System for finishing the surface of three-dimensional (3D) objects formed by additive manufacturing systems

A system for treating surfaces of additive manufactured objects, the system comprising:

• a housing;
• a reservoir configured to contain a first fluid material within the housing;
• a first actuator configured to lower an additive manufactured object into the reservoir configured to contain the first fluid material and to raise the additive manufactured object from the reservoir;
• a sprayer connected to a source of a second fluid material, the sprayer being configured to direct drops of the second fluid material towards the additive manufactured object within the housing;
• a heater;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the heater, the sprayer, and the first actuator, the controller being configured to:
• operate the first actuator to lower the additive manufactured object into the reservoir configured to contain the first fluid material so as to apply the first fluid material to the additive manufactured object, and then to raise the additive manufactured object from the first fluid material in the reservoir;
• operate the heater to bond the applied first fluid material to the additive manufactured object to form a coating on the additive manufactured object;
• identify at least one area of the additive manufactured object that has a surface roughness greater than a surface roughness of another area of the additive manufactured object using geometry data for the additive manufactured object;
• operate the sprayer to direct drops of the second fluid material onto the coating selectively on the identified at least one area of the additive manufactured object to improve at least one of the transparency and glossiness of the additive manufactured object;
• and
• operate the heater to bond the drops of the second fluid material directed by the sprayer onto the coating on the identified at least one area of the additive manufactured object.

A system for treating surfaces of additive manufactured objects, the system comprising:

• a housing;
• a reservoir configured to contain a first fluid material;
• a first actuator configured to lower an additive manufactured object into the reservoir configured to contain the first fluid material and to raise the additive manufactured object from the reservoir;
• a sprayer connected to a source of a second fluid material, the sprayer being configured to direct drops of the second fluid material towards the additive manufactured object within the housing;
• a UV radiation device;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the UV radiation device, the sprayer, and the first actuator, the controller being configured to:
• operate the first actuator to lower the additive manufactured object into the reservoir configured to contain the first fluid material within the reservoir so as to apply the first fluid material to the additive manufactured object, and then to raise the additive manufactured object from the first fluid material in the reservoir;
• operate the UV radiation device to bond the applied first fluid material to the additive manufactured object to form a coating on the additive manufactured object;
• identify at least one area of the additive manufactured object that has a surface roughness greater than a surface roughness of another area of the additive manufactured object using geometry data for the additive manufactured object;
• operate the sprayer to direct drops of the second fluid material onto the coating selectively on the identified at least one area of the additive manufactured object to improve at least one of the transparency and glossiness of the additive manufactured object;
• and
• operate the UV radiation device to bond the drops of the second fluid material directed by the sprayer onto the coating on the identified at least one area of the additive manufactured object.