Three dimensional printing using photo-activated building materials

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, article of manufacture and system for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material. The method includes the steps of applying a layer of the photo-activatable building material to a preselected surface, scanning the layer using a plurality of light-emitting centers to photo-activate the layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with a predetermined photo-initiation process to obtain polymerization of the building material, wherein scanning is accomplished at a predetermined distance using a predetermined light intensity, and repeating the steps of applying the layer, with each layer being applied to an immediately previous layer, and scanning the layer with the plurality of light-emitting centers to polymerize the building material until the article is fabricated.

1 . A method for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material, comprising the steps of: 
 depositing a uniform layer of the photo-activatable building material;    scanning the layer using a plurality of light-emitting centers, wherein the light-emitting centers are moved over the layer and selectively activated to selectively photo-activate the layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with fabrication of said article; and    repeating the steps of depositing a uniform layer, with each layer being applied over an immediately previous layer, and scanning the layer with the plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate the building material until the article is fabricated.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the light-emitting centers are one of: light-emitting diodes and laser diodes.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein scanning is accomplished using a modified printing cartridge that includes, located at an orifice plate, at least one of: light focusing devices and light baffling devices.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the light focusing devices include lenses at nozzle locations and wherein the lenses are set at predetermined distances from the light-emitting centers.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein depositing a layer of the photo-activatable building material is accomplished by one of: silk-screening, spraying, or spinning the building material in a manner that deposits a uniform layer of the building material onto the preselected surface.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further including a step of, after the article is fabricated, curing the article.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further including a step of, after curing, rinsing non-polymerized material off the article.  
   
   
       8 . An article fabricated using photo-activatable building material, comprising: 
 a plurality of thin layers, prepared by applying a thin layer of photo-activatable building material, wherein each thin layer is photo-activated prior to applying a next layer thereto to polymerize the photo-activatable building material and attach each successive layer to a previous layer.    
   
   
       9 . The article of  claim 8  wherein photo-activating is accomplished using light-emitting centers that are one of: light-emitting diodes and laser diodes.  
   
   
       10 . The article of  claim 9  wherein the light-emitting centers are disposed in a modified printing cartridge that includes, located at an orifice plate, at least one of: light focusing devices and light baffling devices.  
   
   
       11 . The article of  claim 10  wherein the light focusing devices include lenses at nozzle locations, wherein the lenses are set at predetermined distances from the light-emitting centers.  
   
   
       12 . The article of  claim 8  wherein applying a thin layer of photo-activatable building material includes one of: silk-screening, spraying, spinning, and lowering a platform a predetermined distance into a bath of liquid photo-activatable building material prior to each photo-activation.  
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 8  wherein, the article comprising the plurality of thin layers, after completion of application and photo-activation of the thin layers, is cured for a predetermined time.  
   
   
       14 . A system for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material, comprising: 
 a fabrication printer comprising: 
 a controller, coupled to an applicator, and a transport, for activating the applicator to apply a thin layer of photo-activatable building material in a predetermined shape, and activating a plurality of light-emitting centers for photo-activating the thin layer of building material when the thin layer has been applied, and continuing activating the applicator and the plurality of light-emitting centers successively in accordance with a preselected fabrication scheme until the article is fabricated,  
 the applicator, coupled to the controller, for, in response to signals from the controller, applying the thin layer of the photo-activatable building material in the predetermined shape to a preselected surface;  
 the plurality of light-emitting centers, coupled to be activated by the controller, for, when signaled to activate the thin layer by the controller, passing over the thin layer and photo-activating the thin layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with a predetermined photo-initiation process to obtain polymerization of the building material;  
 wherein the applicator applies each successive layer to an immediately previous layer, and the plurality of light-emitting centers photo-activate each successive layer applied until the article is fabricated; and  
 a transport, coupled to the controller, for moving the preselected surface proximate to the applicator and the plurality of light-emitting centers in accordance with a predetermined scheme.  
   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the light-emitting centers include one of: light-emitting diodes and laser diodes.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the light-emitting centers are disposed in a modified printing cartridge that includes, located at an orifice plate, at least one of: light focusing devices and light baffling devices.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the light focusing devices include lenses at nozzle locations, wherein the lenses are set at predetermined distances from the light-emitting centers.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the photo-activatable building material is applied using one of: silk-screening, spraying, spinning, and lowering a platform a predetermined distance into a bath of liquid photo-activatable building material prior to each photo-activation.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the applicator applies the layer of the photo-activatable building material to the preselected surface by one of: silk-screening, spraying, spinning the building material in a manner that deposits a thin layer of the building material onto the preselected surface in a desired conformation and a process of lowering a platform a predetermined distance into a bath of liquid photo-activatable building material prior to each photo-activation to obtain a plurality of photo-activated layers of building material.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 14 , further including a curing oven, arranged to receive the article from the fabrication printer when the article is completed, for, upon direction by the controller, curing the article in accordance with a predetermined scheme;  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the controller is further coupled to a rinsing unit and the rinsing unit is arranged to receive the article via the transport from the curing oven after curing and cooling, for rinsing non-polymerized material off the article.  
   
   
       22 . A method for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material wherein light-emitting diode polymerization is utilized, comprising the steps of: 
 laying down a uniform layer of photo-activated polymer with a thickness suitable for selective photo-activation;    polymerizing a cross section of the article by selectively exposing the layer of photo-activated polymer to light;    raising an applicator used to lay down said layer of photo-activated polymer; and    repeating laying down layers and polymerizing a cross section of the article in each layer until the article is fabricated.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further including a step of curing the article and, where desired, removing uncured photo-activated polymer by rinsing.  
   
   
       24 . A system for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material, comprising: 
 a fabrication printer comprising: 
 a controller, coupled to a light-emitting array power and timing counter, and an X-Y drive, for activating the X-Y drive to activate a plurality of light-emitting centers for polymerizing a predetermined thickness of building material on a platform in a bath of liquid photo-activatable building material, and continuing activating the X-Y drive in accordance with a preselected fabrication scheme until the article is fabricated,  
 the X-Y drive, coupled to the controller, for, in response to signals from the controller, moving the plurality of light-emitting centers in accordance with the predetermined fabrication scheme;  
 the plurality of light-emitting centers, coupled to be activated by the light-emitting array power and timing counter, to a cooling unit, and to the X-Y drive, for passing over the layer and photo-activating the layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with a predetermined photo-initiation process to obtain polymerization of the building material, wherein the cooling unit provides for heat removal from an area proximate to the light-emitting centers;  
 wherein the plurality of light-emitting centers photo-activate each successive layer until the article is fabricated; and  
 the platform, coupled to the controller, for moving the platform proximate to the plurality of light-emitting centers in accordance with a predetermined scheme to present a predetermined layer of photo-initiable liquid to the plurality of light-emitting centers in accordance with the predetermined photo-initiation process.  
   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , further including automatically transporting the article between stations for fabrication, curing and rinsing using a transport system.  
   
   
       26 . A method for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material, the method comprising: 
 depositing a uniform layer of the photo-activatable building material to a preselected surface with an applicator;    scanning the layer using a plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate the layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with fabrication of said article;    repeating the steps of depositing a uniform layer, with each layer being applied over an immediately previous layer, and scanning each layer with the plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate the building material until the article is fabricated;    curing the article in a curing oven following fabrication; and    automatically transporting the article between said applicator and said curing oven with a transport system.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the light-emitting centers comprise light-emitting diodes.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the light-emitting centers comprise laser diodes.  
   
   
       29 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein depositing a layer of the photo-activatable building material is accomplished by one of: silk-screening, spraying, or spinning the building material in a manner that deposits a uniform layer of the building material onto the preselected surface.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 26 , further including rinsing non-polymerized material off the article with a rinsing unit.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising automatically transporting said article to said rinsing unit with said transport system.  
   
   
       34 . A method for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material, the method comprising: 
 depositing a uniform layer of the photo-activatable building material to a preselected surface with an applicator;    scanning the layer using a plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate the layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with fabrication of said article;    repeating the steps of depositing a uniform layer, with each layer being applied over an immediately previous layer, and scanning each layer with the plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate the building material until the article is fabricated;    rinsing the article in a rinsing unit following fabrication; and    automatically transporting the article between said applicator and said rinsing unit with a transport system.    
   
   
       35 - 45 . (canceled)  
   
   
       46 . A system for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material, the method comprising: 
 means for depositing a uniform layer of the photo-activatable building material to a preselected surface; and    means for scanning the layer using a plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate the layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with fabrication of said article;    wherein said means for depositing and means for scanning are repeatedly operated with each layer being applied over an immediately previous layer and scanning with the plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate the building material until the article is fabricated.    
   
   
       47 . A system for fabricating an article using photo-activatable building material, the method comprising: 
 means for repeatedly depositing a uniform layer of the photo-activatable building material to a preselected surface;    means for scanning each said layer using a plurality of light-emitting centers to selectively photo-activate that layer of photo-activatable building material in accordance with fabrication of said article;    means for curing said article; and    means for automatically transporting said article to said means for curing.    
   
   
       48 - 56 . (canceled)