APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS USING A TILTING SOLIDIFICATION SUBSTRATE

摘要

An apparatus and method for making a three-dimensional object from a solidifiable material using a linear solidification device is shown and described. The apparatus includes a solidification substrate that is tiltable relative to a film about a tilting axis. Layers of the solidifiable material solidify in contact with a film located between the most recently solidified object layer and a solidification substrate that comprises the solidification substrate assembly. The tilting of the solidification substrate relative to the film allows the substrate to be used to squeeze excess solidifiable material from between the film and the most recently solidified object surface while minimizing or eliminating the formation of bubbles in the solidifiable material which can prolong object build times. In addition, tilting the solidification substrate before separating an adhered object surface from the film breaks any vacuum formed between the substrate and the film which reduces the forces involved in separating the object form the film.

主权项

1. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional object from a solidifiable material, comprising:
a build platform movable along a first axis; a solidification energy source; a film assembly; a solidification substrate assembly comprising a rigid or semi-rigid solidification substrate that is transparent and/or translucent; an actuator operatively connected to the solidification substrate assembly; and at least one controller operatively connected to the actuator, wherein the at least one controller comprises a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, and when the computer executable instructions are executed by the processor, the at least one controller generates an actuator activation signal; wherein the film assembly includes at least one frame, and a film disposed in the at least one frame, the solidification substrate is located between the solidification energy source and the film along the first axis, and the solidification substrate assembly is tiltable relative to the film assembly about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis when the actuator receives the actuator activation signal.