The present invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional object comprising the following operations: a. introducing a composition (11) into a polymerization vessel (9), b. polymerizing the composition (11) by multiphoton photopolymerization, at predetermined locations, in order to produce the three-dimensional object (3), the composition (11) comprising at least one monomer, at least one filler and at least one photoinitiator, —characterized in that: the difference between the refractive indices of the monomer and of the filler present is less than 0.05; —the viscosity of the composition (11) is greater than or equal to 0.05 Pa.Math.s; —the composition (11) is transparent to the photopolymerization wavelength.

A device performs laser-assisted processing of a material adhering to a substrate or of a substrate associated or substrate-free body or of its surface. The device has a positioning system enabling three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom and having a sample holder. The sample holder holds the substrate to which the material to be processed adheres or to which the body to be processed is associated or, in the absence of a substrate, the body to be processed. The device has a laser source emitting laser pulses and focusing optics which shape the laser pulses such that they impinge in a focal point or a focal volume in the region of the material or body to be processed in such a way that a two-photon or multi-photon polymerization takes place.

A method of making a three-dimensional object is carried out by: (a) providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, the carrier and the build surface defining a build region therebetween, the optically transparent member carrying a polymerizable liquid; (b) advancing the carrier and the optically transparent member away from one another to draw the polymerizable liquid into the build region; then (c) optionally, partially retracting the carrier and the optically transparent member back towards one another; and then (d) irradiating the build region with light to form a growing three-dimensional object from the polymerizable liquid; and then (e) cyclically repeating steps (b) to (d) while maintaining a continuous liquid interface between the growing three-dimensional object and the optically transparent member until at least a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed, while during at least some of the cyclically repeatings: (i) monitoring a transient increase in tension between the carrier and the build surface through the growing three-dimensional object during the advancing step (b), and optionally monitoring a transient increase in compression between the carrier and the build surface through the growing three dimensional object during the partially retracting step (c); and then, when the transient increase in tension has substantially subsided, (ii) initiating the partially retracting step (c) when present, or initiating the irradiating step (d).

Systems, methods, components, and materials are disclosed for stereolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional, dense objects. A resin including at least one component of a binder system and dispersed particles can be exposed to an activation light source. The activation light source can cure the at least one component of the binder system to form a green object, which can include the at least one component of the binder system and the particles. A dense object can be formed from the green object by removing the at least one component of the binder system in an extraction process and thermally processing particles to coalesce into the dense object.

An exposure optics serves as an equipping and/or retrofitting optics for a device for producing a three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying building material, layer by layer. The exposure optics includes at least a first object-sided lens system having a first focal length f.sub.1 and a second image-sided lens system having a second focal length f.sub.2, which lens systems can be arranged in the beam path of the radiation emitted by the radiation source. The focal plane of the first lens system and the focal plane of the second lens system coincide in a plane between the two lens systems. The focal length f.sub.1 of the first lens system is equal to or greater than the focal length f.sub.2 of the second lens system. The exposure optics is designed and can be arranged such that the electromagnetic radiation is incident substantially perpendicular on the working surface.

A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a fluid spill containment vessel, and a light engine. The support plate is affixed to the vertical support at a proximal end. The support plate has an inner surface defining a first central opening. The resin vessel is supported above the support plate and has an inner edges surrounding a second central opening. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that closes the second central opening. The fluid spill containment vessel is supported below the support plate and includes a transparent window. The light engine is supported below the fluid spill containment vessel. The first central opening, the second central opening, and the window laterally overlap to provide an optical path whereby the light engine can project light upwardly to a build plane in the resin vessel.

An aperture system for a bottom-up stereolithography device including a reservoir having a lower opening, an aperture including a flexible membrane positioned within the reservoir and covering the lower opening, and a boundary seal positioned around a periphery of the flexible membrane, the boundary seal including one or more boundary seal components and immobilizing the periphery of the flexible membrane against the reservoir. The flexible membrane is formed of a material having a low affinity for a liquid resin used in the stereolithography device as well as cured photopolymer resin parts produced by the device. In addition, the flexible membrane is able to deform as the cured resin part is pulled away from the aperture, thus enabling lower energy mixed mode adhesive failure to occur at the interface between the cured resin and the aperture and reducing the chance of cohesive damage to the cured photopolymer part.

This invention describes a method for making a three dimensional (3D) image by additive manufacturing using, as a light source, an off-the-shelf visual display screen. The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out said methods.

A photopolymerizable composition comprises at least a polymerizable resin, a photosensitizer, an annihilator, and a photoinitiator. The photosensitizer is formulated to absorb an excitation light signal received in a first range of wavelengths. The annihilator is formulated to emit a light signal in a second range of wavelengths different from the first. During the absorption of light by the photosensitizer in the first range of wavelengths, the annihilator emits a light signal in the second range, a photon energy of the emitted light signal being greater than a photon energy of the light signal received by the photosensitizer. The annihilator is also formulated to implement an energy transfer mechanism to excite the photoinitiator for polymerization of the resin. The excited photoinitiator is formulated to generate at least one polymerizable initiator to cause the polymerization reaction. Related methods, such as three-dimensional printing methods, and materials are also disclosed.

A photopolymer development resin base is available for use with additive manufacturing units (for example, various three-dimensional printers) to create three-dimensional (3D) printed structures. In some embodiments, the resin formula can include a monomer, oligomer, diluent, photo initiator, deflocculents, wetting agents, and dispersants, with a limit on any photo-blockers, if present at all. The photopolymer development resin base functions as a binder precursor material with the capacity to accept solid powders or liquids for UV printing, which is not configured to print “as is.”