Three-dimensional printing and three-dimensional printers

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing processes, apparatuses, software, and systems for the production of at least one desired 3D object. The 3D printer system (e.g., comprising a processing chamber, build module, or an unpacking station) described herein may retain a desired (e.g., inert) atmosphere around the material bed and/or 3D object at multiple 3D printing stages. The 3D printer described herein comprises one or more build modules that may have a controller separate from the controller of the processing chamber. The 3D printer described herein comprises a platform that may be automatically constructed. The invention(s) described herein may allow the 3D printing process to occur for a long time without operator intervention and/or down time.

1 . An apparatus used in three-dimensional printing of at least one three-dimensional object comprising:
 a processing chamber which is configured to facilitate printing of the at least one three-dimensional object, which processing chamber comprises a first opening;   a processing chamber shutter that is configured to reversibly shut the first opening to separate an internal processing chamber environment from an external environment;   a build module container that comprises a second opening; and   a build module shutter that is configured to (i) shut the second opening to separate an internal environment of the build module container from the external environment, and (ii) shut the second opening to separate the internal environment of the build module container from the internal processing chamber environment after the three-dimensional printing, and wherein the build module container is configured to accommodate the at least one three-dimensional object that is printed by the three-dimensional printing.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the internal processing chamber environment comprises a first atmosphere, wherein the internal environment of the build module container comprises a second atmosphere, wherein the build module shutter is further configured to maintain in the second atmosphere (i) a pressure above an ambient pressure, (ii) an ambient atmosphere, (iii) an exclusion of at least one component present in the ambient atmosphere, or (iv) any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one component is a reactive agent that reacts with a pre-transformed material during the three-dimensional printing, wherein the pre-transformed material is transformed to a transformed material during the three-dimensional printing, and wherein exclusion is to below a threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a force source configured to automatically actuate the processing chamber shutter and/or the build module shutter. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the force source is configured to generate a force comprising mechanical, magnetic, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrostatic, or electric force. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber and/or the build module container are configured to maintain a pressure above an ambient pressure during the three-dimensional printing of the at least one three-dimensional object. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the internal processing chamber environment comprises a first atmosphere, wherein the internal environment of the build module container comprises a second atmosphere, wherein during the three-dimensional printing of the at least one three-dimensional object, the processing chamber and/or build module are configured to facilitate pressure maintenance of the first atmosphere and/or of the second atmosphere respectively, to above ambient pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein above ambient pressure comprises at least half (0.5) a pound per square inch (PSI) above ambient pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein shut comprises sealably shut. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein sealably shut is isolated from an ambient atmosphere. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the internal processing chamber environment comprises a first atmosphere, wherein the internal environment of the build module container comprises a second atmosphere, wherein during a plurality of three-dimensional printing cycles, the first atmosphere and/or the second atmosphere (a) is above ambient pressure, (b) is inert, (c) is different from the ambient atmosphere, (d) is non-reactive with a pre-transformed material and/or one or more three-dimensional objects, (e) comprises a reactive agent below a threshold value, or (f) any combination thereof, wherein the pre-transformed material is transformed to a transformed material during the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the build module container is configured to cool the at least one three-dimensional object. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein regulation of a pressure of the internal environment of the build module container is during a cooling of the at least one three-dimensional object. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein cooling of the at least one three-dimensional object is (i) after the three-dimensional printing, (ii) after disengagement of the build module container from the processing chamber, or (iii) after the three-dimensional printing and after disengagement of the build module container from the processing chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the internal processing chamber environment that is separated by the processing chamber shutter and/or (ii) the internal environment of the build module container that is separated by the build module shutter: (a) has a pressure that is above the pressure of the external environment, (b) is inert, (c) is not reactive with a starting material of the at least one three-dimensional object, (d) is different from the external environment, (e)comprises a reactive agent below a threshold value, or (f) any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber is configured to be coupled to the build module container during the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber is configured to separate from the build module container after the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber shutter is configured to shut before separation from the build module container. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber shutter is configured to shut before exposure of the first opening to an external atmosphere. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a platform adjacent to which the at least one three-dimensional object is printed, wherein the build module container is configured to accommodate the platform. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the platform is configured to vertically translate. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the platform that is configured to vertically translatable using a translation mechanism comprising an encoder, vertical guide post, vertical screw, horizontal screw, linear motor, bearing, shaft, or bellow. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the platform is configured to vertically translatable using a translation mechanism comprising an optical encoder, magnetic encoder, gas bearing, wheel bearing, or a scissor jack. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an energy source configured to generate an energy beam that transforms a pre-transformed material to a transformed material to print the at least one three-dimensional object, wherein the processing chamber is operatively coupled to the energy source. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus used in three-dimensional printing of at least one three-dimensional object comprising at least one controller that is configured to perform the following operations:
 operation (a) direct a build module to engage with a processing chamber, which processing chamber comprises (I) a first opening and (II) a processing chamber shutter that reversibly closes the first opening, which build module comprises (i) a second opening and (ii) a build module shutter that reversibly closes the second opening, wherein the at least one controller is operatively coupled to the build module, the build module shutter, the processing chamber, and the processing chamber shutter;   operation (b) direct an energy beam along a path to transform a pre-transformed material to a transformed material to print the at least one three-dimensional object, wherein the at least one controller is operatively coupled to the energy beam; and   operation (c) direct the build module shutter to shut the second opening and separate an internal environment of the build module from the processing chamber after the three-dimensional printing, wherein the build module is configured to accommodate the at least one three-dimensional object that is printed by the three-dimensional printing.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to perform operation (d) direct merging of the first opening with the second opening before operation (b) and/or after operation (a). 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein during the three-dimensional printing, a pressure in an enclosure is above ambient pressure, wherein the enclosure comprises the build module and the processing chamber. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein an internal processing chamber environment comprises a first atmosphere, and wherein the internal environment of the build module comprises a second atmosphere, and wherein the second atmosphere is merged with the first atmosphere during operation (a) to form a third atmosphere. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one controller is programed to direct at least one pressurized gas generator to maintain the first atmosphere, second atmosphere, and/or third atmosphere, at a pressure above an ambient pressure, wherein the at least one controller is operatively coupled to the at least one pressurized gas generator. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the first atmosphere, the second atmosphere, and/or the third atmosphere is (I) above an ambient pressure, (II) inert, (III) different from an ambient atmosphere, and/or (IV) non-reactive with the pre-transformed material and/or one or more three-dimensional objects during a plurality of three-dimensional printing cycles.