Apparatus and method for three-dimensional printing

A three-dimensional printer adapted to utilize a high-viscosity photosensitive material, comprising:

• a printing platform configured to hold solidified layers of a three-dimensional object printed by the three-dimensional printer;
• a rotating tank assembly configured to contain a photosensitive material;
• a scraper assembly configured to scrape a layer of the photosensitive material on a transparent surface of the rotating tank assembly, the scraper assembly including a scraper blade arranged over the surface of the tank assembly to scrape the photosensitive material during a rotation of the tank assembly;
• and
• a control module in communication with the printing platform, the rotating tank assembly, and an exposure mechanism, the control module configured to illuminate the layer of the photosensitive material scraped on the transparent surface of the rotating tank assembly in accordance with a geometric profile of the three-dimensional object.

A method performed by a three-dimensional (3D) printer adapted to utilize a high-viscosity photosensitive material, comprising:

• scraping a layer of a photosensitive material on to a transparent surface of a rotating tank assembly of the 3D printer;
• rotating the tank assembly so that at least a portion of the layer of the photosensitive material scraped on to the transparent surface of the rotating tank assembly is exposed to an exposure mechanism of the 3D printer;
• and
• illuminate the layer of the photosensitive material to create a solidified layer cured onto a printing platform of the 3D printer, wherein the solidified layer includes a profile in accordance with a geometric profile of a 3D object being printed by the 3D printer.