Methods and systems for producing an object through solid freeform fabrication
First Claim
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1. A solid freeform fabrication system comprising:
- a fabrication bin containing a quantity of build material;
a movable stage for distributing successive layers of said build material in said fabrication bin to form an object;
a binder device configured to selectively apply a binder or focused energy to said build material in said fabrication bin to build said object;
said object being at least partially formed by said binder device from said build material in said fabrication bin and being disposed in said fabrication bin; and
a support structure being at least partially formed from said build material in said fabrication bin by said binder device, said support structure being disposed about at least a portion of said object being formed so as to prevent shifting of said build material which would degrade said object being formed.
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Abstract
A method of producing an object through solid freeform fabrication, the method including fabricating a support structure about at least a portion of the object by applying a binder or focused energy to a build material.
85 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A solid freeform fabrication system comprising:
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a fabrication bin containing a quantity of build material; a movable stage for distributing successive layers of said build material in said fabrication bin to form an object; a binder device configured to selectively apply a binder or focused energy to said build material in said fabrication bin to build said object; said object being at least partially formed by said binder device from said build material in said fabrication bin and being disposed in said fabrication bin; and a support structure being at least partially formed from said build material in said fabrication bin by said binder device, said support structure being disposed about at least a portion of said object being formed so as to prevent shifting of said build material which would degrade said object being formed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification