PRINTING 3D PARTS WITH CONTROLLED SURFACE FINISH
First Claim
1. A method for printing a three-dimensional part and a support structure with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
- providing a removable support material compositionally including support material particles;
providing a first part material compositionally including first part material particles;
providing a second part material compositionally including second part material particles, wherein an average size of the first part material particles is at least two times an average size of the second part material particles;
developing a support layer of the support structure from the support material with a first electrophotography engine;
transferring the developed support layer from the first electrophotography engine to a transfer medium;
developing a large-particle part layer corresponding to a predefined first portion of the three-dimensional part from the first part material with a second electrophotography engine;
transferring the developed large-particle part layer from the second electrophotography engine to the transfer medium;
developing a plurality of small-particle part layers corresponding to a predefined second portion of the three-dimensional part from the second part material with one or more additional electrophotography engines;
transferring the developed small-particle part layers from the one or more additional electrophotography engines to the transfer medium; and
transfusing the transferred support layer, large-particle part layer and small-particle part layers together to previously-printed layers using a layer transfusion assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A 3D part and a support structure is printed using an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system. A support layer of the support structure is developed with a first electrophotography engine using a support material and transferred to a transfer medium. A large-particle part layer corresponding to a first portion of the 3D part is developed with a second electrophotography engine using a first part material and transferred to a transfer medium, and a plurality of small-particle part layers corresponding to a second portion of the 3D part are developed with one or more additional electrophotography engines using a second part material and transferred to a transfer medium. An average size of the first part material particles is at least two times that of the second part material particles. The transferred support layer, large-particle part layer and small-particle part layers are transfused to previously-printed layers using a layer transfusion assembly.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for printing a three-dimensional part and a support structure with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:
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providing a removable support material compositionally including support material particles; providing a first part material compositionally including first part material particles; providing a second part material compositionally including second part material particles, wherein an average size of the first part material particles is at least two times an average size of the second part material particles; developing a support layer of the support structure from the support material with a first electrophotography engine; transferring the developed support layer from the first electrophotography engine to a transfer medium; developing a large-particle part layer corresponding to a predefined first portion of the three-dimensional part from the first part material with a second electrophotography engine; transferring the developed large-particle part layer from the second electrophotography engine to the transfer medium; developing a plurality of small-particle part layers corresponding to a predefined second portion of the three-dimensional part from the second part material with one or more additional electrophotography engines; transferring the developed small-particle part layers from the one or more additional electrophotography engines to the transfer medium; and transfusing the transferred support layer, large-particle part layer and small-particle part layers together to previously-printed layers using a layer transfusion assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification