# US 12,594,718 B2 · Leveling system for three-dimensional printing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,718 B2 - Document ID: US12594718B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/921,123 - Filed: 2021-04-27 - Published: 2023-06-08 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-27 - Assignees: Stratasys, Inc. - Applicants: Stratasys Ltd. - Inventors: Dan Mordechay; Barak Glassman; Kiril Lain - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594718B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/218: Rollers - B22F 10/14: by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder - B29C 64/112: using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads - B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles - B29C 64/35: Cleaning - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - B22F 12/37: Rotatable - B22F 12/53: Nozzles - B22F 12/63: Rollers - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - 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) - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A leveling system for a three-dimensional printing system, comprises a rotatable roller, a waste collecting bath, a blade for removing liquid waste from the roller into the bath, and a plurality of tubular structures. Each tubular structure has an inlet at a vicinity of a base of the bath and an outlet connectable to a pump system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A leveling system for a three-dimensional printing system, the leveling system comprising a rotatable roller, a motor for rotating said roller, a waste collecting bath having a base shaped as a wavy non-planar surface defining separated depression regions, a blade for removing liquid waste from said roller into said bath, and a plurality of tubular structures; wherein each tubular structure has an inlet in one depression region of said wavy non-planar surface and an outlet connectable to a pump system, and wherein at least one of said tubular structures is shaped as a siphon having an apex between said inlet and said outlet that is connectable to said pump system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein said non-planar surface comprises a plurality of oblique segments forming said wavy shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation sensor for generating a signal indicative of said rotation of said roller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system according to claim 3, wherein said rotation sensor comprises a magnetic sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4, wherein said magnetic sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, comprising a housing connectable to the three-dimensional printing system, wherein at least one of said roller and said waste collecting bath is mounted on said housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, further comprising an in-place sensor for generating a signal indicative of a mounting of said bath on said housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein said in-place sensor comprises a mechanical switch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein said in-place sensor comprises an optical sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said roller and said waste collecting bath is detachably mounted on said housing by a quick-release mechanism. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10, wherein said quick-release mechanism is selected from the group consisting of an elastic clip connector and a magnetic connector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A system for three-dimensional printing, comprising: an array of nozzles for dispensing building materials; the leveling system according to claim 1; a pump system connected to said outlets of said tubular structures; and a computerized controller configured for operating at least said array of nozzles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein said pump system comprises at least two separate pumps, each connected to a respective outlet of a different tubular structure, and wherein said controller is configured to individually activate and deactivate each of said pumps. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, comprising a tray for receiving building materials dispensed by said nozzles, wherein a width of a working region of said tray is wider than a length of said array, and wherein a length of said roller is at least said width of said working region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system according to claim 14, wherein said controller is configured to activate and deactivate each of said pumps based on a position of said array relative to said tray. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein said leveling system comprises an in-place sensor for generating a signal indicative of a placement of said bath below said roller, and wherein said controller is configured to receive said signal from said in-place sensor and generate an alert and/or deactivate said nozzles when said bath is not in place. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein said leveling system comprises a rotation sensor for generating a signal indicative of said rotation of said roller, and wherein said controller is configured to receive said signal from said rotation sensor and generate an alert and/or deactivate said nozzles when a rotation speed is zero or below a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the leveling system comprises a housing connected to the three-dimensional printing system, wherein said waste collecting bath is detachably mounted on said housing by a quick-release mechanism. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method of performing maintenance on the system according to claim 18, comprising: detaching said waste collecting bath from said housing; performing at least one maintenance operation on said bath while being detached; and mounting said waste collecting bath on said housing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A method of levelling a layer of building material during three-dimensional printing, the method comprising: engaging a top surface of the layer with the rotatable roller of the leveling system according to claim 1, during relative motion between said roller and said layer, thereby collecting excess building material in said bath; and operating the pump system for removing at least a portion of said excess building material from said bath via at least one of said tubular structures.