STRATASYS, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160023373 | CERAMIC SUPPORT STRUCTURE - A pre-ceramic support structure for additive manufacturing, that upon thermal processing, is soluble in various solvents. | 01-28-2016 |
20150266237 | Electrophotography-Based Additive Manufacturing with Pre-Sintering - A method and system for printing a three-dimensional part, which includes producing a developed layer of a part material with one or more electrophotography engines of an additive manufacturing system, transferring the developed layer from the one or more electrophotography engines to a transfer assembly of the additive manufacturing system sintering the developed layer at the transfer assembly to produce a sintered contiguous film, cooling the sintered contiguous film down to a transfer temperature, and pressing the cooled sintered contiguous film into contact with an intermediate build surface of the three-dimensional part with a low applied pressure. | 09-24-2015 |
20150251356 | Method for Printing Three-Dimensional Parts with Part Strain Orientation - A method and program for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, the method including generating or otherwise providing strain data from a digital model of the three-dimensional part, orienting the digital model to align the directions of high tensile strain in a build plane, and printing the three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner based on the oriented digital model with the additive manufacturing system. | 09-10-2015 |
20150145174 | MAGNETIC PLATEN ASSEMBLY FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A platen assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a platen plate that is preferably secured to a gantry mechanism of the additive manufacturing system, and having a top surface, and one or more magnets secured to the platen plate and configured to generate one or more magnetic fields at the top surface of the platen plate. The platen gantry is configured to magnetically couple interchangeable and replaceable build sheets to the top surface of the platen plate due to the one or more generated magnetic fields, and where the magnetically-coupled build sheets are configured to receive the printed layers from the printing mechanism. | 05-28-2015 |
20150097308 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND PROCESS WITH MATERIAL FLOW FEEDBACK CONTROL - A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control. | 04-09-2015 |
20150097307 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WITH DYNAMIC HEAT FLOW CONTROL - A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control. | 04-09-2015 |
20150097053 | LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY WITH MULTIPLE-ZONE PLATE HEATER ASSEMBLY - A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control. | 04-09-2015 |
20150096717 | LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control. | 04-09-2015 |
20150076739 | Additive Manufacturing System and Process with Precision Substractive Technique - An additive manufacturing system and process for producing three-dimensional parts, which includes forming layers of the three-dimensional part from a part material at a first resolution, and ablating selected voxels of the formed layers with a laser beam at a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution. | 03-19-2015 |
20150028523 | POLYGLYCOLIC ACID SUPPORT MATERIAL FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A support material for use in an additive manufacturing system, which compositionally includes a polyglycolic acid polymer, which is at least partially soluble in an aqueous solution, and which is configured for use in the additive manufacturing system for printing a support structure in coordination with printing of a three-dimensional part. | 01-29-2015 |
20140271967 | CONSUMABLE ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED LAYERED DEPOSITION SYSTEMS - A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube. | 09-18-2014 |
20140265040 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS USING VELOCIMETRY - An additive manufacturing system that retains a print head for printing a three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner using an additive manufacturing technique, where the retained print head is configured to receive a consumable material, melt the consumable material, and extrude the molten material. The system also includes a velocimetry assembly configured to determine flow rates of the molten material, and a controller assembly configured to manage the extrusion of the molten material from the print head, and to receive signals from the velocimetry assembly relating to the determined flow rates. | 09-18-2014 |
20140255647 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS HAVING INTERCONNECTED HOLLOW PATTERNS, AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AND PRINTING THEREOF - A three-dimensional part printed using an additive manufacturing technique, which includes sets of printed cell layers, each defining an array of hollow cells with wall segments, and sets of printed transition layers, each being disposed between adjacent printed cell layers, where the sets of printed transition layers each comprise sloped walls that diverge from a first portion of the wall segments and that converge towards a second portion of the wall segments to interconnect the hollow cells of adjacent printed cell layers, and where the sloped walls of adjacent printed transition layers have printing orientations that are rotated from each other in a build plane. | 09-11-2014 |
20140252684 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS WITH PURGE TOWERS - A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, the method including printing layers of the three-dimensional part and of a support structure for the three-dimensional part from multiple print heads or deposition lines, and switching the print heads or deposition line between stand-by modes and operating modes in-between the printing of the layers of the three-dimensional part and the support structure. The method also includes performing a purge operation for each print head or deposition line switched to the operating mode, where the purge operation includes printing a layer of at least one purge tower from the print head or deposition line switched to the operating mode. | 09-11-2014 |
20140178588 | AUTOMATED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS, PRINTING FARM THEREOF, AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF - An additive manufacturing system comprising a platen assembly configured to restrain and release a film or substrate, a head gantry configured to retain a print head for printing a three-dimensional part on the restrained film or substrate. The additive manufacturing system may also include a removal assembly configured to draw the film having the printed three-dimensional part from the platen assembly and to cut the drawn film. | 06-26-2014 |
20140178585 | AUTOMATED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS, PRINTING FARM THEREOF, AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF - An additive manufacturing system comprising a platen assembly configured to restrain and release a film, a head gantry configured to retain a print head for printing a three-dimensional part on the restrained film, and a removal assembly configured to draw the film having the printed three-dimensional part from the platen assembly and to cut the drawn film. | 06-26-2014 |
20140159284 | LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, where the liquefier assembly includes a liquefier tube, a nozzle secured to an outlet end of the liquefier tube, a heating element extending at least partially around the liquefier tube to generate a hot zone in the liquefier tube, a hollow spacer disposed in the channel; and a hollow liner disposed in the channel abutting against an upstream shoulder of the hollow spacer. | 06-12-2014 |
20140159273 | FILAMENT DRIVE MECHANISM FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A filament drive mechanism for use with an additive manufacturing system, the filament drive mechanism comprising first and second drive shafts engaged with each other and configured to rotate in opposing rotational directions around substantially parallel and fixed axes, where the first and second drive shafts include engagement surfaces substantially aligned with each other for engaging a filament therebetween. | 06-12-2014 |
20140158802 | COIL ASSEMBLY HAVING PERMEABLE HUB - A coil assembly comprising a coil of a strand-based material retained in a figure-8 configuration, and having an inner layer and an outer layer, where the inner layer of the coil defines a core region of the coil, and where the coil is configured to unwind loop by loop beginning from the inner layer and moving towards the outer layer as the strand-based material is drawn through a payout hole. The coil assembly also comprises a permeable hub configured to reduce payout entanglement of the strand-based material. | 06-12-2014 |
20140141168 | Additive Manufacturing with Polyamide Consumable Materials - A consumable material for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable filament comprising a polyamide blend of at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and at least one amorphous polyamide that is substantially miscible with the at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and a physical geometry configured to be received by the additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part from the consumable material in a layer-by-layer manner using an additive manufacturing technique. The consumable material is preferably capable of printing three-dimensional parts having good part strengths and ductilities, and low curl. | 05-22-2014 |
20140141166 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING WITH POLYAMIDE CONSUMABLE MATERIALS - A consumable material for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable filament comprising a polyamide blend of at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and at least one amorphous polyamide that is substantially miscible with the at least one semi-crystalline polyamide, and a physical geometry configured to be received by the additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part from the consumable material in a layer-by-layer manner using an additive manufacturing technique. The consumable material is preferably capable of printing three-dimensional parts having good part strengths and ductilities, and low curl. | 05-22-2014 |
20140127524 | ENCODED CONSUMABLE MATERIALS AND SENSOR ASSEMBLIES FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable material and sensor assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by the sensor assembly, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model. | 05-08-2014 |
20140120197 | LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A liquefier assembly for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the liquefier assembly comprising a downstream portion having a first average inner cross-sectional area, and an upstream having a second average inner cross-sectional area that is less than the first inner cross-sectional area, the upstream portion defining a shoulder configured to restrict movement of a melt meniscus of a consumable material. | 05-01-2014 |
20140120194 | PRINT HEAD ASSEMBLY AND PRINT HEAD FOR USE IN FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING SYSTEM - A print head assembly that includes a print head carriage and multiple, replaceable print heads that are configured to be removably retained in receptacles of the print head carriage. The print heads each include a cartridge assembly and a liquefier pump assembly retained by the cartridge assembly. | 05-01-2014 |
20140052287 | METHOD FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS WITH ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS USING SCAFFOLDS - A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, comprising printing the three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner along a printing axis in the additive manufacturing system, printing a scaffold in a layer by layer manner along the printing axis along with the printing of the three-dimensional part, and bracing the three-dimensional part laterally relative to the printing axis with the scaffold while printing the three-dimensional part. | 02-20-2014 |
20140048981 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM WITH EXTENDED PRINTING VOLUME, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - An additive manufacturing system for printing three-dimensional parts, the system comprising a heatable region, a receiving surface, a print head configured to print a three-dimensional part onto the receiving surface in a layer-by-layer manner along a printing axis, and a drive mechanism configured to index the receiving surface along the printing axis such that the receiving surface and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part out of the heated region. | 02-20-2014 |
20140048980 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM WITH EXTENDED PRINTING VOLUME, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - An additive manufacturing system for printing three-dimensional parts, the system comprising a heatable chamber with a port, a print foundation, a print head configured to print a three-dimensional part onto the print foundation in a layer-by-layer manner along a printing axis, and a drive mechanism configured to index the print foundation along the printing axis such that, while the print head prints the three-dimensional part, the print foundation and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part pass through the port and out of the heated chamber. | 02-20-2014 |
20140048971 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUE FOR PRINTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS WITH PRINTED RECEIVING SURFACES - A method for printing three-dimensional parts with an additive manufacturing system, comprising printing successive layers having increasing cross-sectional areas, and printing layers of a three-dimensional part onto the previously printed layers, where a last layer of the previously printed successive layers has a cross-sectional area that is at least as large as a footprint area of the three-dimensional part. | 02-20-2014 |
20140048970 | DRAW CONTROL FOR EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A method for improving part quality for a printed three-dimensional part, the method comprising moving a print head nozzle along a substantially linear segment of a tool path at a tip height above a previous layer of the three-dimensional part while extruding a flowable material, and producing an extruded road from the extruded flowable material having a road height above the previous layer, where the tip height is greater than the road height due at least in part to draw on the extruded road. | 02-20-2014 |
20140048969 | PRINT HEAD NOZZLE FOR USE WITH ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A nozzle for printing three-dimensional parts with an additive manufacturing system, the nozzle comprising a nozzle body having an inlet end and a tip end offset longitudinally from the inlet end, a tip pipe for extruding a flowable material, an inner ring extending circumferentially around the tip pipe at the outlet end, an outer ring extending circumferentially around the inner ring, at least one annular recessed groove located circumferentially between the inner ring and the outer ring. | 02-20-2014 |
20130333798 | HOPPER VALVE FOR EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - A hopper valve for transferring particles from a supply container to a hopper, the hopper valve comprising a valve body coupled to the supply container, a fill tube moveably coupled to the valve body, and a foot member moveably coupled to the fill tube and configured to engage the hopper. | 12-19-2013 |
20130242317 | AUTOMATED CALIBRATION METHOD FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF - A method for calibrating a print head for use in an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising positioning the print head over a calibration target, where the calibration target has a top surface with a plurality of edges. The method further comprising moving a tip of the print head to identify coordinate locations of the edges, and setting a calibration parameter for the print head. | 09-19-2013 |
20130241102 | LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY HAVING INLET LINER FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the liquefier assembly comprising a liquefier tube, a rigid sleeve secured to an inlet end of the liquefier tube, an extrusion tip secured to an outlet end of the liquefier tube, and a hollow liner disposed at least partially within the rigid sleeve such that inner surfaces of the liquefier tube and the hollow liner are substantially flush, and where the inner surface of the hollow liner has a low surface energy. | 09-19-2013 |
20130234366 | RIBBON LIQUEFIER AND METHOD OF USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A ribbon liquefier comprising an outer liquefier portion configured to receive thermal energy from a heat transfer component, and a channel at least partially defined by the outer liquefier portion, where the channel has dimensions that are configured to receive the ribbon filament, and where the ribbon liquefier is configured to melt the ribbon filament received in the channel to at least an extrudable state with the received thermal energy to provide a melt flow. The dimensions of the channel are further configured to conform the melt flow from an axially-asymmetric flow to a substantially axially-symmetric flow in an extrusion tip connected to the ribbon liquefier. | 09-12-2013 |
20130224423 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR BUILDING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS WITH CORE-SHELL ARRANGEMENTS, AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS THEREOF - A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a first thermoplastic material, and a shell portion of a second thermoplastic material that is compositionally different from the first thermoplastic material, where the consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional object, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament. | 08-29-2013 |
20130186558 | LAYER TRANSFUSION WITH HEAT CAPACITOR BELT FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING - An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part. | 07-25-2013 |
20130186549 | LAYER TRANSFUSION FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING - An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part. | 07-25-2013 |
20130168892 | CONSUMABLE ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED LAYERED DEPOSITION SYSTEMS - A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube. | 07-04-2013 |
20130164960 | UNIVERSAL ADAPTER FOR CONSUMABLE ASSEMBLY USED WITH ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A universal adapter for use with a consumable assembly that is configured for use with an additive manufacturing system, the universal adapter comprising an inlet opening configured to receive a guide tube of the consumable assembly, and a connection member at the outlet end, which is configured interface with a mating panel of the additive manufacturing system. | 06-27-2013 |
20130161442 | SPOOL ASSEMBLY FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM, AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND USE THEREOF - A spool assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, comprising a spool rotatably retained in a sealed sheath in a hub-less manner, and a locking mechanism configured to operably engage with the spool to prevent the spool from rotating. | 06-27-2013 |
20130161439 | SPOOL ASSEMBLY WITH LOCKING MECHANISM FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - A spool assembly comprising a housing structure, a spool rotatably retained in an interior region of the housing structure, and a sealed sheath encasing the housing structure to define a barrier for the encased housing structure and the rotatably retained spool. The spool assembly further comprises a locking arm disposed outside of the sealed sheath and configured to operably engage the spool through the sealed sheath and through the housing structure in a manner that does not penetrate the sealed sheath, where the locking arm prevents the spool from rotating relative to the housing mechanism when operably engaged with the spool. The locking arm may disengage from the spool in a hands-free manner when the spool assembly is loaded into a bay of an additive manufacturing system. | 06-27-2013 |
20130161432 | CONSUMABLE ASSEMBLY WITH PAYOUT TUBE FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A payout tube for enabling payout of a consumable filament from a consumable assembly that is configured for use with an additive manufacturing system, the payout tube comprising a tip end having an inlet opening, a base end having an outlet opening, and a tube body having an average effective outer diameter that is substantially greater than an effective inner diameter of the inlet opening. | 06-27-2013 |
20130095303 | SEAM CONCEALMENT FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS - A three-dimensional model built with an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, and having a perimeter based on a contour tool path that defines an interior region of a layer of the three-dimensional model, where at least one of a start point and a stop point of the contour tool path is located within the interior region of the layer. | 04-18-2013 |
20130078073 | GANTRY ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A gantry assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the gantry assembly comprising a first bearing shaft, a carriage slidably engaged with the first bearing shaft, and a second bearing shaft operably supported by the carriage, the second linear bearing extending along a second axis. The gantry assembly also comprises a tool-head mount slidably engaged with the second linear bearing, a drive belt secured to the tool-head mount, a first motor having a first drive shaft engaged with the drive belt, and a second motor having a second drive shaft engaged with the drive belt. | 03-28-2013 |
20130078013 | Layer Transfusion with Part Heating for Additive Manufacturing - An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077997 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM WITH TRANSFER-MEDIUM SERVICE LOOPS - An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part using electrophotography, the additive manufacturing system comprising a rotatable photoconductor component, a development station configured to develop layers of a material on a surface of the rotatable photoconductor component, a rotatable transfer medium configured to receive the developed layers from the surface of the rotatable photoconductor component, and a platen configured to receive the developed layers from the rotatable transfer medium in a layer-by-layer manner. The additive manufacturing system also comprises a plurality of service loops configured to move portions of the rotatable transfer medium at different line speeds while maintaining a net rotational rate of full rotations of the rotatable transfer medium at a substantially steady state. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077996 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM WITH RECIPROCATING OPERATION - An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part using electrophotography, the additive manufacturing system comprising a rotatable photoconductor component, first and second development stations configured to develop layers of materials on a surface of the rotatable photoconductor component while the rotatable photoconductor component rotates in opposing rotational directions, and a platen configured to operably receive the developed layers in a layer-by-layer manner to print the three-dimensional part from at least a portion of the received layers. | 03-28-2013 |
20130075957 | Support Structure Removal System - A support structure removal system comprising a vessel and a second component. The vessel comprises a vessel body, a porous floor configured to retain a three-dimensional part, and an impeller rotatably mounted below the porous floor. The second component comprises a surface configured to operably receive the vessel, and a rotation-inducing assembly located below the surface, where the rotation-inducing assembly is configured to rotate the impeller with magnetic fields when the vessel is received on the surface of the second component to agitate and direct flows of an aqueous fluid through the porous floor. | 03-28-2013 |
20130075033 | LAYER TRANSFUSION FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING - An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part. | 03-28-2013 |
20130075022 | Layer Transfusion with Transfixing for Additive Manufacturing - An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part. | 03-28-2013 |
20130075013 | Layer Transfusion with Rotatable Belt for Additive Manufacturing - An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part. | 03-28-2013 |
20130066812 | SOLID IDENTIFICATION GRID ENGINE FOR CALCULATING SUPPORT MATERIAL VOLUMES, AND METHODS OF USE - A method for calculating a support material volume, the method comprising generating a grid of cells for a tree data structure of a digital part, where the cells define a plurality of cell arrays, and pinging the cells of one of the cell arrays until a cell containing a subset of the tree data structure is reached or until each cell in the cell array is pinged, where if a cell containing the subset of the tree data structure is reached, then designating the reached cell and all remaining unpinged cells in the cell array as filled. The method also includes repeating the pinging step for each remaining cell array to determine a total filled volume, and subtracting a volume of the digital part from the total filled volume to determine a support material volume. | 03-14-2013 |
20120258250 | EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WITH PART ANNEALING - A method for building a three-dimensional part, the method comprising providing a printed three-dimensional part and support structure, where the support structure comprises at least two polymers having different glass transition temperatures. The method also comprises annealing the three-dimensional part. | 10-11-2012 |
20120258190 | RIBBON FILAMENT AND ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising a length and a cross-sectional profile of at least a portion of the length that is axially asymmetric. The cross-sectional profile is configured to provide a response time with a non-cylindrical liquefier of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system that is faster than a response time achievable with a cylindrical filament in a cylindrical liquefier for a same thermally limited, maximum volumetric flow rate. | 10-11-2012 |
20120251689 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH INTERCHANGEABLE CARTRIDGES FOR PRINTING CUSTOMIZED CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONS - An additive manufacturing system for printing a chocolate confection, the system comprising a platen, a print head, and a cartridge configured to be removably secured to the print head, wherein the cartridge contains a supply of the chocolate material. | 10-04-2012 |
20120251688 | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRINTING CUSTOMIZED CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONS - An additive manufacturing system for printing a chocolate confection, the system comprising a platen, a recirculation loop configured to circulate a flow of a chocolate material, and further configured to maintain a temper of the chocolate material; and a print head the print head being configured to receive at least a portion of the chocolate material from the recirculation loop, and further configured to extrude and deposit the chocolate material onto the platen to print at least a portion of the chocolate confection based on the commands from a controller. | 10-04-2012 |
20120231225 | CORE-SHELL CONSUMABLE MATERIALS FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a first thermoplastic material, and a shell portion of a second thermoplastic material that is compositionally different from the first thermoplastic material, where the consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional object, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament. | 09-13-2012 |
20120164330 | METHOD OF USING PRINT HEAD ASSEMBLY IN FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING SYSTEM - A method of using a print head assembly that includes a print head carriage and multiple, replaceable print heads that are configured to be removably retained in receptacles of the print head carriage. | 06-28-2012 |
20120164256 | PRINT HEAD ASSEMBLY AND PRINT HEAD FOR USE IN FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING SYSTEM - A print head assembly that includes a print head carriage and multiple, replaceable print heads that are configured to be removably retained in receptacles of the print head carriage. The print heads each include a cartridge assembly and a liquefier pump assembly retained by the cartridge assembly. | 06-28-2012 |
20120162314 | PRINT HEAD ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING SYSTEM - A print head assembly that includes a print head carriage and multiple, replaceable print heads that are configured to be removably retained in receptacles of the print head carriage. | 06-28-2012 |
20120162305 | PRINT HEAD FOR USE IN FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING SYSTEM - A print head for use in a fused deposition modeling system, the print head includes a cartridge assembly and a liquefier pump assembly retained by the cartridge assembly. | 06-28-2012 |
20120161350 | VOICE COIL MECHANISM FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A print head assembly that includes a receptacle supported from a carriage frame and configured to receive a print head, and a toggle mechanism configured to move the receptacle relative to the carriage frame. | 06-28-2012 |
20120070619 | SEMI-CRYSTALLINE CONSUMABLE MATERIALS FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a first portion of a first semi-crystalline polymeric material, and a second portion of a second semi-crystalline polymeric material, and where the second semi-crystalline polymeric material has a crystallization temperature that is greater than a crystallization temperature of the first semi-crystalline polymeric material. | 03-22-2012 |
20120070523 | LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A liquefier assembly for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the liquefier assembly comprising a downstream portion having a first average inner cross-sectional area, and an upstream having a second average inner cross-sectional area that is less than the first inner cross-sectional area, the upstream portion defining a shoulder configured to restrict movement of a melt meniscus of a consumable material. | 03-22-2012 |
20120068378 | METHOD FOR BUILDING THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS WITH EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A method for building a three-dimensional model with an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system having an extrusion head, the method comprising depositing a consumable material from a liquefier assembly at an extrusion rate to substantially normalize a meniscus height within the liquefier assembly. | 03-22-2012 |
20120018926 | Three-Dimensional Parts Having Porous Protective Structures - Three-dimensional parts having porous protective structures built with powder-based additive manufacturing systems, the porous protective structures being configured to protect the three-dimensional parts from damage during de-powdering processes. | 01-26-2012 |
20120018924 | MULTIPLE-ZONE LIQUEFIER ASSEMBLY FOR EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A liquefier assembly for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, and a method for building a three-dimensional model with the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the liquefier assembly includes a liquefier tube having multiple, independently heatable zones along a longitudinal length of the liquefier tube. | 01-26-2012 |
20110233804 | ENCODED CONSUMABLE MATERIALS AND SENSOR ASSEMBLIES FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable material and sensor assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by the sensor assembly, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model. | 09-29-2011 |
20110232855 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BUILDING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS WITH METAL-BASED ALLOYS - A digital manufacturing system comprises a build chamber, a build platform disposed within the build chamber, at least one extrusion line configured to heat a metal-based alloy up to a temperature between solidus and liquidus temperatures of the metal-based alloy, a deposition head disposed within the build chamber and configured to deposit the heated metal-based alloy onto the build platform in a predetermined pattern, an umbilical having a first end located outside of the build chamber and a second end connected to the deposition head, and at least one gantry assembly configured to cause relative motion between the build platform and the deposition head within the build chamber, where the at least one gantry assembly comprises a motor disposed outside of the build chamber. | 09-29-2011 |
20110220781 | Optical Encoder - An optical encoder comprising a set of light sources configured to emit light rays in a serial manner, an encoded scale configured to reflect at least a portion of the emitted light rays, and a photodetector, where the photodetector is configured to detect at least a portion of the reflected light rays and to generate signals based on the detected light rays for each of the light sources. | 09-15-2011 |
20110199104 | CAPACITIVE DETECTOR FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A detector for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the detector comprising a sense conductive component and an excitation conductive component to define a first gap that is configured to receive a consumable material used in the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, where the excitation conductive component is configured to generate a first electrical field across the first gap. | 08-18-2011 |
20110186081 | SUPPORT CLEANING SYSTEM - An automated support cleaning system comprising a tank disposed within a housing and configured to circulate an aqueous cleaning solution to remove a support structure from a three-dimensional model. | 08-04-2011 |
20110180652 | FILAMENT CONTAINER AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - A container comprising a housing that is configured to rotatably mount a filament supply spool, and a filament guide mechanism mountable within a channel of the housing, where the filament guide mechanism comprises a filament pathway configured to guide the filament from the filament supply spool rotatably mounted in the interior chamber, and a sensor configured to detect the presence of the filament through at least a portion of the filament pathway. | 07-28-2011 |
20110178621 | METHOD FOR GENERATING AND BUILDING SUPPORT STRUCTURES WITH DEPOSITION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A method for generating data for a support structure to be built with a deposition-based digital manufacturing system, the method comprising generating a convex hull polygon based on a boundary polygon of a layer of the support structure, offsetting the convex hull polygon inward, offsetting the boundary polygon outward, and generating an intersection boundary polygon based at least in part on the offset boundary polygon and the offset convex hull polygon. | 07-21-2011 |
20110174915 | FILAMENT SPOOL AND FILAMENT SPOOL CONTAINER, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - A filament spool for use in a filament spool container, where the filament spool comprises a first rim and a second rim offset by an axial shaft, and a series of grooves extending along a first portion of the first rim and configured to receive a filament of a material while the filament is wound around the axial shaft in a first rotational direction. | 07-21-2011 |
20110121476 | ENCODED CONSUMABLE MATERIALS AND SENSOR ASSEMBLIES FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable material and sensor assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by the sensor assembly, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the additive manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model. | 05-26-2011 |
20110117268 | CONSUMABLE MATERIALS HAVING ENCODED MARKINGS FOR USE WITH DIRECT DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable material comprising an exterior surface having encoded markings that are configured to be read by at least one sensor of a direct digital manufacturing system, where the consumable material is configured to be consumed in the direct digital manufacturing system to build at least a portion of a three-dimensional model. | 05-19-2011 |
20110076496 | NON-CYLINDRICAL FILAMENTS FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising a length and a cross-sectional profile of at least a portion of the length that is axially asymmetric. The cross-sectional profile is configured to provide a response time with a non-cylindrical liquefier of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system that is faster than a response time achievable with a cylindrical filament in a cylindrical liquefier for a same thermally limited, maximum volumetric flow rate. | 03-31-2011 |
20110076495 | CONSUMABLE MATERIALS HAVING TOPOGRAPHICAL SURFACE PATTERNS FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising a topographical surface pattern that is configured to engage with a drive mechanism of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system. | 03-31-2011 |
20110074065 | RIBBON LIQUEFIER FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A ribbon liquefier comprising an outer liquefier portion configured to receive thermal energy from a heat transfer component, and a channel at least partially defined by the outer liquefier portion, where the channel has dimensions that are configured to receive the ribbon filament, and where the ribbon liquefier is configured to melt the ribbon filament received in the channel to at least an extrudable state with the received thermal energy to provide a melt flow. The dimensions of the channel are further configured to conform the melt flow from an axially-asymmetric flow to a substantially axially-symmetric flow in an extrusion tip connected to the ribbon liquefier. | 03-31-2011 |
20110070394 | SEAM CONCEALMENT FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS - A three-dimensional model built with an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, and having a perimeter based on a contour tool path that defines an interior region of a layer of the three-dimensional model, where at least one of a start point and a stop point of the contour tool path is located within the interior region of the layer. | 03-24-2011 |
20100327479 | CONSUMABLE MATERIALS HAVING CUSTOMIZED CHARACTERISTICS - A compounding system for forming a customized consumable material, comprising a plurality of drive mechanisms configured to feed stock materials at independent rates, and an extrusion component configured to receive the fed stock materials, and further configured to at least partially melt and blend the received stock materials to provide the consumable material in an extrudable state. Upon solidifying, the consumable material comprises customized characteristics based on characteristics of the stock materials. | 12-30-2010 |
20100283172 | CONSUMABLE ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN EXTRUSION-BASED LAYERED DEPOSITION SYSTEMS - A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube. | 11-11-2010 |
20100270707 | SOULUBLE MATERIAL AND PROCESS FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING - The present invention is a composition for making a three-dimensional object. The composition comprises a plasticizer and a base polymer, where the base polymer comprises a carboxylic acid, where the composition is soluble in an alkaline solution. | 10-28-2010 |
20100193998 | INORGANIC IONIC SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A support material for use with a digital manufacturing system, the support material comprising at least one inorganic ionic compound and is configured to be deposited with the digital manufacturing system using a layer-based additive technique to form a support structure for supporting at least one overhanging region of a three-dimensional model built with the digital manufacturing system. | 08-05-2010 |
20100166969 | SYRINGE TIP ASSEMBLY AND LAYERED DEPOSITION SYSTEMS UTILIZING THE SAME - A syringe tip assembly comprising a seal component configured to engage a syringe tip, a nozzle configured to slidably engage with the seal component, and a biasing member configured to apply a biasing pressure between the seal component and the nozzle. | 07-01-2010 |
20100161105 | COMBINED PROCESS FOR BUILDING THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS - A method and system for building a three-dimensional model, which include performing a subtractive removal process on at least one material feedstock to form a plurality of base seeds, performing an additive deposition process to deposit at least one material on at least a portion of a base seed target surface, and performing an assembly process to combine the plurality of base seeds to form at least a portion of the three-dimensional model. | 06-24-2010 |
20100140849 | EXTRUSION-BASED LAYERED DEPOSITION SYSTEMS USING SELECTIVE RADIATION EXPOSURE - A system for building a three-dimensional object based on build data representing the three-dimensional object, the system comprising an extrusion head configured to deposit a radiation-curable material in consecutive layers, where the radiation-curable material of each of the consecutive layers is in a self-supporting state, and a radiation source configured to selectively expose a portion of at least one of the consecutive layers to radiation in accordance with the build data. | 06-10-2010 |
20100100224 | ADJUSTABLE HEAD MOUNT FOR DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A head mount for use in a digital manufacturing system, where the head mount comprises a first component supported by at least one gantry of the digital manufacturing system, and a second component configured to retain a deposition head of the digital manufacturing system, and to move relative to the first component in response to a load applied to the deposition head from a platform assembly of the digital manufacturing system. | 04-22-2010 |
20100100222 | ADJUSTABLE PLATFORM ASSEMBLY FOR DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A platform assembly for use in a digital manufacturing system, where the platform assembly comprises a deformable platform having a surface configured to operably receive a deposited material from a deposition head, and at least one mechanism configured to adjust at least a portion of the first surface to compensate for at least one vertical deviation from at least one horizontal axis that the deposition head is directed to move in. | 04-22-2010 |
20100096489 | FILAMENT SPOOL - A filament spool for use in a filament spool container, where the filament spool comprises a first rim and a second rim offset by an axial shaft, and a series of grooves extending along a first portion of the first rim and configured to receive a filament of a material while the filament is wound around the axial shaft in a first rotational direction. | 04-22-2010 |
20100096485 | FILAMENT GUIDE MECHANISM FOR FILAMENT SPOOL CONTAINER - A container comprising a housing that is configured to rotatably mount a filament supply spool, and a filament guide mechanism mountable within a channel of the housing, where the filament guide mechanism comprises a filament pathway configured to guide the filament from the filament supply spool rotatably mounted in the interior chamber, and a sensor configured to detect the presence of the filament through at least a portion of the filament pathway. | 04-22-2010 |
20100096072 | SUPPORT MATERIAL FOR DIGITAL MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS - A support material feedstock comprising a first copolymer and a polymeric impact modifier, where the first copolymer includes a first monomer unit comprising a carboxyl group and a second monomer unit comprising a phenyl group. | 04-22-2010 |
20100086721 | SUPPORT STRUCTURE PACKAGING - A method comprising building at least one three-dimensional model and a support structure using a layer-based additive technique, where the at least one three-dimensional model is at least partially encased in the support structure, and where the support structure functions as a shipping package for the at least one three-dimensional model. | 04-08-2010 |
20090321972 | Vapor smoothing surface finishing system - A system and method is provided for vapor smoothing a rapid manufactured three-dimensional object. A cabinet housing has a sealable interior. A heated vapor chamber in the interior of the cabinet housing contains solvent that is vaporizable to fill the vapor chamber with vapor for smoothing the object when the object is placed in the vapor chamber. A drying chamber is also provided in the interior of the cabinet housing that is separate from the vapor chamber for drying the object when the object is moved from the vapor chamber to the drying chamber. | 12-31-2009 |
20090314391 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BUILDING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS WITH METAL-BASED ALLOYS - A digital manufacturing system comprises a build chamber, a build platform disposed within the build chamber, at least one extrusion line configured to heat a metal-based alloy up to a temperature between solidus and liquidus temperatures of the metal-based alloy, a deposition head disposed within the build chamber and configured to deposit the heated metal-based alloy onto the build platform in a predetermined pattern, an umbilical having a first end located outside of the build chamber and a second end connected to the deposition head, and at least one gantry assembly configured to cause relative motion between the build platform and the deposition head within the build chamber, where the at least one gantry assembly comprises a motor disposed outside of the build chamber. | 12-24-2009 |
20090299517 | METHOD FOR BUILDING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS WITH EXTRUSION-BASED LAYERED DEPOSITION SYSTEMS - A method of forming a three-dimensional object using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising generating a build path for building a layer of the three-dimensional object, where the build path defines a void region. The method further comprising generating at least one intermediate path in the void region, and generating a remnant path based at least in part on the at least one intermediate path. | 12-03-2009 |
20090295032 | Method of building three-dimensional object with modified ABS materials - A method for building a 3D object with an extrusion-based layered deposition system comprising feeding a modified ABS material to an extrusion head of the extrusion-based layered deposition system, melting the fed modified ABS material in the extrusion head under conditions that improve a response time of the extrusion head, and depositing the molten thermoplastic material in a layer-by-layer manner to form the 3D object. | 12-03-2009 |
20090274540 | Filament drive mechanism for use in extrusion-based digital manufacturing systems - A filament drive mechanism comprising a rotatable component comprising a central hole defined at least in part by an internally-threaded surface, and is configured to receive a filament strand through the central hole to engage the internally-threaded surface with the filament strand. The filament drive mechanism further comprises at least one rotation mechanism configured to rotate the rotatable component, thereby allowing the engaged internally-threaded surface to drive the filament strand through the central hole of the rotatable component. | 11-05-2009 |
20090273122 | Liquefier assembly for use in extrusion-based digital manufacturing systems - A liquefier assembly comprising a liquefier tube, where the liquefier tube comprises a sidewall having an inlet opening configured to receive a filament strand, an outlet opening, and a port disposed through the sidewall at a location between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, the port being configured to provide access for a filament drive mechanism to engage with the received filament strand. The liquefier assembly further comprises a heat transfer component configured to generate a thermal gradient along a longitudinal length of the sidewall between the port and the outlet opening. | 11-05-2009 |
20090271323 | Transactional Method for Building Three-Dimensional Objects - The present invention is a method ( | 10-29-2009 |
20090263582 | DIGITAL MANUFACTURING WITH AMORPHOUS METALLIC ALLOYS - A method for building a three-dimensional object in a layer-by-layer manner, the method comprising heating a build chamber of a digital manufacturing system, feeding a solid feedstock of a modeling material comprising an amorphous metallic alloy to a liquefier assembly of the digital manufacturing system, heating the modeling material of the solid feedstock in the liquefier assembly to an extrudable state, and depositing the heated modeling material within the heated build chamber in a predetermined pattern to form the three-dimensional object. | 10-22-2009 |
20090177309 | System for building three-dimensional objects containing embedded inserts, and method of use thereof - A system for building a three-dimensional object with a layer-based additive technique, the system comprising a controller configured to receive build sequence data for the three-dimensional object, a head assembly in signal communication with the controller and configured to form a plurality of layers of the three-dimensional object based on the build sequence data, and an insert placement apparatus in signal communication with the controller and configured to place at least one insert in the plurality of formed layers based on the build sequence data. | 07-09-2009 |
20090174709 | Method for building three-dimensional objects containing embedded inserts - A method for generating build sequence data for a computer-aided design model of a three-dimensional object, the method comprising identifying a location of an insert data representation in the computer-aided design model, slicing the computer-aided design model into a plurality of sliced layers, generating a plurality of support layers for at least a portion of the plurality of sliced layers, and generating an unfilled region in the computer-aided design model at the identified location of the insert data representation. | 07-09-2009 |
20090173443 | Method for building and using three-dimensional objects containing embedded identification-tag inserts - A method for building a three-dimensional object containing an identification-tag insert, the method comprising performing a build operation to form layers of the three-dimensional object using a layer-based additive technique, placing the identification-tag insert on at least a portion of the layers during the build operation, and reading information from the identification-tag insert. | 07-09-2009 |
20090035405 | Extrusion head for use in extrusion-based layered deposition modeling - An extrusion head comprising at least one mounting structure, a first liquefier pump secured to the at least one mounting structure, a second liquefier pump disposed adjacent to the first liquefier pump, a toggle mechanism supported by the at least one mounting structure and configured to move the second liquefier pump relative to the first liquefier pump along a first axis, and a slot engagement assembly connected in part to the second liquefier pump for defining a range of motion for the second liquefier pump along the first axis. | 02-05-2009 |
20090018685 | Method for building three-dimensional objects with thin wall regions - A method for modifying a computer-aided design model of a three-dimensional object, the method comprising establishing a threshold wall width, providing at least one sliced layer polyline of the computer-aided design model, determining a first distance between first and second portions of the at least one sliced layer polyline, and adjusting locations of the first and second portion to provide a second distance if the first distance is less than the threshold wall width, where the second distance is about equal to the threshold wall width, or greater. | 01-15-2009 |
20080317894 | Extrusion tip cleaning assembly - A tip cleaning assembly for use with an extrusion head of an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the tip cleaning assembly comprising a support component, a purge ledge assembly mounted on the support component, at least one set block mounted on the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly, and at least one contact head removably mounted on the first set block, where the at least one contact head is configured to engage at least one extrusion tip of the extrusion head. | 12-25-2008 |
20080213419 | Viscosity pump for extrusion-based deposition systems - A pump system comprising a delivery assembly configured to feed a solid material under operational power of a first drive motor, and a screw pump comprising a housing that at least partially defines a barrel of the screw pump, an extrusion tip secured to the housing at a first end of the barrel, a liquefier secured to the housing and intersecting with the barrel, and an impeller extending at least partially through the barrel. The liquefier is configured to receive the solid material fed from the delivery assembly, to at least partially melt the received solid material, and to direct the at least partially melted material to the barrel, and the impeller is configured to drive the at least partially melted material that is directed to the barrel toward the extrusion tip under operational power of a second drive motor. | 09-04-2008 |