Systems and methods for an improved peel operation during additive fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10201963-B2
Application number	US-201414462551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2014
Priority date	Aug 18, 2014
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

According to some aspects, a method of additive fabrication wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed is provided. The method may comprise forming a layer of material in contact with a container, and subsequent to the forming of the layer of material, actively bending the container around at least one fixed point such that the layer of material separates from the container. According to some aspects, an additive fabrication apparatus configured to form a plurality of layers of material is provided. The apparatus may comprise a container, a build platform, one or more force generators, and at least one controller configured to, subsequent to formation of a layer of material in contact with the container, actively bend the container around at least one fixed point via the one or more force generators, such that the layer of material separates from the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additive fabrication apparatus configured to form a plurality of layers of material on a build platform, comprising:
a container;
the build platform;
one or more force generators coupled to the container; and
at least one controller configured to:
subsequent to formation of a layer of material in contact with the container, operate the one or more force generators to apply a force to a portion of the container, thereby actively bending the container away from the build platform, whilst simultaneously moving the build platform relative to the container, such that the layer of material separates from the container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein bending the container comprises moving at least a portion of the container via the one or more force generators while anchoring the container at least one fixed point.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one fixed point includes a first end of the container.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein bending the container comprises moving a second end of the container away from the build platform.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises one or more polymers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one or more polymers include one or more of: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and/or Polypropylene (PP).

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to move the build platform away from the container concurrently with the active bending of the container.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to rotate the container around a first fixed point.

Assignees

• Formlabs Inc

Inventors

• Thomas Steven
• Reches Yoav
• Livingston Jason
• Morin Jeffery
• Reyda Caitlin

Classifications

• B29C64/379

  Handling of additively manufactured objects, e.g. using robots · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29K2833/04

  Polymers of esters · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/135

  the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources · CPC title