3D Printing Method and Apparatus
AssigneeAurora Labs Ltd.
InventorsDavid Budge, John Nathan Henry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printing apparatus is for printing a three-dimensional object having an operative surface; a plurality of supply hoppers for dispensing powder, the powder being adapted to be melted by an energy beam, wherein the supply hoppers are configured to form a plurality of vertically-aligned powder beds adjacent to one another on the operative surface simultaneously; and an energy source for emitting an energy beam onto each powder bed simultaneously to melt or fuse a topmost layer of the powder bed onto an underlying powder bed layer or substrate.
Claims19
A printing apparatus for printing a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- an operative surface;
- a plurality of supply hoppers for dispensing powder, the powder being adapted to be melted by an energy beam, wherein the supply hoppers are configured to form a plurality of vertically-aligned powder beds adjacent to one another on the operative surface simultaneously;
- and
- an energy source for emitting an energy beam onto each powder bed simultaneously to melt or fuse a topmost layer of the powder bed onto an underlying powder bed layer or substrate.
A method for printing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:
- a. dispensing powder onto an operative surface such that a plurality of powder beds are formed simultaneously on the operative surface adjacent to one another;
- b. emitting an energy beam onto each powder bed simultaneously to melt or fuse a topmost layer of the powder bed onto an underlying layer or substrate and form part of the three-dimensional object;
- and
- c. repeating the steps above until the three-dimensional object is completely formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.