Apparatus for volumetric 3D-printing for forming a three-dimensional object

1 . An apparatus for volumetric 3d-printing to form a three-dimensional object via dual-color photopolymerization, the apparatus comprising:

a working volume configured to receive a photopolymerizable material which is to be irradiated with light for forming a three-dimensional object;

at least one first irradiation device configured to generate at least one first light projection of light of a first wavelength in the working volume, the at least one first light projection comprising multiple light beams traversing the working volume in at least one light plane, wherein the at least one first light projection is a light sheet;

at least one second irradiation device configured to generate a second light projection of light of a second wavelength in the working volume, the second light projection intersecting the first light projection at a specific angle;

at least one light modulation device assigned to the at least one first irradiation device, the at least one light modulation device configured to modulate a spatial extension direction of two or more light beams of the multiple light beams in the at least one light plane such that the two or more light beams extend in a non-parallel arrangement relative to each other and intersect at at least one intersection point within the at least one light plane.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light modulation device is configured to modulate the spatial extension direction of the two or more light beams in a common light plane such that the two or more light beams intersect at one or more points in the common light plane.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises one or more optically transmissive elements and/or one or more optically reflective elements and/or one or more optically diffractive elements.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first irradiation device comprises at least one first light source configured to generate the light of the first wavelength, wherein the at least one light modulation device is arranged in the optical path between the at least one first light source of the at least one first irradiation device and the working volume, wherein the at least one first irradiation device comprises at least one first light source configured to generate the light of the first wavelength, wherein the at least one light modulation device is arranged in the optical path between the at least one first light source of the at least one first irradiation device and the working volume.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light modulation device or at least one component thereof is moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion relative to at least one light source of the at least one first irradiation device or relative to the working volume; and/or

wherein the at least one first irradiation device or at least one component thereof is moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion relative to the working volume.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a collimator device configured to collimate the light emitted from at least one first light source of the at least one first irradiation device before it enters the working volume, wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises at least one optical lens arranged upstream of the collimator device.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising at least one light deflection device configured to deflect light emitted from at least one first light source of the at least one first irradiation device towards the working volume, wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises at least one optical lens arranged upstream of the light deflection device.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising at least one light deflection device configured to deflect light emitted from at least one first light source of the at least one first irradiation device towards the working volume, wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises at least one beam steering device arranged upstream of the at least one light deflection device, the at least one beam steering device configured to change the spatial extension direction of a light beam emitted from the at least one first light source towards the at least one beam steering device.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one beam steering device comprises at least one of: an optically transmissive element moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion, wherein the at least one beam steering device is configured to change the direction of the spatial extension of a light beam emitted from the at least one first light source towards the at least one beam steering device via one or more motions of at least one transmissive element in the at least one degree of freedom of motion and at least one optically reflective element moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion, wherein the at least one beam steering device is configured to change the spatial extension direction of a light beam emitted from the at least one first light source towards the at least one beam steering device via one or more motions of the at least one transmissive element in the at least one degree of freedom of motion.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises at least one adaptive optical element having an adaptive shape, wherein the at least one adaptive optical element is configured to change the spatial extension direction of the spatial extension of a light beam via one or more changes of its shape.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises a collimator device which is moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising at least one light deflection device configured to deflect light emitted from the or at least one first light source of the at least one first irradiation device towards the working volume, wherein the at least one light deflection device comprises a base body, wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises at least one optical element attached to the outer surface of the base body.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising at least one light deflection device configured to deflect light emitted from the or at least one first light source of the at least one first irradiation device towards the working volume, wherein the at least one light deflection device comprises a base body, wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises a surface structuring of the outer surface of the base body.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the working volume is provided by at least one container device, the container device delimiting a container volume for receiving the photopolymerizable material.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a determination device configured to determine the surface and/or bulk properties of a three-dimensional object being manufactured with the apparatus, wherein the determination device comprises a detection unit configured to detect information indicative of the surface and/or bulk properties of a three-dimensional object being manufactured with the apparatus; wherein the information indicative of the surface and/or bulk properties of a three-dimensional object being manufactured with the apparatus can be communicated to a control unit of the apparatus, wherein the control unit is configured to control operation of the at least one light modulation device based on the information.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light modulation device is configured to generate one or more points within the at least one formation zone through which the two or more light beams of the multiple light beams of the first wavelength extend based on at least one of the following principles for speckle reduction: angular diversity, polarization diversity, and wavelength diversity.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the specific angle is 45° or 90°.

18 . An apparatus for volumetric 3d-printing to form a three-dimensional object via dual-color photopolymerization, the apparatus comprising:

a working volume configured to receive a photopolymerizable material which is to be irradiated with light for forming a three-dimensional object;

at least one first irradiation device configured to generate at least one first light projection of light of a first wavelength in the working volume, the at least one first light projection comprising multiple light beams traversing the working volume in at least one light plane;

at least one second irradiation device configured to generate a second light projection of light of a second wavelength in the working volume, the second light projection intersecting the first light projection at a specific angle;

at least one light modulation device assigned to the at least one first irradiation device, the at least one light modulation device configured to modulate a spatial extension direction of two or more light beams of the multiple light beams in the at least one light plane such that the two or more light beams extend in a non-parallel arrangement relative to each other, and/or to generate at least two light beams of the first wavelength which have different polarizations or polarization states in at least one point within the working volume, and/or to generate at least two light beams which have different wavelengths in at least one point within the working volume,

wherein the at least one light modulation device comprises one or more optical elements, wherein each optical element is configured to change the original spatial extension direction of at least one incident light beam to generate a light beam having a different spatial extension direction relative to the original spatial extension direction such that the at least one light modulation device is configured to generate at least two light beams intersecting at at least one intersection point within the at least one light plane.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the optical elements are built as or comprise at least one of: optical lenses, microlenses, optical diffuser elements, and elliptical diffuser elements, wherein the one or more optical elements are arranged or built on at least one side of a substrate element arranged in the optical path upstream of the working volume.

20 . A method for volumetric 3d-printing to form a three-dimensional object via dual-color photopolymerization, the method comprising:

generating, via at least one first irradiation device, a first light projection of light of a first wavelength in the working volume, the first light projection comprising multiple light beams traversing the working volume in a common plane, wherein the first light projection is a light sheet;

generating, via at least one second irradiation device, a second light projection of light of a second wavelength in the working volume, the second light projection intersecting the first light projection at a specific angle; and

modulating, via at least one light modulation device assigned to the at least one first irradiation device, a spatial extension direction of two or more light beams of the multiple light beams in a common plane such that the two or more light beams extend in a non-parallel arrangement relative to each other and intersect at at least one intersection point within the common plane.

21 . An apparatus for volumetric 3d-printing to form a three-dimensional object via dual-color photopolymerization, the apparatus comprising:

a working volume configured to receive a photopolymerizable material which is to be irradiated with light for forming a three-dimensional object;

at least one first irradiation device configured to generate at least one first light projection of light of a first wavelength in the working volume, the at least one first light projection comprising multiple light beams traversing the working volume in at least one light plane, wherein the at least one first light projection is a light sheet;

at least one second irradiation device configured to generate a second light projection of light of a second wavelength in the working volume, the second light projection intersecting the first light projection at a specific angle;

at least one light modulation device assigned to the at least one first irradiation device, the at least one light modulation device configured to generate at least two light beams of the first wavelength which have different polarizations or polarization states in at least one point within the working volume.