Large array stereolithography with efficient optical path
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorsRobert W. Beauchamp, Ning Zheng, James Francis Smith, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A three-dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel containing resin, an imaging bar, a movement mechanism coupled to the imaging bar, and a controller. The imaging bar includes an arrangement of light emitting devices that selectively emit radiation from an exit surface of the imaging bar to define a build plane in the resin. The exit surface of the imaging bar is preferably less than 10 millimeters from the build plane. The controller is configured to scan the imaging bar along a scan axis and, concurrent with scanning, operate the imaging bar to selectively image a layer of resin at the build plane.
Claims18
A three-dimensional printing system comprising:
- a resin vessel containing resin;
- an imaging bar including an arrangement of light emitting devices that selectively emit radiation from an exit surface of the imaging bar to define a build plane in the resin, the exit surface of the imaging bar is less than 10 millimeters from the build plane;
- a movement mechanism coupled to the imaging bar;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- scan the imaging bar along a scan axis;
- and
- concurrent with scanning, operate the imaging bar to selectively image and harden a layer of resin at the build plane.
A three-dimensional printing system comprising:
- a resin vessel containing resin;
- an imaging bar including:
- a substrate including a plurality of light emitting devices arranged along an array axis;
- a collimation layer overlying the substrate that defines a plurality of collimators that individually align with the light emitting devices;
- a lenslet layer that overlies the collimation layer having a plurality of lenslets that individually align with the collimators to focus light upon an image plane within the resin;
- and
- an aperture plate that overlies the lenslet layer having a mask that defines a plurality of apertures that individually align with the lenslets;
- a movement mechanism coupled to the imaging bar;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- scan the imaging bar along a scan axis;
- and
- concurrent with scanning, operate the imaging bar to selectively image a layer of resin at the build plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.