# US 2014/0191439 A1 · Continuous Feed 3D Manufacturing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191439 A1 - Document ID: US20140191439A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/145,423 - Filed: 2013-12-31 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: New York University - Applicants: New York University - Inventors: Michael Davis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191439A1 ## CPC - B29C 41/22: Making multilayered or multicoloured articles - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B29C 64/00: 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 - B29C 64/227: Driving means - B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) - 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 Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus adapted for the free-form manufacture of complex systems using multiple three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques using multiple materials on a continuously rotating disk with a flat surface in combination with the continuous increasing of distance between the material(s) source(s) and the build surface so as to allow for the continuous feed manufacturing of 3D Objects and complex systems. The continuous rotation of the build platform in combination with the continuous z-axis motion of the build platform results in the deposit of a continuously forming helically shaped layer that folds back onto previously deposited sections of the helix and thereby forms a 3D object or system of objects. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for the forming of three-dimensional objects, comprising: a build chamber; a rotatable build deck disposed within the build chamber; at least one material deposition system; and the rotatable build deck movable along a z-axis perpendicular to a x-y plane of rotation of the rotatable build deck; wherein the material deposition system is configured to deposit material or materials on a build surface upon which a fresh layer or layers of material is deposited while simultaneously rotating the flat disk surface while simultaneously displacing the flat disk surface in a continuous or near continuous motion away from the material sources along the axis of rotation of the build surface; thereby forming three-dimensional objects by way of continuous helical shaped layer or layers of deposited material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the build chamber includes a cured product region, a build region, and an auxiliary process region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the build chamber encloses a build envelop, wherein material or materials are deposited onto the build surface comprising one of a moving helical surface or a pre-processing surface which then feeds the processed layer onto the moving helical surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the build chamber includes a plurality of build envelops. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the build deck comprises a build surface having a flat disk shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the build deck comprises a build surface having a helical shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the build surface comprises the helical shaped surface of the build deck. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one material deposition system consists of at least one material dispensing mechanism selected from the group consisting of powders, liquids, aerosols, liquefied solids, and liquefied gases. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the build chamber is open-ended an open-ended build chamber where material is deposited from the “top” and finished product is removed from the “bottom”. The cured product region contains product that has completed the build process and will soon exit through the bottom of the build chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus in claim 1 contains a rotating circular region which is implemented by way of a build container. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a device comprising, depositing a material or materials onto a rotatable build deck, the rotatable build deck allowing for movement along an x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis in three-dimensional space; rotating the build deck about the z-axis; and positioning the build deck along the z-axis; wherein a helical build surface is created. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising defining a build container, the rotatable build deck disposed within the build container and the material deposited within the build container. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising creation of one or more build envelopes that extend from outside of the rotating build deck into the build chamber in a volume of space that is just above the build surface and is in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11 further comprising providing a container with a movable bottom that serves as an initial build surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 further comprising forming the build container. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein forming the build container comprises forming the build container from a second material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 further comprising removing a completed build from the build container without stopping deposition of the material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11 to install an empty build container and to restart the build process once the build surface has been raised into the build chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) A method according to claim 13 which consists of starting the next build process while manufacturing a new build container. ### Claim 20 (depends on 7) A method in combination with claim 7 that will allow externally manufactured parts to be included in the build process. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) A method of digitally slicing an object to be manufactured into a continuous multi-threaded helical spiral that contains all of the information required to manufacture the object in accordance with claim 11. ### Claim 22 A nontransitory computer-readable memory having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising: instructions for depositing a material onto a rotatable build deck, the rotatable build deck allowing for movement along an x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis in three-dimensional space; instructions for rotating the build deck about the z-axis; and instructions for positioning the build deck along the z-axis; wherein a helical build surface is created.