US 9,919,360 B2 · Accurate three-dimensional printing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A system for three-dimensional printing of at least one three-dimensional object comprising:

an energy source that is configured to generate an energy beam directed to a target surface, which energy beam transforms a pre-transformed material into a transformed material as part of the at least one three-dimensional object, which energy beam optionally causes a fraction of the transformed material to separate from the target surface;
a detector that is configured to detect a temperature at a position of the target surface, wherein the detector is operatively coupled to the target surface;
and
at least one controller that is operatively coupled to the energy source and to the detector, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to:
(i) direct the energy beam to irradiate the pre-transformed material;
(ii) use the detector to detect a temperature at the position;
(iii) evaluate a deviation between the temperature and a target temperature profile;
and (iv) based at least in part on the deviation, control at least one characteristic of the energy beam to alter an amount of the fraction that separates from the target surface.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Accurate three-dimensional printing

Life of this patent

Accurate three-dimensional printing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37