Disclosed embodiments relate to recoater systems for use with additive manufacturing systems. A recoater assembly may be used to deposit a material layer onto a build surface of an additive manufacturing system. In some instances, the recoater assembly may include a powder entrainment system that trails behind a recoater blade of the recoater assembly relative to a direction of motion of the recoater blade across a build surface of the additive manufacturing system. The powder entrainment system may generate a flow of fluid across a portion of the build surface behind the recoater blade that at least temporarily entrains powder above a threshold height from the build surface to mitigate, or prevent, the formation of defects on the build surface with heights greater than the threshold height.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for additively manufacturing a product in a layer-by-layer sequence, wherein the product is formed using powder particles deposited on an interface layer of a substrate. A laser generates first and second beam components. The second beam component has a higher power level and a shorter duration than the first beam component. A mask creates a 2D optical pattern in which only select portions of the second beam components can irradiate the powder particles. The first beam component heats the powder particles close to a melting point, where the particles experience surface tension forces relative to the interface layer. While the particles are heated, the second beam component further heats the particles and also melts the interface layer before the surface tension forces can act on and distort the particles, enabling the particles and the interface layer are able to bond together.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for additively manufacturing a product in a layer-by-layer sequence, wherein the product is formed using powder particles deposited on an interface layer of a substrate. A laser generates first and second beam components. The second beam component has a higher power level and a shorter duration than the first beam component. A mask creates a 2D optical pattern in which only select portions of the second beam components can irradiate the powder particles. The first beam component heats the powder particles close to a melting point, where the particles experience surface tension forces relative to the interface layer. While the particles are heated, the second beam component further heats the particles and also melts the interface layer before the surface tension forces can act on and distort the particles, enabling the particles and the interface layer are able to bond together.

A light homogenization method for an LCD photocuring 3D printer, including: obtaining the initial grayscale value of a pixel in image data to be printed; obtaining a preset light homogenization compensation value, and calculating the difference between the preset light homogenization compensation value and the initial grayscale value, to obtain a target grayscale value; and controlling the LCD to perform, according to the target grayscale value, photocuring printing on the image data to be printed. The method can solve the problem of uneven exposure in photocuring 3D printing in the prior art, and improve the printing quality. A light homogenization apparatus for an LCD photocuring 3D printer, and a printer are correspondingly provided.

A 3D printing platform allowing for 3D printing of microdevices for applications in microfluidics, using light filtering elements to control aspects of the curing and 3D printing processes.

A 3D printing platform allowing for 3D printing of microdevices for applications in microfluidics, using light filtering elements to control aspects of the curing and 3D printing processes.

A curing system for an additive fabrication system includes a light source, a liquid crystal cell, and a first polarizer. The light source is configured to emit light at a wavelength suitable for curing a material. The liquid crystal cell is configured to receive the light from the light source. The first polarizer comprises a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix and organic dyes impregnated into the PVA matrix.

A curing system for an additive fabrication system includes a light source, a liquid crystal cell, and a first polarizer. The light source is configured to emit light at a wavelength suitable for curing a material. The liquid crystal cell is configured to receive the light from the light source. The first polarizer comprises a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix and organic dyes impregnated into the PVA matrix.

A large area deposition type additive manufacturing equipment is disclosed. The large area deposition type additive manufacturing equipment includes a light source module, a dynamic photomask module, a raw material tank and a deposition module. The light source module includes a plurality of light emitting members, a light diffusion member, a light enhancement member and a light emitting angle limiter. Light emitted from the light emitting members passes through the light diffusion member, the light enhancement member and the light emitting angle limiter to become a collimated curing light. The collimated curing light travels through a transparent member of the raw material tank and a dynamic photomask module to reach liquid photocurable material in the raw material tank, thereby curing the liquid photocurable material. The angle of emitted light ranges within ±30° with respect to a normal line of an incident plane of the light source module.

The invention provides devices, systems, and methods for 3D printing. The invention employs slurries of particles or a solute in a carrier fluid, which may be a liquid or gas, in printing. The use of a slurry is advantageous in allowing for printing in any orientation.