Stereolithography Systems and Methods Using Internal Laser Modulation
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorGuthrie Cooper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Stereolithography systems (10) and methods using internal laser modulation are disclosed. The system includes an internally modulated diode-pumped frequency-multiplied solid-state (DPFMSS) laser 40. There is no external modulation system (EMS) within an external optical path (OPE) between the laser and a scanning system (80). The scanning system directs a laser beam (72) with laser pulses (72P) to a focus position (FP) on surface (23) of a build material (22) to form bullets (25) therein to define a build layer (30) based on build instructions for forming a three-dimensional object (32).
Claims12
A method of forming a three-dimensional object from a build material using a diode-pumped frequency-multiplied solid-state (DPFMSS) laser having a Q-switch and a laser diode assembly, the method comprising:
- controlling the DPFMSS laser by internal modulation using either pulse-width modulation of the Q-switch or current modulation of the laser diode assembly, to generate a laser beam comprising laser pulses having a select energy that define a laser beam power, the select energy being based on build instructions for building the three-dimensional object;
- directing the laser beam from the laser to a scanning system over an external optical path without performing external modulation within the external optical path;
- using the scanning system, directing the laser beam to a focus position on the build material to form bullets therein to define a build layer based on the build instructions;
- and
- repeating the build layer formation to form the three-dimensional object from the build material while adjusting the laser beam power and the focus position to correct for variations in the laser beam power and the focus position.
A stereolithography system for forming a three-dimensional object from a build material, comprising:
- a diode-pumped frequency-multiplied solid-state (DPFMSS) laser having a Q-switch and a laser diode assembly and configured to generate a laser beam having laser pulses;
- a controller having build instructions for building the three-dimensional object, wherein the build instructions define select amounts of energy in the laser pulses, the controller being configured to cause the DPFMSS laser to operate in a current modulation mode to provide the select amounts of energy to the laser pulses;
- a scanning system arranged to receive the laser beam from the DPFMSS laser over an external optical path that does not include an external modulation system, the scanning system configured to direct the laser beam to a focus position on the build material to form bullets therein to define a build layer based on the build instructions;
- a laser power meter configured to measure an amount of power in the laser beam and provide an electrical signal to the controller representative of the amount of laser beam power, the controller being configured to adjust an amount of current provided to the laser diode assembly to adjust for a variation in the laser beam power.
A stereolithography system for forming a three-dimensional object from a build material, comprising:
- a diode-pumped frequency-multiplied solid-state (DPFMSS) laser having a Q-switch and a laser diode assembly and configured to generate a laser beam having laser pulses;
- a controller having build instructions for building the three-dimensional object, wherein the build instructions define select amounts of energy in the laser pulses, the controller being configured to cause the DPFMSS laser to operate in a pulse-width modulation mode to provide the select amounts of energy to the laser pulses;
- and
- a scanning system arranged to receive the laser beam from the DPFMSS laser over an external optical path that does not include an external modulation system, the scanning system configured to direct the laser beam to a focus position on the build material to form bullets therein to define a build layer based on the build instructions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.