High-resolution rapid manufacturing
First Claim
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1. A method for forming an object, the method comprising:
- jetting a first material to form a plurality of layers that define a support structure increment, the support structure increment having an interior surface; and
extruding a second material to form a layer of the object, wherein the layer of the object substantially conforms to the interior surface of the support structure increment, and has a thickness greater than thicknesses of each of the plurality of layers defining the support structure increment.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method for forming an object, the method comprising jetting a first material to form a plurality of layers that define a support structure increment, and extruding a second material to form a layer of the object. The layer of the object substantially conforms to an interior surface of the support structure increment.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for forming an object, the method comprising:
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jetting a first material to form a plurality of layers that define a support structure increment, the support structure increment having an interior surface; and extruding a second material to form a layer of the object, wherein the layer of the object substantially conforms to the interior surface of the support structure increment, and has a thickness greater than thicknesses of each of the plurality of layers defining the support structure increment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for forming an object, the method comprising:
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providing a digital representation of the object, the digital representation of the object comprising data that represents an exterior surface of the object; forming a digital representation of a support structure, the digital representation of the support structure comprising data that represents an interior surface of the support structure, wherein the interior structure of the support structure has a geometry defined by the exterior surface of the object; jetting a plurality of layers to form a support structure increment based on the digital representation of the support structure, wherein the support structure increment includes a portion of the interior surface of the support structure; extruding a layer of the object based on the digital representation of the object, wherein the layer of the object substantially conforms to the interior surface of the support structure increment, and has a thickness greater than thicknesses of each of the plurality of layers forming the support structure increment; and repeating the jetting and the extruding to form the object and the support structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for forming an object, the system comprising:
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a jetting head for jetting a first material to form layers of a support structure, wherein the support structure has an interior surface; an extrusion head having an extrusion tip for extruding a second material to form layers of the object, wherein each of the layers of the object exhibit thicknesses that are greater than thicknesses of each of the layers of the support structure; and a build chamber for maintaining a temperature that allows the layers of the object to substantially conform to the interior surface of the support structure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification