Methods for photo-curing photo-sensitive material for printing and other applications
AssigneeNexa3D Inc.
InventorIzhar Medalsy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for forming objects through photo-curing of a liquid resin in a tank by selective exposure (through a mask) to radiation, in which during printing operations the liquid resin in the tank is displaced relative to the build area along an axis orthogonal to that along which the object is extracted from the liquid resin in the tank. A volume of the photo-curing liquid resin may be cycled through a cooling arrangement by being extracted from the tank, cooled, and then reintroduced into the tank as printing of the object is taking place. The mask is preferably one in which charged colorant particles are dispersed in an optically transparent fluid within a plurality of bi-state cells.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- controlling a light source and a mask so as to form a first layer of photo-cured liquid resin of an object, the object located within a tank containing a photo-curing liquid resin, the tank including a tank opening, and the tank opening sealed by a radiation-transparent flexible member;
- controlling a height adjustor so as to displace the object, along a first axis, with respect to a first surface of the radiation-transparent flexible membrane facing into the tank;
- controlling the light source and the mask so as to form a second layer of photo-cured liquid resin of the object;
- and
- controlling a pumping arrangement to circulate a volume of the photo-curing liquid resin through the tank while forming said first and second layers of photo-cured liquid resin of the object such that the photo-curing liquid resin is introduced into the tank through a first sidewall opening and is extracted from the tank through a second sidewall opening distinct from the first sidewall opening,
- wherein the first sidewall opening and the second sidewall opening are located on opposite lateral sides of the tank defining a shortest lateral dimension of the tank, and
- wherein the pumping arrangement is configured to circulate the volume of the photo-curing liquid resin across the shortest lateral dimension of the tank and in a direction orthogonal to the first axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.