Domain-based variable exposure for additive manufacturing devices

An additive manufacturing device for creating a three-dimensional (3D) object by curing a plurality of portions of the 3D object from a curable material, each portion comprising a plurality of elements, the device comprising:

• a curing energy source producing a curing energy;
• an additive manufacturing device (AMD) controller configured to control the curing energy source;
• and
• a build plane at which to cure the curable material via exposure of each of the plurality of elements to the curing energy from the curing energy source controllable by the AMD controller, the AMD controller configured to:
• (a) receive, at the AMD controller, portion information indicating a portion of the 3D object to be cured;
• (b) calculate, for at least one element of the plurality of elements of the portion, via the AMD controller, an ambient curing energy received from a subset of elements, the subset of elements being surrounding elements that surround the at least one element wherein the ambient curing energy is based on exposure to the curing energy radiated from the curing energy by the surrounding elements;
• (c) operate the curing energy source to cure the curable material receiving the curing energy from the curing energy source to form the portion of the 3D object;
• (d) reduce overcuring of the surrounding elements as the curable material is cured, wherein to reduce the overcuring, the AMD controller is configured to:
• i) determine, for each of the at least one element of the plurality of elements of the portion, via the AMD controller, an exposure time based on the calculated ambient curing energy received, a direct energy value and a curing threshold value, prior to curing of the curable material, and
• ii) control and operate the curing energy source, by the AMD controller, according to the determined exposure time for said each of the at least one element of the plurality of elements of the portion, as the curable material is cured;
• and
• (e) repeating (a)-(d) for remaining portions of the plurality of portions until the 3D object is created.