METHOD FOR PRINTING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS

• US 20140175706A1
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Kritchman, Eliahu M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,017,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/401
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92209 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92704 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/005 Compensating volume or shape change during moulding, in general
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/02 for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/48 Compensating volume change, e.g. retraction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/52 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/92 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/129 characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/10 Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/20 : Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/16 : Braille printing typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32

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.

Claims

1. A method for forming three dimensional objects, the method comprising:

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, wherein printing comprises;

moving the printing block in a forward passage, wherein a 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.