Method and apparatus for concurrently making multiple three-dimensional objects from multiple solidifiable materials
First Claim
1. A method of concurrently making a plurality of three-dimensional objects on a build platform, each object comprising a support section formed from a first solidifiable object material, a first object section formed from the first solidifiable object material, and a second object section formed from a second solidifiable object material, wherein the first object section and the second object section of each object have respective heights along a build axis and meet at an interface, the method comprising:
- determining a height of the first object section of each object along the build axis;
determining a desired interface distance between each object'"'"'s interface and a build platform along the build axis, wherein the desired interface distance is the same for each object;
determining a support section height along the build axis for each object, wherein the support section height of each object equals the difference between the desired interface distance and the object'"'"'s first object section height along the build axis;
solidifying each object'"'"'s support section by solidifying a plurality of support layers of the first solidifiable object material until the object'"'"'s support section height is reached, wherein each plurality of layers is removably adhered to the build platform;
solidifying each object'"'"'s first object section by solidifying a plurality of first object section layers of the first solidifiable material until the object'"'"'s first section height is reached, wherein at least some of the objects in the plurality of three-dimensional objects have different first object section heights;
solidifying each object'"'"'s second object section by solidifying a plurality of second object section layers of the second solidifiable object material until the second section height is reached.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for making multiple three-dimensional objects from multiple solidifiable materials are shown and described. In accordance with the method, the objects are designed with variable removable support heights along the build axis so that each object has an interface between first and second materials that is the same height from the build platform. The technique simplifies the process of producing multiple three-dimensional objects from multiple solidifiable materials which may have different build axis heights of first and second finished object sections so that the sources of solidifiable materials need only be switched once during the building of multiple objects.
77 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of concurrently making a plurality of three-dimensional objects on a build platform, each object comprising a support section formed from a first solidifiable object material, a first object section formed from the first solidifiable object material, and a second object section formed from a second solidifiable object material, wherein the first object section and the second object section of each object have respective heights along a build axis and meet at an interface, the method comprising:
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determining a height of the first object section of each object along the build axis; determining a desired interface distance between each object'"'"'s interface and a build platform along the build axis, wherein the desired interface distance is the same for each object; determining a support section height along the build axis for each object, wherein the support section height of each object equals the difference between the desired interface distance and the object'"'"'s first object section height along the build axis; solidifying each object'"'"'s support section by solidifying a plurality of support layers of the first solidifiable object material until the object'"'"'s support section height is reached, wherein each plurality of layers is removably adhered to the build platform; solidifying each object'"'"'s first object section by solidifying a plurality of first object section layers of the first solidifiable material until the object'"'"'s first section height is reached, wherein at least some of the objects in the plurality of three-dimensional objects have different first object section heights; solidifying each object'"'"'s second object section by solidifying a plurality of second object section layers of the second solidifiable object material until the second section height is reached. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification