3D printing using rotational components and improved light sources

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction frame;
• a material dispenser with a flowable build material in said material dispenser;
• a construction area and a separate build platform, both positioned horizontally within said construction frame and configured for inverted build of a solidified 3D structure there between, said build platform moveable vertically within and configured to rotate within said construction frame;
• the material dispenser being positioned to deliver the flowable material onto an exposure zone of an upper surface of the construction area;
• and
• one or more vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips positioned to deliver radiation to selectively solidify the flowable material located on the exposure zone;
• said build platform configured to receive and retain the build material delivered on to the upper surface of the construction area as the build material solidifies and to move vertically upward and to rotate within the construction frame.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction frame;
• a material dispenser with a flowable build material in said material dispenser;
• a construction area and a separate build platform, both positioned horizontally within said construction frame and configured for inverted build of a solidified 3D structure there between, said build platform moveable vertically within and configured to rotate within said construction frame;
• the material dispenser being positioned to deliver the flowable material onto an exposure zone of an upper surface of the construction area;
• and
• one or more vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips positioned to deliver radiation to solidify the flowable material located on the exposure zone, wherein said material dispenser is on a rotary table configured to rotate in relation to a fixed base;
• said build platform configured to receive and retain solidifying build material delivered on to the upper surface of the construction area and to move vertically upward and to rotate within the construction frame.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction area;
• a material dispenser with a flowable build material in said material dispenser, said material dispenser being positioned to deliver the flowable material onto an exposure zone of an upper surface of the construction area;
• and
• one or more vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips on or adjacent said material dispenser, said VCSEL chips positioned to deliver radiation to solidify the flowable material located on the exposure zone,
• wherein said material dispenser is on a rotary table configured to rotate in relation to a base.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction area moveable vertically and configured to rotate around a central axis, said central axis fixed or configured for controlled movement in an area within a construction frame,
• a material dispenser with a flowable build material in said material dispenser, said material dispenser being positioned to deliver the flowable material into an exposure zone in or on the construction area;
• and
• one or more LEDs or semiconductor lasers chips mounted in an array on or adjacent said material dispenser, said semiconductor lasers chips positioned to deliver radiation to solidify the flowable material located on a build platform in the construction area within the exposure zone,
• wherein said one or more semiconductor lasers chips are laser diode chips or vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips arranged as an array of chips, said VCSELs in the array emit radiation at selected frequencies from 280-480 nm and/or 650-1500 nm, the array comprising one or more VCSELs delivering the same or different emission frequencies.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction frame;
• one or more material dispensers with flowable build material in said material dispensers;
• a construction area in a space defined by the construction frame, and
• a separate build platform,
• the build platform positioned horizontally within said construction frame and configured for build of a solidified 3D structure on the build platform or in the construction area, said build platform moveable vertically within and configured to rotate within said construction frame;
• the material dispenser being positioned to deliver the flowable material onto or into a zone for curing on or in the construction area;
• and
• one or more vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips positioned to deliver radiation to selectively expose and solidify the flowable material located on or in the zone for curing, at least one of said one or more VCSEL chips being communicatively connected to a VCSEL driver configured to control said at least one of said one or more VCSEL chips;
• said build platform configured to receive and retain the build material delivered to said build platform or into the construction area as the exposed build material solidifies and to move vertically and to rotate within the construction frame.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction frame;
• one or more material dispensers with the same or different flowable build materials in said material dispensers;
• a construction area and a separate build platform, the build platform positioned horizontally within said construction frame and configured for build of a solidified 3D structure on said build platform or between the build platform and the construction area, said build platform moveable vertically within and configured to rotate within said construction frame;
• the material dispensers being positioned to deliver the flowable material onto or into a zone for curing on or in the construction area;
• and
• one or more vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips positioned to deliver radiation to solidify the flowable material located in the zone for curing, wherein said one or more VCSELs are on a rotary table configured to rotate in relation to the build platform;
• said build platform configured to receive and retain solidifying build material delivered thereto or within the construction area and to move vertically upward and to rotate within the construction frame.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction area;
• a rotatable build platform configured to move vertically within a construction frame, one or more material dispensers with flowable build materials in said material dispensers, said material dispensers being positioned to deliver the flowable material to an exposure zone on or within the construction area;
• and
• one or more vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips on or adjacent said material dispensers, said VCSEL chips positioned to deliver radiation to selectively solidify said flowable material,
• wherein said VCSELs are on a rotary table configured to rotate in relation to the build platform.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction frame;
• a material dispenser with a flowable build material in said material dispenser;
• a construction area and a separate build platform, the build platform positioned horizontally within said construction frame and configured for building of a solidified 3D structure there between, said build platform moveable vertically within and configured to rotate within said construction frame;
• the material dispenser being positioned to deliver the flowable material to the build platform or into the construction area, for positioning within an exposure zone within the construction area;
• and
• one or more solidification delivery mechanisms positioned to deliver a chemical or radiation to selectively solidify the flowable material positioned in the exposure zone;
• said build platform configured to receive and retain the build material delivered to the exposure zone as the build material solidifies.

A device for three-dimensional (3D) printing of structures in a vertical orientation, comprising:

• a construction area moveable vertically and configured to rotate around a central axis, said central axis fixed or configured for controlled movement within a construction frame,
• one or more material dispensers with flowable build material in said one or more material dispensers, said material dispensers being positioned to deliver the flowable material in a controlled manner onto a surface in or on the construction area for selective exposure by a solidifying medium;
• and
• one or more solidification delivery systems mounted on or adjacent said material dispenser and below the construction area so that the flowable material is selectively solidified on or in the construction area above the solidification delivery system, said solidification delivery systems positioned to deliver the solidifying medium to the flowable material delivered to the build platform in a zone for curing of the construction area.