Stereolithographic method and apparatus with enhanced control of prescribed stimulation production and application

• US 6,132,667 A
• Filed: 02/08/1999
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Beers, Ross D., Guertin, Michelle D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US09/247,114
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 264/308, 264/401, 425/174.4, 425/375, 700/120
• US Class Current: 264/401
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0073 smooth
• 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: G03F 7/0037 Production of three-dimensional images

Abstract

A rapid prototyping and manufacturing (e.g. stereolithography) method and apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects by selectively subjecting a liquid or other fluid-like material to a beam of prescribed stimulation. In a preferred embodiment a source of prescribed stimulation is controlled to reduce or inhibit the production of the prescribed stimulation during at least some periods when the prescribed stimulation is not needed to expose the material. In another preferred embodiment, the source of stimulation is controlled to vary the quantity of prescribed stimulation that is produced and allowed to reach the material. In an additional preferred embodiment control of laser output occurs based on a combination of supplying a regulated amount of voltage to an AOM in conjunction with temporary sensing of laser power and a known desired power to attain. In a further preferred embodiment, a quantity of prescribed stimulation may be set by consideration of desired solidification depths to be used, beam profile characteristics, material properties, and scanning speed limitations for different data types. In a still further preferred embodiment, a transition between selected consecutive exposure vectors is performed by scanning one or more interposed non-exposure vectors with the beam inhibited from reaching the building material.

Claims

1. A stereolithographic method of forming a three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered laminae by exposing successive layers of a material to a beam of prescribed stimulation, comprising;

(a) providing a pulsed beam of prescribed stimulation, having a pulse repetition rate, a desired beam diameter, and a desired beam power for use in exposing each vector in a given set of vectors;

(b) providing a plurality of vector types in the set of vectors for exposing layers of material;

(c) providing a desired maximum scan speed for at least one vector type in the set;

(d) deriving a top scan speed based on the pulse repetition rate and beam diameter;

(e) resetting, to the top scan speed, any desired maximum scan speed provided in (c) that exceeds the top scan speed;

(f) using each maximum scan speed as reset in (e) or as remaining from that provided in (c) to derive a maximum laser power;

(g) setting the desired beam power to an amount equal to or less than the smallest maximum laser power derived in (f);

(h) forming a layer of material adjacent to any last formed layer of material in preparation for forming a subsequent lamina of the object;

(i) exposing the layer to the beam of prescribed stimulation having the desired beam power under the control of the set of vectors; and

(j) repeating the acts of forming and exposing a plurality of times in order to form the object from a plurality of adhered laminae.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing the vector types in the set of vectors from the group consisting of boundary, transition, ramp, jump, Y-hatch, Y-fill, X-hatch, X-fill, exposure, and non-exposure vector types.

2. A stereolithographic apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered laminae by exposing successive layers of a material to a beam of prescribed stimulation, comprising:

(a) means for providing a pulsed beam of prescribed stimulation, having a pulse repetition rate, a desired beam diameter, and a desired beam power for use in exposing each vector in a given set of vectors;

(b) means for providing a plurality of vector types in the set of vectors for exposing layers of material;

(c) means for providing a desired maximum scan speed for at least one vector type in the set;

(d) means for deriving a top scan speed based on the pulse repetition rate and beam diameter;

(e) means for resetting, to the top scan speed, any desired maximum scan speed provided in (c) that exceeds the top scan speed;

(f) means for using each maximum scan speed as reset in (e) or as remaining from that provided (c) to derive a maximum laser power;

(g) means for setting the desired beam power to an amount equal to or less than the smallest maximum laser power derived in (f);

(h) means for forming a layer of material adjacent to any last formed layer of material in preparation for forming a subsequent lamina of the object;

(i) means for exposing the layer to the beam of prescribed stimulation having the desired beam power under the control of the set of vectors; and

(j) means for operating the means for forming and means for exposing a plurality of times in order to form the object from a plurality of adhered laminae.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising the means for providing the vector types in the set of vectors providing vector types from the group consisting of boundary, transition, rarnp, jump, Y-hatch, Y-fill, X-hatch, X-fill, exposure, and non-exposure vector types.

3. A stereolithographic apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered laminae by exposing successive layers of a material to a beam of prescribed stimulation, comprising:

(a) a source of a pulsed beam of prescribed stimulation, having a pulse repetition rate, a desired beam diameter, and a desired beam power for use in exposing each vector in a given set of vectors;

(b) a computer programmed to provide a plurality of vector types in the set of vectors for exposing layers of material,

(c) a memory for holding a desired maximum scan speed for at least one vector type in the set;

(d) a computer programmed to;

(1) derive a top scan speed based on the pulse repetition rate and beam diameter;

(2) reset, to the top scan speed, any desired maximum scan speed provided in (c) that exceeds the top speed;

(3) use each maximum scan speed as reset in (d)(2) or as remaining from (c) to derive a maximum laser power;

(4) set the desired beam power to an amount equal to or less than the smallest maximum laser power derived in (d)(3);

(e) a recoating system for forming a layer of material adjacent to any last formed layer of material in preparation for forming a subsequent lamina of the object;

(f) an exposure system for exposing the layer, to the beam of prescribed stimulation having the desired beam power, under the control of the set of vectors; and

(g) a computer programmed to operate the recoating system and the exposure system to form the object from a plurality of adhered laminae.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising the computer providing the vector types in the set of vectors providing vector types from the group consisting of boundary, transition, ramp, jump, Y-hatch, Y-fill, X-hatch, X-fill, exposure, and non-exposure vector types.

7. A stereolithographic method of forming a three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered laminae by exposing successive layers of a material to a beam of prescribed stimulation, comprising:

(a) providing a pulsed beam of prescribed stimulation, having a pulse repetition rate, a desired beam diameter, and a desired beam power for use in exposing each vector in a given set of vectors;

(b) providing at least one vector type in the set of vectors for exposing layers of material;

(c) providing a desired maximum scan speed for at the least one vector type in the set;

(d) deriving a top scan speed based on the pulse repetition rate and beam diameter,

(e) resetting, to the top scan speed, any desired maximum scan speed provided in (c) that exceeds the top scan speed;

(f) using each maximum scan speed as reset in (e) or as remaining from that provided in (c) to derive a maximum laser power;

(g) setting the desired beam power to an amount equal to or less than the smallest maximum laser power derived in (f);

(h) forming a layer of material adjacent to any last formed layer of material in preparation for forming a subsequent lamina of the object;

(i) exposing the layer to the beam of prescribed stimulation having the desired beam power under the control of the set of vectors; and

(j) repeating the acts of forming and exposing a plurality of times in order to form the object from a plurality of adhered laminae.

8. A stereolithographic apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered laminae by exposing successive layers of a material to a beam of prescribed stimulation, comprising:

(a) a source of a pulsed beam of prescribed stimulation, having a pulse repetition rate, a desired beam diameter, and a desired beam power for use in exposing each vector in a given set of vectors;

(b) a computer programmed to provide at least one vector type in the set of vectors for exposing layers of material;

(c) a memory for holding a desired maximum scan speed for at least one vector type in the set;

(d) a computer programmed to;

(1) derive a top scan speed based on the pulse repetition rate and beam diameter;

(2) reset, to the top scan speed, any desired maximum scan speed provided in (c) that exceeds the top speed;

(3) use each maximum scan speed as reset in (d)(2) or as remaining from (c) to derive a maximum laser power;

(4) set the desired beam power to an amount equal to or less than the smallest maximum laser power derived in (d)(3);

(e) a recoating system for forming a layer of material adjacent to any last formed layer of material in preparation for forming a subsequent lamina of the object;

(f) an exposure system for exposing the layer, to the beam of prescribed stimulation having the desired beam power, under the control of the set of vectors; and

(g) a computer programmed to operate the recoating system and the exposure system to form the object from a plurality of adhered laminae.