An additive manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional component includes: a build plate, at least a portion of which is transparent, the build plate defining a build surface; a material depositor operable to deposit a radiant-energy-curable resin on the build surface; a stage positioned facing the build surface of the build plate and configured to hold a stacked arrangement of one or more cured layers of the resin; one or more actuators operable to change the relative positions of the build plate and the stage; a radiant energy apparatus positioned adjacent to the build plate opposite to the stage, and operable to generate and project radiant energy on the resin through the build plate in a predetermined pattern; and a cleaning apparatus operable to remove debris from the build surface. A method is provided for use of the apparatus.

A method of making a three-dimensional object (11) from a light polymerizable dual cure resin (16), includes the steps of: (a) producing a green intermediate object by light polymerization of the resin in a stereolithography process (e.g., continuous liquid interface production); (i) the object comprising a body portion and a circumferential boundary portion (12) included in at least part of the body portion i (ii) the stereolithography process including overexposing the boundary portion (as compared to the exposure of the body portion) with light; (b) cleaning the intermediate object; and then (c) baking the object to produce the three-dimensional object.

A method of making a three-dimensional object (11) from a light polymerizable dual cure resin (16), includes the steps of: (a) producing a green intermediate object by light polymerization of the resin in a stereolithography process (e.g., continuous liquid interface production); (i) the object comprising a body portion and a circumferential boundary portion (12) included in at least part of the body portion i (ii) the stereolithography process including overexposing the boundary portion (as compared to the exposure of the body portion) with light; (b) cleaning the intermediate object; and then (c) baking the object to produce the three-dimensional object.

Methods and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects by photo-curing a photo-curing liquid polymer exposed to a radiation in a space between a base transparent to the radiation and a supporting plate. The supporting plate moves progressively, in some cases continuously, away from said transparent base during the printing process, and that movement is characterized in that it is tilting, swinging, rotating, and/or swirling in three-dimensional space, based on the print geometry, in order to expedite printing speed and resin propagation throughout the build area. In one embodiment, the movement may resemble a spiral or helical path from the standpoint of points around its circumference.

Methods and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects by photo-curing a photo-curing liquid polymer exposed to a radiation in a space between a base transparent to the radiation and a supporting plate. The supporting plate moves progressively, in some cases continuously, away from said transparent base during the printing process, and that movement is characterized in that it is tilting, swinging, rotating, and/or swirling in three-dimensional space, based on the print geometry, in order to expedite printing speed and resin propagation throughout the build area. In one embodiment, the movement may resemble a spiral or helical path from the standpoint of points around its circumference.

In some embodiments, a method of determining the fill level of a resin pool in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window (12), the build platform (15) and the window (12) defining a build region therebetween, with the window (12) carrying a resin pool, the pool having a resin top surface portion; (b) advancing the build platform (15) and the window (12) towards one another until the build platform (15) contacts the resin top surface portion; (c) detecting the impact of the build platform (15) with the resin top surface portion; and (d) determining the fill level of the resin pool from the detected impact.

Techniques for evaluating support for an object to be fabricated via an additive fabrication device are provided. In some embodiments, a three-dimensional representation of the object is obtained and a plurality of voxels corresponding to the representation of the object is generated. A first supportedness value may be assigned to a first voxel of the plurality of voxels based on an amount of support provided by a support structure to the first voxel, and a second supportedness value determined for a second voxel of the plurality of voxels, wherein the second voxel neighbors the first voxel, and wherein the second supportedness value is determined based on the first supportedness value of the first voxel and a weight value representing a transmission rate of supportedness through voxels of the plurality of voxels.

Techniques for evaluating support for an object to be fabricated via an additive fabrication device are provided. In some embodiments, a three-dimensional representation of the object is obtained and a plurality of voxels corresponding to the representation of the object is generated. A first supportedness value may be assigned to a first voxel of the plurality of voxels based on an amount of support provided by a support structure to the first voxel, and a second supportedness value determined for a second voxel of the plurality of voxels, wherein the second voxel neighbors the first voxel, and wherein the second supportedness value is determined based on the first supportedness value of the first voxel and a weight value representing a transmission rate of supportedness through voxels of the plurality of voxels.

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.