Accurate three-dimensional printing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for three-dimensional printing of at least one three-dimensional object, comprising at least one controller operatively coupled to at least one energy source and at least one detector, wherein the at least one controller is programmed to: (i) direct the at least one energy source to generate at least one energy beam directed to a target surface comprising a pre-transformed material to facilitate transformation of the pre-transformed material to a transformed material as part of the at least one three-dimensional object; (ii) direct the at least one detector to detect radiation at a position of the target surface that is correlated to a temperature at the position; (iii) evaluate a deviation between the temperature and a target temperature profile; and (iv) based at least in part on the deviation, control at least one characteristic of the at least one energy beam to alter any amount of a fraction of the transformed material that separates from the target surface. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the target temperature profile is a single temperature value, a temperature range, or a temperature function. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a target temperature of the target temperature profile is less than (I) a temperature at which the fraction separates from the target surface, (II) an evaporation temperature of a type of the pre-transformed material, (III) a plasma forming temperature of the type of the pre-transformed material, or (IV) any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the energy beam comprises dwell time, footprint, cross section, power per unit area, translation speed, focus, fluence, flux, or intensity. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is programmed to direct the at least one energy source to generate the at least one energy beam to cause the fraction of the transformed material to separate from the target surface. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is programmed to control the at least one characteristic of the at least one energy beam to reduce or prevent separation of the fraction from the target surface. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is programmed to control the at least one characteristic of the at least one energy beam to reduce an amount of the fraction that separates from the target surface. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure comprising the pre-transformed material, wherein the pre-transformed material comprises at least one member of the group consisting of an elemental metal, metal alloy, ceramic, an allotrope of elemental carbon, and an organic material. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is programmed to direct the at least one energy source to generate the at least one energy beam to cause a fraction of the transformed material to separate from the target surface and become gas-borne, evaporate, or form a plasma. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the position comprises a footprint of the at least one energy beam on the target surface or a position adjacent to the footprint, wherein the position adjacent to the footprint is in an area having a radius of at most about six fundamental length scales of the footprint that centers at the footprint. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a material bed, wherein the target surface is an exposed surface of the material bed. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a layer dispensing mechanism comprising a cyclonic separator, wherein the layer dispensing mechanism is configured to planarize the exposed surface. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure comprising the pre-transformed material, wherein the pre-transformed material comprises a particulate material. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the particulate material comprises a powder material. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fraction that separates from the target surface forms debris. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the debris comprises soot. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the target surface is disposed in an enclosure comprising one or more gases that are reactive with the fraction that separates from the target surface. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising machine-executable code that, upon execution by one or more computer processors, implement a method for printing at least one three-dimensional object, the method comprising: (i) directing at least one energy source to generate at least one energy beam directed to a target surface comprising a pre-transformed material to facilitate transformation of the pre-transformed material to a transformed material as part of the at least one three-dimensional object; (ii) directing at least one detector to detect radiation at a position of the target surface that is correlated to a temperature at the position; (iii) evaluating a deviation between the temperature and a target temperature profile; and (iv) based at least in part on the deviation, controlling at least one characteristic of the at least one energy beam to alter any amount of a fraction of the transformed material that separates from the target surface 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , further programmed to control at least one characteristic of the energy beam to reduce or prevent the fraction from separating (i) from a hardened material of the at least one three-dimensional object and/or (ii) from the transformed material. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , further programmed control the at least one characteristic of the energy beam to reduce or prevent separation of the fraction from the target surface. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the pre-transformed material forms a material bed comprising an exposed surface. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein separate(s) from the target surface comprises becoming gas-borne, evaporate or form plasma. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the position comprises an area occupied by a footprint of the energy beam on the target surface, or a position adjacent to the area occupied by the footprint, wherein position adjacent to the area occupied by the footprint is in an area having a radius of at most about six fundamental length scales of the footprint that centers at the footprint. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein a target temperature of the target temperature profile is less than (I) a temperature at which the fraction separates from the at least one three-dimensional object, (II) an evaporation temperature of a type of the pre-transformed material, (III) a plasma forming temperature of the type of the pre-transformed material, or (IV) any combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the energy beam causes a fraction of the transformed material to separate from the at least one three-dimensional object. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the fraction that separates from the at least one three-dimensional object forms a debris. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the debris comprises soot. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the debris affects transformation of the pre-transformed material into the transformed material. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the energy beam comprises dwell time, footprint, cross section, power per unit area, translation speed, focus, fluence, flux, or intensity. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the target surface comprises (i) an exposed surface of a material bed or (ii) an exposed surface of the at least one three-dimensional object.