-30 wt. % sugar alcohol; (c) 5-20 wt. % short chain polyol selected from glycerol, propane-1, 2-diol and combinations thereof; and (d) 3-10 wt. % ethanol; wherein components (a), (b), (c) and (d) together constitute at least 90 wt. % of the aqueous binder liquid. The aqueous binder liquid of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in methods of layer-by-layer production of 3-D sugar-based food products in which the binder liquid is applied by means of piezo inkjet print heads. These methods enable the production of highly creative and complex patterns, such as cocktail toppers, edible logos and decorative wedding cake toppers.

Abstract: In one aspect, build materials and support materials for use with a 3D printer are described herein. Such materials include a phosphor component in combination with other components. In some embodiments, the phosphor component of a build material or support material is present in the material in an amount of 0.001-0.5 wt. % and has a peak photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength of 430-750 nm and a photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) of 0.10-1.

Abstract: In one aspect, build materials and support materials for use with a 3D printer are described herein. Such materials include a phosphor component in combination with other components. In some embodiments, the phosphor component of a build material or support material is present in the material in an amount of 0.001-0.5 wt. % and has a peak photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength of 430-750 nm and a photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) of 0.10-1.

Abstract: In one aspect, inks for use with a three-dimensional printing system are described herein. In some embodiments, an ink described herein is a composite ink. Such a composite ink, in some cases, comprises an optically transparent or substantially transparent carrier ink comprising a curable material; and a colorant dispersed in the carrier ink in an amount of about 0.01 to 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the composite ink.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three dimensional article includes forming the three-dimensional article with three-dimensional printing, processing the three-dimensional article to remove support material ink, illuminating the three-dimensional article with electromagnetic radiation, inspecting the three dimensional article for photoluminescence that is responsive to the illumination, and verifying whether the support material has been sufficiently removed based upon the inspection. The support material ink includes a phosphor component that phosphorescently emits light in response to the illumination.

Abstract: In one aspect, inks for use with a three-dimensional printing system are described herein. In some embodiments, an ink described herein is a composite ink. Such a composite ink, in some cases, comprises an optically transparent or substantially transparent carrier ink comprising a curable material; and a colorant dispersed in the carrier ink in an amount of about 0.01 to 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the composite ink.

Abstract: A method manufacturing a three-dimensional article having readable indicia includes three-dimensionally printing the article and post-processing that following the printing. The three-dimensional printing forms the three-dimensional article in a layer-by-layer manner. The resultant three-dimensional article includes an outer portion of build material defining a plurality of enclosed internal channels, an encapsulated support material containing a phosphor component defining the indicia disposed within the channels, and unencapsulated support material that provides structural support to otherwise unsupported portions of the build material during the three-dimensional printing. The post-processing removes the unencapsulated support material form the build material but leaves the encapsulated build material.

Abstract: In one aspect, waxy build material inks are described herein which, in some embodiments, exhibit desirable print quality and associated mechanical properties for three-dimensional printing applications. A build material ink, in some embodiments, comprises 20-40 wt. % rosin component, 5-35 wt. % non-polar wax component, and 40-65 wt. % alcohol wax component comprising one or more waxes of the formula (CnH2n+1)OH wherein n is an integer from 15 to 40. In another aspect, a build material ink comprises a eutectic mixture including rosin component, a non-polar wax component, and an alcohol wax component comprising one or more waxes of the formula (CnH2n+1)OH wherein n is an integer from 15 to 40.

Abstract: In one aspect, methods of printing a color 3D article are described herein. In some embodiments, a method described herein comprises receiving data representing a surface colorization of the article, and transforming the data representing the surface colorization of the article into voxel data of the article. The voxel data comprises (a) location values and at least one of (b) color values and (c) transparency values for a plurality of columns of voxels normal or substantially normal to a surface of the article. The method further comprises selectively depositing layers of one or more build materials onto a substrate to form the article in accordance with the voxel data. In addition, at least one column of the plurality of columns of voxels exhibits a surface color resulting from a combination of colors of a plurality of voxels of the column.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three dimensional article includes forming the three-dimensional article with three-dimensional printing, processing the three-dimensional article to remove support material ink, illuminating the three-dimensional article with electromagnetic radiation, inspecting the three dimensional article for photoluminescence that is responsive to the illumination, and verifying whether the support material has been sufficiently removed based upon the inspection. The support material ink includes a phosphor component that phosphorescently emits light in response to the illumination.

Abstract: A method manufacturing a three-dimensional article having readable indicia includes three-dimensionally printing the article and post-processing that following the printing. The three-dimensional printing forms the three-dimensional article in a layer-by-layer manner. The resultant three-dimensional article includes an outer portion of build material defining a plurality of enclosed internal channels, an encapsulated support material containing a phosphor component defining the indicia disposed within the channels, and unencapsulated support material that provides structural support to otherwise unsupported portions of the build material during the three-dimensional printing. The post-processing removes the unencapsulated support material form the build material but leaves the encapsulated build material.

Abstract: In one aspect, build materials and support materials for use with a 3D printer are described herein. Such materials include a phosphor component in combination with other components. In some embodiments, the phosphor component of a build material or support material is present in the material in an amount of 0.001-0.5 wt. % and has a peak photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength of 430-750 nm and a photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) of 0.10-1.

Abstract: In one aspect, inks for use with a three-dimensional printing system are described herein. In some embodiments, an ink described herein is a composite ink. Such a composite ink, in some cases, comprises an optically transparent or substantially transparent carrier ink comprising a curable material; and a colorant dispersed in the carrier ink in an amount of about 0.01 to 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the composite ink.

Abstract: In one aspect, methods of printing a color 3D article are described herein. In some embodiments, a method described herein comprises receiving data representing a surface colorization of the article, and transforming the data representing the surface colorization of the article into voxel data of the article. The voxel data comprises (a) location values and at least one of (b) color values and (c) transparency values for a plurality of columns of voxels normal or substantially normal to a surface of the article. The method further comprises selectively depositing layers of one or more build materials onto a substrate to form the article in accordance with the voxel data. In addition, at least one column of the plurality of columns of voxels exhibits a surface color resulting from a combination of colors of a plurality of voxels of the column.

Abstract: In one aspect, methods of printing a color 3D article are described herein. In some embodiments, a method described herein comprises receiving data representing a surface colorization of the article, and transforming the data representing the surface colorization of the article into voxel data of the article. The voxel data comprises (a) location values and at least one of (b) color values and (c) transparency values for a plurality of columns of voxels normal or substantially normal to a surface of the article. The method further comprises selectively depositing layers of one or more build materials onto a substrate to form the article in accordance with the voxel data. In addition, at least one column of the plurality of columns of voxels exhibits a surface color resulting from a combination of colors of a plurality of voxels of the column.

Abstract: In one aspect, water removable compositions are described herein, including for use in various printing applications. In some embodiments, a composition described herein comprises 50-95% by weight alcohol wax having the formula CH3(CH2)nOH, wherein n is an integer from 15 to 40; 5-50% by weight tackifier; and 0.5-5% by weight colorant. In other instances, a composition described herein comprises 50-95% by weight carboxylic acid wax having the formula CH3(CH2)mCOOH, wherein m is an integer from 14 to 40; 5-50% by weight tackifier; and 0.5-5% by weight colorant. Additionally, in some cases, the tackifier of a composition described herein comprises a rosin acid, a rosin ester, a rosin alcohol, or a mixture or combination thereof. Further, the solubility of a colorant in a composition described herein can be characterized by a spectral strength delta value of 5% or less or 3% or less.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an encapsulated pigment dispersion and an inkjet ink comprising an ink vehicle and an encapsulated pigment dispersion thereof. In particular, the encapsulated pigment dispersion includes a pigment selected from TiO2 pigment, fluorescent pigment, phosphorescent pigment, and mixtures thereof. The present disclosure also provides a process for producing the aqueous pigment.

Abstract: Phase change ink compositions having a phase change carrier composition containing a wax and a wax-soluble near-infrared (NIR) dye having an absorption maximum in the wavelength region from about 700 nm to about 1400 nm. Near-infrared prints prepared with such phase change ink compositions. Methods of producing a layer of such a phase change ink on the surface of a substrate.