G03G2215/1695

Registration and overlay error correction of electrophotographically formed elements in an additive manufacturing system
09919479 · 2018-03-20 · ·

In a method for printing a three-dimensional (3D) parts with an additive manufacturing system, a developed layer of an electrically charged powder material is produced on a transfer medium using an electrophotographic (EP) engine. The transfer medium and the developed layer are fed in a feed direction. A position of the developed layer on the transfer medium is detected using a first sensor having a first output that indicates the position. A position of a moveable build platform is adjusted relative to the transfer medium to reduce one or more overlay errors between the developed layer and an intermediate build surface of a three-dimensional structure retained on the moveable build platform based on the first output. The developed layer is transferred to the intermediate build surface using a pressing element.

Layer transfusion with transfixing for additive manufacturing

An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONSUMABLE MATERIALS FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM
20180046107 · 2018-02-15 ·

A part material for printing three-dimensional parts with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material including a composition having a high-performance thermoplastic material and a charge control agent. The part material is provided in a powder form having a controlled particle size, and is configured for use in the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having a layer transfusion assembly for printing the three-dimensional parts in a layer-by-layer manner.

Layer transfusion for additive manufacturing

An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part.

RECYCLING AND REUSE OF SULFONATED POLYMER MATERIAL IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
20180030234 · 2018-02-01 ·

A method of recycling and reusing a tap water-soluble sulfonated polymer material from a structural component made using an additive manufacturing process comprises dissolving the structural component in water to disperse the sulfonated polymer material into the water. The sulfonated polymer material is precipitated from the water and recovered; then dried and reformed into a form suitable for subsequent use as a consumable feedstock in a subsequent additive manufacturing process.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

An intermediate transfer belt includes a base layer that has ionic conductivity and is a thickest layer out of multiple layers making up the intermediate transfer belt with respect to the thickness direction of the intermediate transfer belt, and an inner layer having electronic conductivity and a lower electrical resistance than the base layer.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING USING DENSITY FEEDBACK CONTROL
20180029300 · 2018-02-01 ·

A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system includes providing a bitslice stack having a plurality of bitslices and printing a plurality of successive layers of the three-dimensional part with the additive manufacturing system based on the bitslices in the bitslice stack. The method includes measuring density of the three-dimensional part under construction near an intermediate build surface after one or more of the successive layers are printed. The method includes determining differences across the intermediate build surface of the measured density to a targeted density to identify one or more density error regions across the intermediate build surface, wherein the density error regions comprise low density regions, and modifying the bitslice stack to compensate for the one or more density error regions.

LIQUID ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING
20180017898 · 2018-01-18 · ·

An example apparatus is provided in accordance with the present disclosure, which may be used for example for liquid electrophotographic printing. The example apparatus comprises a photo imaging plate to receive a liquid colorant image, the liquid colorant comprising a carrier fluid, and to transfer the image to a support, and a rotatable roller to remove carrier fluid from the photo imaging plate and increase the density of solids in the liquid colorant on at least a region of the photo imaging plate, prior to the liquid image being transferred.

Electrophotography-based additive manufacturing with pre-sintering
09868255 · 2018-01-16 · ·

A method and system for printing a three-dimensional part, which includes producing a developed layer of a part material with one or more electrophotography engines of an additive manufacturing system, transferring the developed layer from the one or more electrophotography engines to a transfer assembly of the additive manufacturing system sintering the developed layer at the transfer assembly to produce a sintered contiguous film, cooling the sintered contiguous film down to a transfer temperature, and pressing the cooled sintered contiguous film into contact with an intermediate build surface of the three-dimensional part with a low applied pressure.

LARGE FORMAT ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC 3D PRINTER
20170210070 · 2017-07-27 ·

A three-dimensional part and associated support structure is constructed using an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system. A support layer is developed using a first electrophotography engine, and a part layer is developed using a second electrophotography engine. The developed support and part layers are transferred to a transfer medium and moved into alignment with a tile region of a layer transfusion assembly, where the transferred part and support layers are transfused to previously-printed layers. This process is repeated for a plurality tile regions and for a plurality of layers to construct a three-dimensional part having a footprint larger than a maximum printable area of the first and second electrophotography engines.