3D printing method and apparatus
AssigneeAurora Labs Ltd.
InventorsDavid Budge, John Nathan Henry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printing apparatus for printing a three-dimensional object. The printing apparatus includes an operative surface and a plurality of supply hoppers configured for dispensing a powder. The powder is configured to be melted by an energy beam. The supply hoppers are configured to form a plurality of vertically-aligned powder beds adjacent to one another on the operative surface simultaneously. An energy source is configured to emit an energy beam onto each powder bed simultaneously to melt or fuse a topmost layer of the powder bed onto an underlying powder bed layer or substrate.
Claims20
A printing apparatus for printing a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- an operative surface;
- a plurality of supply hoppers configured for dispensing a powder, the powder configured to be melted by an energy beam, wherein the supply hoppers are configured to form a plurality of vertically-aligned powder beds adjacent to one another on the operative surface simultaneously;
- and
- an energy source configured to emit an energy beam onto each powder bed simultaneously to melt or fuse a topmost layer of the powder bed onto an underlying powder bed layer or substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.