Method for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorCharles W. Hull
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for generating three-dimensional objects by creating a cross-sectional pattern of the object to be formed at a selected surface of a fluid medium capable of altering its physical state in response to appropriate synergistic stimulation by impinging radiation, particle bombardment or chemical reaction, successive adjacent laminae, representing corresponding successive adjacent cross-sections of the object, being automatically formed and integrated together to provide a step-wise laminar buildup of the desired object, whereby a three-dimensional object is formed and drawn from a substantially planar surface of the fluid medium during the forming process.
Claims20
A method for producing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of solidification when subjected to synergistic stimulation on substantially a layer by layer basis, comprising the steps of:
- generating cross-sectional data descriptive of spaced cross-sections of the three-dimensional object to be formed;
- forming successive layers of medium to be solidified adjacent to previously formed layers of medium;
- and
- selectively solidifying at least portions of successive layers of medium by dispensing a reactive material onto said portions of the layers of medium to be solidified, wherein a combination comprising the medium and the reactive material result in solidification of the medium, thereby forming the three-dimensional object from a plurality of solidified layers of said medium.
A method for producing at least a portion of a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of solidification when subjected to a material on substantially a layer by layer basis, comprising the steps of:
- generating cross-sectional data descriptive of cross-sections of the three-dimensional object to be formed;
- forming layers of medium to be solidified;
- forming layers of said three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying at least portions of said layers of medium according to said cross-sectional data by dispensing said material onto said portions of said layers of medium;
- and
- adhering said layers of said three-dimensional object together to form said at least portion of said three-dimensional object.
A method for producing at least a portion of a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of solidification when subjected to a material on substantially a layer by layer basis, comprising the steps of:
- generating cross-sectional data descriptive of cross-sections of the three-dimensional object to be formed;
- forming a first layer of medium to be solidified;
- forming a first cross-section of said three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying at least a portion of said first layer of medium, according to said cross-sectional data, by dispensing said material onto said portion of said first layer of medium;
- forming a second layer of medium adjacent to said first cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
- forming a second cross-section of said three-dimensional object and adhering said second cross-section to said first cross-section by selectively solidifying at least a portion of said second layer of medium, according to said cross-sectional data, by dispensing said material onto said portion of said second layer of medium, whereby said at least portion of said three-dimensional object is formed from a plurality of formed and adhered cross-sections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.