IP Library Granted Patent US 10,369,747
Granted Patent B2
US 10,369,747 · App. 15/866,766 · Granted Aug 6, 2019

Systems and methods for an improved peel operation during additive fabrication

Inventors: Maxim Lobovsky (Cambridge, MA); Steven Thomas (Cambridge, MA); Benjamin FrantzDale (Harvard, MA)
Assignee: Formlabs, Inc.
B29C64/393B29C64/135B29C64/20B29C64/245B29C64/386B33Y10/00B33Y30/00B33Y50/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,369,747
App. No.
15/866,766
Granted
Aug 6, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to some aspects, a method of additive fabrication wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed on a build platform is provided. The method may comprise forming a layer of material in contact with a container, and subsequent to the forming of the layer of material, rotating the container relative to the build platform and moving the build platform relative to the container, thereby creating an effective fulcrum about an axis, wherein the rotating of the container and moving of the build platform causes the layer of material to separate from the container. According to some embodiments, the container may be configured to rotate about a fixed axis. According to some embodiments, moving the build platform may comprise moving the build platform toward the container.

Claims (10)

1. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method of additive fabrication wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed on a build platform, the method comprising:

operating an additive fabrication device to:

form a layer of material in contact with a container of the additive fabrication device; and

subsequent to the forming of the layer of material, rotate the container relative to the build platform about a first axis and simultaneously moving the build platform relative to the container, thereby creating an effective fulcrum about a second axis, parallel to and different from the first axis, about which the container rotates relative to the layer of material,

wherein the rotating of the container and moving of the build platform causes the layer of material to separate from the container.

2. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the container of the additive fabrication device is configured to rotate about a fixed axis.

3. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein moving the build platform relative to the container comprises moving the build platform toward the container.

4. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises identifying, by the at least one processor, the second axis a first distance from an end of the container.

5. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises determining, by the at least one processor, a position of the second axis based at least in part on a size and/or position of the layer of material.

6. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the second axis is determined by the at least one processor based at least in part on a distance from an end of the container to an edge of the layer of material.

Assignments (3)
AMENDED AND RESTATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 5, 2022
From: FORMLABS INC.; FORMLABS OHIO INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 061087/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2020
From: FORMLABS INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 051734/0886 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2018
From: LOBOVSKY, MAXIM; THOMAS, STEVEN; FRANTZDALE, BENJAMIN
To: FORMLABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 047412/0458 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14333885 · Jul 17, 2014
Related Publication 20180133973A1 · May 17, 2018