Method for manufacturing low modulus articles

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) article comprising:

• providing a 3D printing system including:
• a rigid base;
• a support beam extending upward from the rigid base;
• an elevator configured for vertical translation along the support beam, the elevator including:
• a lower support slidingly coupled to the support beam and having an upper surface including an elevator actuator extending upward;
• and
• an upper support with a lower surface including a datum surface engaged with the actuator;
• a vertical movement mechanism coupled to the elevator;
• a build platform including a support plate above and coupled to a build plate, the build plate having a lower surface;
• an imaging module further including:
• a light engine configured to project pixelated light upward;
• and
• a distance sensor;
• loading the support plate onto an upper surface of the upper support of the elevator;
• operating the vertical movement mechanism to lower the lower surface of the build plate into proximity with the distance sensor;
• scanning the imaging module along at least one lateral axis;
• concurrent with scanning the distance sensor, receiving a signal from the distance sensor indicative of a plurality of vertical locations along the lateral axis of the lower surface of the build platform;
• computing an inclination of the lower surface of the build platform based upon the signal from the distance sensor;
• and
• operating the elevator actuator to level the lower surface of the build plate.

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) article comprising:

• providing a 3D printing system including:
• a rigid base having a plurality of base actuators;
• an elevator configured for translation along a vertical axis, the elevator including an elevator actuator;
• a vertical movement mechanism coupled to the elevator;
• a build platform including a build plate having a lower surface;
• and
• an imaging module further including:
• a light engine configured to project pixelated light upward;
• and
• a distance sensor;
• a build vessel having a lower end with a transparent plate;
• loading the build platform onto the elevator;
• operating the vertical movement mechanism to lower the lower surface of the build platform into proximity with the distance sensor;
• scanning the imaging module along at least one lateral axis;
• concurrent with scanning the distance sensor, receiving a signal from the distance sensor indicative of a plurality of vertical locations along the lateral axis of the lower surface of the build plate;
• computing an inclination of the lower surface of the build plate based upon the signal from the distance sensor;
• operating the elevator actuator to level the lower surface of the build plate;
• loading the build vessel onto the rigid base;
• scanning the imaging module along at least one lateral axis;
• concurrent with scanning the distance sensor, receiving a signal from the distance sensor indicative of a plurality of vertical locations along the lateral axis of a surface of the transparent plate of build vessel;
• and
• operating the plurality of base actuators to adjust a height and orientation of the surface of the transparent plate of the build vessel.