# US 11,440,243 B1 · Domain-based variable exposure for additive manufacturing devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,243 B1 - Document ID: US11440243B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/139,420 - Filed: 2018-09-24 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-14 - Assignees: B9Creations, LLC - Applicants: B9Creations, LLC - Inventors: Michael Joyce - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440243B1 ## CPC - B29C 64/124: using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B29C 64/393: 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 64/135: the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources - B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials - B29K 2105/246: {Uncured, e.g. green} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - 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) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - 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 Devices, systems, methods and computer program products are disclosed that facilitate part layer curing by an additive manufacturing device wherein each element of the part layer is exposed to light from a light source until the element receives sufficient energy to cure. In an aspect, received energy is calculated based on both the light received directly from the light source and light received from surrounding elements due to dispersion and other effects. The present disclosure enables consistent curing across a part layer, facilitate the creation of sharp outer structures, and allow fragile structures to be built alongside larger structures without a loss of quality, clarity, or resolution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the portion information is a layer image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising memory, wherein: each of the subset of elements provides a portion of the ambient curing energy received; and the calculated ambient curing energy is based on scaling factors stored within the memory, the scaling factors being based on distance from the at least one element to each of the subset of elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the subset of elements is limited by a consideration radius smaller than a build plane outer dimension. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the curing energy source is a pixel-based projector, wherein each of the plurality of elements corresponds to a pixel of the pixel-based projector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the AMD controller is configured to sum the curing energy received by said at least one element due to at least one of dispersion, reflection, refraction, diffraction and optical and energy transfer effects from each element of the subset of elements, to calculate the ambient curing energy received from the subset of elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the AMD controller is configured to determine the amount of the curing energy received at each surrounding element of the subset of elements and the amount of the received energy being sent by said each surrounding element, to calculate the ambient curing energy received from the subset of elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the ambient curing energy is based on a distance of said each surrounding element relative to said at least one element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the ambient curing energy is based on at least one of density of the curable material, optical properties of the curable material, and pigmentation properties of the curable material.