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.

The light control device includes a first polarizing plate, an array substrate, liquid crystals, an opposing substrate, and a second polarizing plate in sequence. The array substrate includes a base substrate, a pixel array, and a black matrix formed on the base substrate. The black matrix is formed at least in an area corresponding to a thin film transistor in the pixel array. The light control device is used for 3D printing of selected area curing shaping of light-cured liquid material. The light control device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can accurately control the area irradiated by light, using the principle of the liquid crystal display, thereby accurately curing the selected area of the light-cured liquid resin.

The light control device includes a first polarizing plate, an array substrate, liquid crystals, an opposing substrate, and a second polarizing plate in sequence. The array substrate includes a base substrate, a pixel array, and a black matrix formed on the base substrate. The black matrix is formed at least in an area corresponding to a thin film transistor in the pixel array. The light control device is used for 3D printing of selected area curing shaping of light-cured liquid material. The light control device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can accurately control the area irradiated by light, using the principle of the liquid crystal display, thereby accurately curing the selected area of the light-cured liquid resin.

An optical forming device includes a resin tank that holds a photocurable resin, a light source that emits light for curing the photocurable resin, and an optical modulator. The optical modulator includes a liquid crystal, a first substrate and a second substrate that sandwich the liquid crystal, and a first electrode and a second electrode that apply voltage to the liquid crystal. The optical modulator modulates, in a pattern based on the shape of a three-dimensional shaped object, light that causes the photocurable resin to cure, and irradiates the modulated light on the photocurable resin. The optical modulator includes a plurality of modulation regions including a first region and a second region that have mutually different voltage transmittance characteristics.

An illumination module includes a light emitting unit, an optical lens with positive refractive power, and a concave mirror. At least one of an object-side surface and an image-side surface of the optical lens is a free-form surface, and the light emitting unit is provided at an object side of the optical lens. The concave mirror is provided at an image side of the optical lens, and the concave mirror acts as an optical path folding element. Light emitted by the light emitting unit passes through the optical lens and is reflected by the concave mirror to be a parallel light ray.

An illumination module includes a light emitting unit, an optical lens with positive refractive power, and a concave mirror. At least one of an object-side surface and an image-side surface of the optical lens is a free-form surface, and the light emitting unit is provided at an object side of the optical lens. The concave mirror is provided at an image side of the optical lens, and the concave mirror acts as an optical path folding element. Light emitted by the light emitting unit passes through the optical lens and is reflected by the concave mirror to be a parallel light ray.

According to some aspects, techniques are provided for identifying contamination in additive fabrication devices by measuring light interacting with the contamination using one or more light sensors. Contamination located between a light source and a target of a light source can affect the uniformity and intensity of the light source when incident upon the target. For instance, in an inverse stereolithography device, contamination located between a light source and a liquid photopolymer resin that is to be cured can affect the quality of the fabricated object when the light is scattered or blocked by the contamination. Identifying the presence of contamination between the light source and the liquid photopolymer resin and alerting the user prior to initiating a fabrication process may increase the quality of the resulting fabricated object and improve the user experience by saving time and photocurable liquid.

According to some aspects, techniques are provided for identifying contamination in additive fabrication devices by measuring light interacting with the contamination using one or more light sensors. Contamination located between a light source and a target of a light source can affect the uniformity and intensity of the light source when incident upon the target. For instance, in an inverse stereolithography device, contamination located between a light source and a liquid photopolymer resin that is to be cured can affect the quality of the fabricated object when the light is scattered or blocked by the contamination. Identifying the presence of contamination between the light source and the liquid photopolymer resin and alerting the user prior to initiating a fabrication process may increase the quality of the resulting fabricated object and improve the user experience by saving time and photocurable liquid.

An optical forming device includes a resin tank that is to retain a photocurable resin containing dichroic polymerization initiator and a light emitter to emit light for causing the photocurable resin to undergo curing. An alignment film for causing the dichroic polymerization initiator to align in a predetermined direction is provided on a bottom portion of the resin tank. The light emitter irradiates the photocurable resin with the light by passing the light through the bottom portion of the resin tank as linearly polarized light having a polarization direction in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the dichroic polymerization initiator is aligned by the alignment film.

Additive manufacturing devices and methods for the same are provided. The additive manufacturing device may include a stage configured to support a substrate, a printhead disposed above the stage, and a targeted heating system disposed proximal the printhead. The printhead may be configured to heat a build material to a molten build material and deposit the molten build material on the substrate in the form of droplets to fabricate the article. The targeted heating system may be configured to control a temperature or temperature gradient of the droplets deposited on the substrate, an area proximal the substrate, or combinations thereof.