# US 11,897,198 B2 · Resin extractor for additive manufacturing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,198 B2 - Document ID: US11897198B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/683,784 - Filed: 2022-03-01 - Published: 2022-06-16 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-23 - Assignees: Carbon, Inc. - Applicants: Carbon, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Murillo; Gregory W. Dachs, II; Bob E. Feller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897198B2 ## CPC - B08B 7/02: by distortion, beating, or vibration of the surface to be cleaned {(B08B7/0007 takes precedence)} - B29C 64/35: Cleaning - B29C 64/124: using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified - B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - 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) - 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 A method of separating excess resin from at least one object, includes: (a) stereolithographically producing at least one object on at least one carrier platform, each carrier platform having a planar build surface to which at least one object is connected, each object carrying excess resin on a surface thereof; then (b) mounting each carrier platform to a rotor; (c) centrifugally separating excess resin from each object by spinning the rotor with each carrier platform connected thereto while each object remains connected to each carrier platform; and then (d) removing each carrier platform from the rotor with each object thereon, with excess resin separated therefrom. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of separating excess resin from at least one object, comprising: (a) stereolithographically producing at least one object on at least one carrier platform, said at least one carrier platform having a planar build surface to which at least one object is connected, said at least one object carrying excess resin on a surface thereof; then (b) mounting said at least one carrier platform to a rotor; (c) centrifugally separating excess resin from said at least one object by spinning said rotor about a vertical axis of rotation with said at least one carrier platform connected thereto while said at least one object remains connected to each said carrier platform; and then (d) removing said at least one carrier platform from said rotor with said at least one object thereon, with excess resin separated therefrom, the method further comprising spraying a solvent on said excess resin to reduce the viscosity thereof during said centrifugally separating step, wherein said centrifugally separating step is carried out with said at least one carrier platform mounted to said rotor with said planar build surface facing away from said axis of rotation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said centrifugally separating step is carried out with said at least one carrier platform mounted to said rotor with said planar build surface oriented perpendicularly to a radius of the rotor and tangentially to said axis of rotation of said rotor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method claim 1, wherein said at least one carrier platform comprises at least two or three carrier platforms. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method claim 1, wherein said at least one carrier platform has at least two or three stereolithographically produced objects connected thereto. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising warming said excess resin to reduce the viscosity thereof during said centrifugally separating step. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said centrifugally separating step is carried out in a gas at ambient pressure or a pressure less than ambient pressure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said rotor comprises a primary rotor and a plurality of secondary rotors mounted on said primary rotor, wherein each said carrier platform is mounted on one of said secondary rotors, and wherein said spinning step is carried out by rotating said primary rotor while rotating said secondary rotors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said spinning is carried out at a speed of from 200 or 400 revolutions per minute (rpm) to 1,000 or 1,200 rpm, or more. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: (e) collecting said centrifugally separated excess resin, then (f) combining said centrifugally separated excess resin with additional resin; and then (g) stereolithographically producing at least one additional object from said centrifugally separated excess resin and/or said additional resin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one object comprises an intermediate object produced from a dual cure resin, the method further comprising: (h) separating said at least one object from said at least one carrier platform; and then (i) further curing said at least one object to produce a finished object. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one object comprises a lattice and/or includes one or more internal cavities and has at least one opening formed therein in fluid communication with the one or more internal cavities and configured for excess resin within the one or more internal cavities to flow therethrough and out of the one or more internal cavities during the centrifugally separating step. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one object on said at least one carrier platform have a higher drag orientation and a lower drag orientation, and said centrifugally separating step is carried out with said at least one carrier platform mounted on said rotor with said at least one object positioned in said lower drag orientation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one object has or have a long dimension, and said at least one object is or are oriented on said at least one carrier platform with said long dimension substantially parallel to said planar build surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring at least one characteristic or parameter associated with said at least one carrier platform using at least one force gauge that engages or interfaces with said at least one carrier platform. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one characteristic or parameter comprises an amount of resin separated from each object on said at least one carrier platform and/or an amount of resin remaining on each object on said at least one carrier platform. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A centrifugal extractor configured for carrying out the method of claim 1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An apparatus for carrying out the method of claim 1. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for separating excess resin from at least one object, comprising: a collection vessel; a rotor in the collection vessel and configured to receive at least one carrier platform having at least one object thereon and to spin about a vertical axis of rotation with said at least one carrier platform connected thereto such that excess resin from said at least one object is removed and optionally received in the collection vessel; and one or more spray nozzles on said collection vessel and configured to spray a solvent on said excess resin to reduce the viscosity thereof while said rotor spins with said at least one carrier platform connected thereto, wherein each said carrier platform comprises a planar build surface to which said at least one object is connected, and said rotor is configured to receive each said carrier platform with said planar build surface facing away from said axis of rotation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the collection vessel is sealable, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a vacuum line connected to the collection vessel and configured to reduce pressure in the collection vessel to reduce drag on said at least one object as it is spun by the rotor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a resin drain line connected to the collection vessel and configured to collect the excess resin for recycling in a subsequent stereolithographic production process. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising at least one force gauge that engages the at least one carrier platform, said at least one force gauge configured to measure at least one characteristic or parameter associated with the carrier platform to which it is engaged. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one characteristic or parameter comprises an amount of resin separated from each object on the carrier platform and/or an amount of resin remaining on each object on the carrier platform.