System and method for facilitating separation of stereolithography 3D-printed objects from build platforms

A build platform for a stereolithographic printer, comprising:

• a removable build plate having a build surface for building three-dimensionally (3D) printed objects on the build platform and a first coupling surface, the first coupling surface including a first surface first side, a first surface second side opposite the first surface first side, a first surface front side and a first surface rear side;
• a base assembly having a second coupling surface removably securable to the first coupling surface, the second coupling surface including a second surface first side, a second surface second side opposite the second surface first side, a second surface front side, and a second surface rear side, the second surface front side and the second surface rear side defining a front-to-rear axis;
• and
• an alignment module adapted to receive the first surface rear side and to magnetically move the first surface rear side in a direction of the front-to-rear axis and towards the second surface rear side and without rotation such that the removable build plate automatically self-aligns along a boundary of the base assembly and magnetically couples to the base assembly, the alignment module comprising:
• two or more first magnets disposed on the first coupling surface, a first one of the two or more first magnets positioned along the first surface first side and between the first surface front side and the first surface rear side, a second one of the two or more first magnets positioned along the first surface second side and between the first surface front side and the first surface rear side, and a third one of the two or more first magnets positioned between the first one of the two or more first magnets and the second one of the two or more first magnets and between the first surface front side and the first surface second side, the first one of the two or more first magnets and the second one of the two or more first magnets each having a first polarity and the third one of the two or more first magnets having a second polarity, the second polarity opposite the first polarity;
• two or more second magnets disposed on the second coupling surface that correspond to but have opposite polarity to the two or more first magnets disposed on the first coupling surface.