Stereolithography System with Parallel Processing Between Layer Formation and Selective Curing

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) article comprising:

• providing a 3D printing system including:
• a vessel configured to contain a photocurable resin;
• a coating subsystem including a coater blade;
• a build plate coupled to a vertical movement mechanism;
• and
• an imaging system configured to selectively imager the photocurable resin over a build plane;
• operating the vertical movement mechanism to position an upper surface of the build plate or 3D article at the build plane;
• translating a lower edge of the coater blade over the build plane along a scan direction;
• and
• concurrent with translating the lower edge of the coater blade, operating the imaging system to selectively image the build plane while maintaining an exclusion zone that includes a digital shadow that translates with the coater blade, the digital shadow includes an area of the coater blade and a fluidic wake area that follows the coater blade.

A non-transient storage medium storing software instructions for controlling a three-dimensional (3D) printing system, the 3D printing system including:

• a vessel configured to contain a photocurable resin;
• a coating subsystem including a coater blade;
• a build plate coupled to a vertical movement mechanism;
• and
• an imaging system configured to selectively imager the photocurable resin over a build plane;
• in response to execution by a processor, the software instructions are configured to:
• operate the vertical movement mechanism to position an upper surface of the build plate or 3D article at the build plane;
• translate a lower edge of the coater blade over the build plane along a scan direction;
• and
• concurrent with translating the lower edge of the coater blade, operate the imaging system to selectively image the build plane while maintaining an exclusion zone that includes a digital shadow that translates with the coater blade, the digital shadow includes an area of the coater blade and a fluidic wake area that follows the coater blade.