Stereolithography method and apparatus employing various penetration depths

An improved stereolithography method for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-section of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising the steps of:

• curing at least a portion of a first layer of the three-dimensional object, said portion being cured using a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth;
• and
• curing said portion of the first layer using a second exposure of synergistic stimulation having a second penetration depth wherein the second penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.

An improved stereolithographic method for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising the steps of:

• curing at least a portion of a first layer of a three-dimensional object, said portion being cured using at least a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth wherein said first exposure causes a depth of cure of the portion to be less than a cure depth required to cause sufficient adhesion to cause curl distortion;
• and
• curing said portion of the first layer using at least one additional exposure of synergistic stimulation having at least one additional penetration depth wherein an additional exposure insures adhesion of said portion of said first layer to a previously cured layer and wherein an additional penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.

An improved stereolithographic method for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising the steps of:

• curing at least a portion of a first layer of a three-dimensional object, having a layer thickness, said portion being cured using a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth which causes a depth of cure of the portion to be less than the layer thickness;
• and
• curing said portion of the first layer using at least one additional exposure of synergistic stimulation having at least one additional penetration depth wherein the additional exposure results in a cure depth greater than the layer thickness and wherein an additional penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.

An improved stereolithographic method for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising the steps of:

• curing at least a portion of a first layer of a three-dimensional object, said portion being cured using a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth wherein said exposure causes the depth of cure of the portion to be less than that required to cause adhesion between the portion of the first layer and a previously cured layer;
• and
• curing said portion of the first layer using an additional exposure of synergistic stimulation having a second penetration depth wherein the additional exposure insures adhesion of said portion of said first layer to the previously cured layer and wherein the second penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.

An improved stereolithography apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising:

• means for curing at least a portion of a first layer of a three-dimensional object, said portion being cured using a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth;
• and
• means for curing said portion of the first layer using at least a second exposure of synergistic stimulation having a second penetration depth wherein the first and second penetration depths are different.

An improved stereolithographic apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising:

• means for curing at least a portion of a first layer of the three-dimensional object, said portion being cured using a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth;
• and
• means for curing said portion of the first layer using a second exposure of synergistic stimulation having a second penetration depth wherein the second penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.

An improved stereolithographic apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising:

• means for curing at least a portion of a first layer of a three-dimensional object, said portion being cured using at least a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth wherein said first exposure causes a depth of cure of the portion to be less than a cure depth required to cause sufficient adhesion to cause curl distortion;
• and
• means for curing said portion of the first layer using at least one additional exposure of synergistic stimulation having at least one additional penetration depth wherein an additional exposure insures adhesion of said portion of said first layer to a previously cured layer and wherein an additional penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.

An improved stereolithographic apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising:

• means for curing at least a portion of a first layer of a three-dimensional object, having a layer thickness, said portion being cured using a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth which causes a depth of cure of the portion to be less than the layer thickness;
• and
• means for curing said portion of the first layer using at least one additional exposure of synergistic stimulation having at least one additional penetration depth wherein an additional exposure results in a cure depth greater than the layer thickness and wherein an additional penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.

An improved stereolithographic apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by forming layers of material curable in response to synergistic stimulation adjacent to previously formed layers of material and successively curing the layers of material by exposing the layers of material to a pattern of synergistic stimulation corresponding to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, the improvement comprising:

• means for curing at least a portion of a first layer of a three-dimensional object, said portion being curing using a first exposure of synergistic stimulation having a first penetration depth wherein said exposure causes the depth of cure of the portion to be less than that required to cause adhesion between the portion of the first layer and a previously cured layer;
• and
• means for curing said portion of the first layer using an additional exposure of synergistic stimulation having a second penetration depth wherein the additional exposure insures adhesion of said portion of said first layer to the previously cured layer and wherein the second penetration depth is greater than the first penetration depth.