Optical engine for three-dimensional printing

A three-dimensional printer comprising:

• a resin vat having a transparent bottom;
• a lift plate insertable within the resin vat;
• a light source configured to provide first light and second light;
• a spatial light modulator optically coupled to the light source, the spatial light modulator configured to modulate the first light to produce first modulated light and to modulate the second light to produce second modulated light;
• an optical assembly comprising a first component, the optical assembly configured to direct the first light and the second light towards the spatial light modulator;
• projection optics comprising a second component, the projection optics optically coupled to the spatial light modulator and adapted to be optically coupled through the transparent bottom to a resin on the lift plate, the resin having first and second pixel regions that partially overlap, the projection optics configured to project the first modulated light onto the first pixel region and to project the second modulated light onto the second pixel region;
• and
• a pixel shifter physically coupled to the first component, to the second component, or to the spatial light modulator, the pixel shifter configured to move the first component, the second component, or the spatial light modulator between:
• a first position when the spatial light modulator outputs the first modulated light;
• and
• a second position when the spatial light modulator outputs the second modulated light.

A system comprising:

• a light source configured to provide first light and second light;
• a spatial light modulator configured to:
• modulate the first light to produce first modulated light;
• and
• modulate the second light to produce second modulated light;
• an optical assembly comprising a first component, the optical assembly configured to direct the first light and the second light towards the spatial light modulator;
• projection optics comprising a second component, the projection optics configured to:
• project the first modulated light onto a first pixel region;
• and
• project the second modulated light onto a second pixel region;
• and
• a pixel shifter physically coupled to the first component, to the second component, or to the spatial light modulator, the pixel shifter configured to move the first component, the second component, or the spatial light modulator between:
• a first position while the spatial light modulator outputs the first modulated light;
• and
• a second position while the spatial light modulator outputs the second modulated light.