A method, of manufacturing a series of objects is disclosed. In the method, a layer of a manufacturing medium is provided. Portions of the layer of the medium, are bond together at at least edge regions of the layer to form a support portion. The support portion is lowered while gripping the support portion by the edge regions of the layer. A further layer of the medium is provided supported by the support portion. Portions of the further layer of the medium are selectively bound to form at least an object portion. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

A method, of manufacturing a series of objects is disclosed. In the method, a layer of a manufacturing medium is provided. Portions of the layer of the medium, are bond together at at least edge regions of the layer to form a support portion. The support portion is lowered while gripping the support portion by the edge regions of the layer. A further layer of the medium is provided supported by the support portion. Portions of the further layer of the medium are selectively bound to form at least an object portion. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Provided is a method of recycling an additively manufactured object into a reusable thermoplastic polymer, which method in some embodiments may include: (a) providing at least one additively manufactured object produced by stereolithography from a dual cure resin, the object comprising (i) a light polymerized polymer, and (ii) a heat polymerized polymer intermixed with said light polymerized polymer; (b) comminuting the object to produce a particulate material therefrom; (c) contacting the particulate material to a polar, aprotic solvent for a time and at a temperature sufficient to extract the heat polymerized polymer from the particulate material into said solvent, leaving residual particulate material comprising said light polymerized polymer in solid form; (d) separating the residual particulate material from said solvent; and then (e) separating the heat polymerized polymer from said solvent to provide a reusable thermoplastic polymer material in solid form.

An in-situ material regeneration method and system are provided that enable recovery, reconditioning and reuse of used build materials, including removed powder and removed liquids, thus increasing material utilization efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.

An in-situ material regeneration method and system are provided that enable recovery, reconditioning and reuse of used build materials, including removed powder and removed liquids, thus increasing material utilization efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.

An additive manufacturing device includes a recoater configured to push powder onto a build platform. The recoater defines an advancing direction for pushing powder. A first baffle is mounted to a first end of a leading edge of the recoater and a second baffle mounted to a second end of the leading edge of the recoater opposite the first end. Each of the first and second baffles includes a base mounted to the recoater, a first wall that extends obliquely ahead of and laterally outward from the base relative to the advancing direction, and a second wall opposite the first wall. The second wall extends obliquely ahead of and laterally inward from the base relative to the advancing direction. A volume is defined between the first and second wall with capacity to collect powder as the recoater advances.

A method of printing one or more three-dimensional objects comprises: providing a volume of a photopolymerizable liquid in a closed container including an entry port and an exit port, the entry port and the exit port being connected by a channel therebetween, the container including at least one printing zone comprising at least an optically transparent window to facilitate irradiating excitation light at a first wavelength into a printing zone through the at least an optically transparent window, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid displays non-Newtonian rheological behavior such that the object formed in the photopolymerizable liquid within the printing zone remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, directing the excitation light through the at least an optically transparent window into the printing zone to selectively photopolymerize the photopolymerizable liquid in the printing zone without support structures to form a printed object, wherein the printed object remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, and applying pressure to the contents of the closed container and/or pumping additional photopolymerizable liquid into the closed container through the entry port to at least transport the printed object out of the printing zone toward the exit port, thereby discharging at least a portion of contents of the closed container out of the closed container through the exit port. Systems for printing one or more three-dimensional objects are also disclosed.

A method of printing one or more three-dimensional objects comprises: providing a volume of a photopolymerizable liquid in a closed container including an entry port and an exit port, the entry port and the exit port being connected by a channel therebetween, the container including at least one printing zone comprising at least an optically transparent window to facilitate irradiating excitation light at a first wavelength into a printing zone through the at least an optically transparent window, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid displays non-Newtonian rheological behavior such that the object formed in the photopolymerizable liquid within the printing zone remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, directing the excitation light through the at least an optically transparent window into the printing zone to selectively photopolymerize the photopolymerizable liquid in the printing zone without support structures to form a printed object, wherein the printed object remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, and applying pressure to the contents of the closed container and/or pumping additional photopolymerizable liquid into the closed container through the entry port to at least transport the printed object out of the printing zone toward the exit port, thereby discharging at least a portion of contents of the closed container out of the closed container through the exit port. Systems for printing one or more three-dimensional objects are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for the fabrication of solid three-dimensional objects from liquid polymerizable materials at high resolution. A material is coated on a film non-digitally, excess material is removed digitally, by laser, leaving an image of a layer to be printed, and the image is then engaged with existing portions of an object being fabricated and exposed to a non-digital UV curing light source. Since the only part of the process that is digital is the material removal, and this part is done by laser, the speed of printing and the robustness of the manufacturing process is improved significantly over conventional additive or 3D fabrication techniques.

Methods and apparatus for the fabrication of solid three-dimensional objects from liquid polymerizable materials at high resolution. A material is coated on a film non-digitally, excess material is removed digitally, by laser, leaving an image of a layer to be printed, and the image is then engaged with existing portions of an object being fabricated and exposed to a non-digital UV curing light source. Since the only part of the process that is digital is the material removal, and this part is done by laser, the speed of printing and the robustness of the manufacturing process is improved significantly over conventional additive or 3D fabrication techniques.