# US 10,308,007 B2 · Mask video projection based stereolithography with continuous resin flow > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,007 B2 - Document ID: US10308007B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/187,713 - Filed: 2016-06-20 - Published: 2016-12-22 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-18 - Assignees: University of Southern California - Applicants: University of Southern California - Inventors: Yong Chen; Huachao Mao; Xiangjia Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308007B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/135: the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources - B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material - B29C 64/124: using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified - B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) - B29C 64/277: using multiple radiation means, e.g. micromirrors or multiple light-emitting diodes [LED] - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B29C 64/129: characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask - B29C 64/236: for motion in a direction within the plane of a layer - B29C 64/241: for rotary motion - B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers - B29C 64/286: Optical filters, e.g. masks - B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING ## Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatus including medium-encoded computer program products for performing additive manufacturing (AM) using continuous resin flow based mask video projection stereolithography (MVP-SL) According to an aspect, a system for additive manufacturing of an object in three dimensions consisting of an X dimension, a Y dimension, and a Z dimension, the system comprising: a tank configured to contain a liquid resin; a first translation stage coupled with the tank, the first translation stage being configured to move the tank in the X dimension, the Y dimension, or both; a second translation stage coupled with a build platform, the second translation stage being configured to move the build platform in the Z dimension; and a computer control system to cause the second translation stage to elevate the build platform in the Z dimension simultaneously with causing the first translation stage to perform the sliding motion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for additive manufacturing of an object in three dimensions consisting of an X dimension a Y dimension and a Z dimension, the system comprising: a tank configured to contain a liquid resin, the tank comprising a window in a bottom portion of the tank; a first translation stage coupled with the tank, the first translation stage being configured to move the tank in the X dimension, the Y dimension, or both; a build platform configured to be located within the tank for at least an initial portion of building a part; a second translation stage coupled with the build platform, the second translation stage being configured to move the build platform in the Z dimension; a light projection device configured to emit light through the window and into the tank to cure the liquid resin; and a computer control system comprising at least one hardware processor and a storage device coupled with the hardware processor, the computer control system being coupled with the first translation stage to control movement of the tank, the computer control system being coupled with the second translation stage to control movement of the build platform, the computer control system being coupled with the light projection device to control emission of the light, and the storage device encoding a program configured to cause the computer control system to cause the light projection device to emit the light into the tank to cure the liquid resin to manufacture the part on the build platform, cause the first translation stage to perform a sliding motion of the tank simultaneously with causing the light projection device to emit the light into the tank, and cause the second translation stage to elevate the build platform in the Z dimension simultaneously with causing the first translation stage to perform the sliding motion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sliding motion of the tank and the elevation of the build platform are both performed as continuous motion synchronized with each other, and the program is configured to cause the computer control system to emit the light in a video projection process while allowing no relative motion between the build platform and the light projection device in either the X dimension or the Y dimension. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the light projection device comprises a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the video projection process operates at a rate of 30-120 images per second. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, comprising a beam splitter and a camera. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the continuous motion is synchronized using a first translation speed corresponding to the sliding motion of the tank and a second translation speed corresponding to the elevation of the build platform, wherein the speeds are calculated based on a maximum projection distance associated with the emitted light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first translation stage is configured to rotate the tank, thereby causing movement of the tank in both the X dimension and the Y dimension. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the tank is sized and positioned to place a region where the part is manufactured outside of a center region of the tank. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the window comprises glass and a layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) thereon. ### Claim 10 A system for additive manufacturing of an object in three dimensions consisting of an X dimension, a Y dimension, and a Z dimension, the system comprising: a tank configured to contain a liquid resin, the tank comprising a window in a bottom portion of the tank; a first translation stage coupled with the tank, the first translation stage being configured to move the tank in the X dimension, the Y dimension, or both; a build platform configured to be located within the tank for at least an initial portion of building a part; a second translation stage coupled with the build platform, the second translation stage being configured to move the build platform in the Z dimension; a light projection device configured to emit light through the window and into the tank to cure the liquid resin; and a computer control system comprising at least one hardware processor and a storage device coupled with the hardware processor, the computer control system being coupled with the first translation stage to control movement of the tank, the computer control system being coupled with the second translation stage to control movement of the build platform, the computer control system being coupled with the light projection device to control emission of the light, and the storage device encoding a program configured to cause the computer control system to cause the light projection device to emit the light into the tank to cure the liquid resin to manufacture the part on the build platform, cause the first translation stage to perform a sliding motion of the tank simultaneously with causing the light projection device to emit the light into the tank, and cause the second translation stage to elevate the build platform in the Z dimension simultaneously with causing the first translation stage to perform the sliding motion; wherein the sliding motion of the tank and the elevation of the build platform are both performed as continuous motion synchronized with each other; and wherein the continuous motion is synchronized using a first translation speed corresponding to the sliding motion of the tank and a second translation speed corresponding to the elevation of the build platform, wherein the speeds are calculated based on a maximum projection distance associated with the emitted light. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the light projection device comprises a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the program is configured to cause the computer control system to emit the light in a video projection process that operates at a rate of 30-120 images per second. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, comprising a beam splitter and a camera. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first translation stage is configured to rotate the tank, thereby causing movement of the tank in both the X dimension and the Y dimension. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the tank is sized and positioned to place a region where the part is manufactured outside of a center region of the tank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the window comprises glass and a layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) thereon.