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US 8,282,380 B2Granted
Automated 3D build processes
AssigneeMakerBot Industries, LLC
InventorsCharles Pax, Zach Smith, Adam Mayer, Nathaniel Pettis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor or other transport mechanism is provided to support multiple, sequential builds from a three-dimensional fabrication machine. The conveyor may be heated/cooled, coated, or otherwise treated to assist in adhesion during a build, as well as removal of objects after a build. Each fabricated object may be automatically removed from the conveyor as the conveyor moves in order to restore a buildable surface for fabrication of additional objects.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a build platform including a surface that is rigid and substantially planar;
- a conveyor formed of a sheet of material that moves in a path passing through a working volume proximal to the surface of the build platform, thereby providing a working surface on the sheet of material within the working volume, the conveyor including a motor to move the sheet along the path;
- an extruder including a chamber to receive a build material and an extrusion tip that extrudes the build material at a controlled volumetric rate;
- a x-y-z positioning assembly adapted to three-dimensionally position the extrusion tip within the working volume, wherein the conveyor is coupled to and moves with the build platform relative to the x-y-z positioning assembly;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled to each of the build platform, the conveyor, the extruder, and the x-y-z positioning assembly, the controller operable to control the build platform, the conveyor, the extruder, and the x-y-z positioning assembly to fabricate an object in three-dimensions from the build material.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a build platform including a surface that is rigid and substantially planar;
- a conveyor formed of a sheet of material that moves in a path passing through a working volume proximal to the surface of the build platform, thereby providing a working surface on the sheet of material within the working volume, the conveyor including a motor to move the sheet along the path;
- an extruder including a chamber to receive a build material and an extrusion tip that extrudes the build material at a controlled volumetric rate;
- a x-y-z positioning assembly adapted to three-dimensionally position the extrusion tip within the working volume, wherein the conveyer is attached to and moves with at least one of an x-axis stage, a y-axis stage, and a z-axis stage of the x-y-z positioning assembly;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled to each of the build platform, the conveyor, the extruder, and the x-y-z positioning assembly, the controller operable to control the build platform, the conveyor, the extruder, and the x-y-z positioning assembly to fabricate an object in three-dimensions from the build material.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.