# US 10,369,747 B2 · Systems and methods for an improved peel operation during additive fabrication

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,369,747 B2
- Document ID: US10369747B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/866,766
- Filed: 2018-01-10
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-17
- Assignees: Formlabs, Inc.
- Applicants: Formlabs, Inc.
- Inventors: Maxim Lobovsky; Steven Thomas; Benjamin FrantzDale
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369747B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/135: the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
- B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40)
- B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/02: 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

According to some aspects, a method of additive fabrication wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed on a build platform is provided. The method may comprise forming a layer of material in contact with a container, and subsequent to the forming of the layer of material, rotating the container relative to the build platform and moving the build platform relative to the container, thereby creating an effective fulcrum about an axis, wherein the rotating of the container and moving of the build platform causes the layer of material to separate from the container. According to some embodiments, the container may be configured to rotate about a fixed axis. According to some embodiments, moving the build platform may comprise moving the build platform toward the container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

At least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method of additive fabrication wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed on a build platform, the method comprising:
operating an additive fabrication device to:
form a layer of material in contact with a container of the additive fabrication device; and
subsequent to the forming of the layer of material, rotate the container relative to the build platform about a first axis and simultaneously moving the build platform relative to the container, thereby creating an effective fulcrum about a second axis, parallel to and different from the first axis, about which the container rotates relative to the layer of material,
wherein the rotating of the container and moving of the build platform causes the layer of material to separate from the container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the container of the additive fabrication device is configured to rotate about a fixed axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein moving the build platform relative to the container comprises moving the build platform toward the container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises identifying, by the at least one processor, the second axis a first distance from an end of the container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining, by the at least one processor, a position of the second axis based at least in part on a size and/or position of the layer of material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the second axis is determined by the at least one processor based at least in part on a distance from an end of the container to an edge of the layer of material.