Additive Manufacturing Device With Sliding Plate and Peeling Film
AssigneeB9Creations, LLC
InventorMichael Joyce
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Abstract
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which facilitate reduction of separation forces in additive manufacturing devices, thereby enabling creation of higher resolution parts. In an aspect, an additive manufacturing device utilizing a photopolymer comprises a vat holding photocurable resin, a build platform movable in a vertical direction and an image source which selectively projects part cross sections into the vat in order to polymerize the resin and form a part in a layer-wise fashion. The image area of the vat is formed by a transparent film, such as Teflon FEP film, stretched under tension. A horizontally slideable shutter is slideable between the film and the imager, providing support for the film when needed.
Claims20
An additive manufacturing device, the device comprising:
- a vat to hold a photocurable resin, the vat having a bottom portion including a tensioned film, the tensioned film including an image area;
- a build platform movable relative to the vat;
- an imager to selectively project curing energy into the vat at the image area to polymerize the resin and form a part in a layer-wise fashion;
- a slideable shutter located adjacent to the bottom portion;
- and
- a friction reducing element positioned between the bottom portion and the shutter and applied to the bottom portion by movement of the shutter.
An additive manufacturing device utilizing a photopolymer comprising:
- a vat holding photocurable resin with an image area formed by a transparent film stretched under tension;
- a build platform movable in a vertical direction above the image area;
- an image source which selectively projects light into the vat in order to polymerize the resin and form a part in a layer-wise fashion;
- and
- a horizontally slideable shutter adjacent to the film and located between the film and the imager to provide support to the film when needed during additive manufacturing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.