A 3-dimensional object-forming apparatus is provided which may avoid lowering of irradiation efficiency of laser light due to fumes and so forth while avoiding lowering of quality of the formed object. A shroud 20 includes an inside partition wall portion 21 that demarcates an inside space S.sub.1 which extends from one end opening 202 to another end opening 206, and an outside partition wall portion 22 that opens in the other end opening 206 of a shroud 20 on an outside of the inside space S.sub.1 and demarcates, together with the inside partition wall portion 21, an outside space S.sub.2 which closes in a position closer to the one end opening 202 than the other end opening 206 of the shroud. A ventilation area of the inside space S.sub.1 in the other end opening 206 of the shroud 20 is larger than the ventilation area of the inside space S.sub.1 in an upstream portion closer to the one end opening 202 than the other end opening 206.

Systems and methods for volumetric microlithography are described, wherein the method may include receiving a data representation of a 3D target structure and determining a plurality of planes in a volume of a photosensitive medium or in a build volume, each plane of the plurality of planes associated with a respective depth of a plurality of depths in the build volume, the plurality of depths being defined along an optical axis of an exposure system. Each plane may correspond to a possible position of a focal plane of the exposure system. Preferably, the depths in the plurality of depths are mutually different. The photosensitive medium may include an activation compound for initiating a chemical reaction in the photosensitive medium, the activation compound being activatable by light of a first wavelength. In an embodiment, the photosensitive medium may further include an inhibition compound for inhibiting the chemical reaction in the photosensitive medium, the inhibition compound being activatable by light of a second wavelength, different from the first 216 wavelength. The method may also comprise computing, based on a shape of the 3D target structure and, preferably, properties of the photosensitive medium, a sequence of exposure images, where each exposure image of the sequence of exposure images is associated with a plane of the plurality of planes in the build volume. Each exposure image may be associated with light of the first wave-length and/or light of the second wavelength. In an embodiment, the light may be intensity modulated light. The method may further comprise, for each focal plane of the plurality of planes, controlling the exposure system to position a focal plane of the exposure system at the depth in the build volume associated with the respective plane and to illuminate the build volume with the exposure image associated with the respective plane.

Systems and methods for volumetric microlithography are described, wherein the method may include receiving a data representation of a 3D target structure and determining a plurality of planes in a volume of a photosensitive medium or in a build volume, each plane of the plurality of planes associated with a respective depth of a plurality of depths in the build volume, the plurality of depths being defined along an optical axis of an exposure system. Each plane may correspond to a possible position of a focal plane of the exposure system. Preferably, the depths in the plurality of depths are mutually different. The photosensitive medium may include an activation compound for initiating a chemical reaction in the photosensitive medium, the activation compound being activatable by light of a first wavelength. In an embodiment, the photosensitive medium may further include an inhibition compound for inhibiting the chemical reaction in the photosensitive medium, the inhibition compound being activatable by light of a second wavelength, different from the first 216 wavelength. The method may also comprise computing, based on a shape of the 3D target structure and, preferably, properties of the photosensitive medium, a sequence of exposure images, where each exposure image of the sequence of exposure images is associated with a plane of the plurality of planes in the build volume. Each exposure image may be associated with light of the first wave-length and/or light of the second wavelength. In an embodiment, the light may be intensity modulated light. The method may further comprise, for each focal plane of the plurality of planes, controlling the exposure system to position a focal plane of the exposure system at the depth in the build volume associated with the respective plane and to illuminate the build volume with the exposure image associated with the respective plane.

An additive manufacturing system includes one or more light sources and one or more light valves that can be written with two-dimensional gray scale patterns that the light valves impose on beams from the one or more light sources to obtain one or more patterned beams. The one or more patterned beams are steered to each area of a plurality of areas on a layer of powder. The two-dimensional gray scale patterns are selected to achieve desired material properties at each pixel position of the patterned beam incident on the layer of powder. The light valves may modulate one or more of amplitude, phase, or coherence. The material properties may include one or more of Young's modulus, porosity, grain size, and crystalline microstructure.

This method describes techniques to create 3D parts by dispensing a liquid polymer or slurry in evenly delivered layers, which are exposed to light from a visual display screen before the print platform upon which it is being built is moved one-layer thickness away and the process is repeated. The process of dispensing the photosensitive material is via a pumped system through a metering device that discharges and levels the material. Multiple dispensing devices can be arranged in sequence to deliver different materials, either multiple photosensitive dispensing heads or alternative mechanisms such as robocasting, fused deposition modelling or inkjet in addition to a photosensitive deposition head.

This method describes techniques to create 3D parts by dispensing a liquid polymer or slurry in evenly delivered layers, which are exposed to light from a visual display screen before the print platform upon which it is being built is moved one-layer thickness away and the process is repeated. The process of dispensing the photosensitive material is via a pumped system through a metering device that discharges and levels the material. Multiple dispensing devices can be arranged in sequence to deliver different materials, either multiple photosensitive dispensing heads or alternative mechanisms such as robocasting, fused deposition modelling or inkjet in addition to a photosensitive deposition head.

A 3D printing system may include a tank in which a bottom of the tank is formed by a radiation-transparent flexible membrane, a spill tray with an outer wall configured to contain liquid resin that inadvertently leaks out from the bottom of the tank, and a light source configured to project radiation towards the bottom of the tank. The spill tray may contain an inner opening that allows the radiation from the light source to pass through the spill tray to the tank. A 3D printing system may also include a mask assembly which comprises a mask with pixels configurable to be individually transparent or opaque to portions of the radiation projected from the light source and a mask assembly receiving member configured to receive the mask assembly. The mask assembly may also include a rigid guide portion that is insertable into a slot of the mask assembly receiving member.

A 3D printing system may include a tank in which a bottom of the tank is formed by a radiation-transparent flexible membrane, a spill tray with an outer wall configured to contain liquid resin that inadvertently leaks out from the bottom of the tank, and a light source configured to project radiation towards the bottom of the tank. The spill tray may contain an inner opening that allows the radiation from the light source to pass through the spill tray to the tank. A 3D printing system may also include a mask assembly which comprises a mask with pixels configurable to be individually transparent or opaque to portions of the radiation projected from the light source and a mask assembly receiving member configured to receive the mask assembly. The mask assembly may also include a rigid guide portion that is insertable into a slot of the mask assembly receiving member.

Disclosed are selective layer deposition based additive manufacturing systems and methods for printing a 3D part. Layers of a powder material are developed using one or more electrostatography-based engines. The layers are transferred for deposition on a part build surface. One or more lasers are used to heat a region of the part build surface and a developed layer near the nip roller entrance. The developed layer is then pressed into the part build surface.

There are proposed a 3D printer optical engine and printing system capable of forming a single light engine by integrating light sources. A light engine installed under a tank accommodating a photocurable resin and configured to provide a light source for the molding of an output product to the tank includes: a light engine case detachably mounted under the tank, and having an accommodation space therein; a backlight module detachably installed in the lower portion of the accommodation space of the light engine case, and configured to provide backlight; and an image switching module detachably installed in the upper portion of the accommodation space of the light engine case while being spaced apart from the backlight module, and configured to cure the photocurable resin by radiating a light source corresponding to a tomographic image of the output product onto the tank.