Electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system with reciprocating operation

1. An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part, the additive manufacturing system comprising:

a photoconductor component having a surface;

a first development station configured to develop layers of a first material on the surface of the photoconductor component;

a second development station configured to develop layers of a second material on the surface of the rotatable photoconductor;

a transfer component having a surface configured to receive the developed layers from the surface of the photoconductor component;

a controller configured to rotate the photoconductor component in opposing first and second rotational directions, and to rotate the transfer component in first and second counter rotational directions that are respectively synchronized with and counter to the first and second rotational directions of the photoconductor component;

a first heater configured to heat the received developed layers on the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the first counter rotational direction;

a second heater configured to heat the received developed layers on the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the second counter rotational direction; and

a moveable platen configured to receive the heated layers from the transfer component to print the three-dimensional part from at least a portion of the received heated layers.

2. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising:

a first charge inducer configured to generate first uniform electrostatic charges to the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction;

a second charge inducer configured to generate second uniform electrostatic charges to the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction; and

an imager configured to generate first latent images from the first uniform electrostatic charges, and to generate second latent images from the second uniform electrostatic charges, wherein the developed layers of the first material are based on the first latent images, and the developed layers of the second material are based on the second latent images.

3. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising at least one fixing element configured to further heat at least a portion of the received heated layers on the platen.

4. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the photoconductor component comprises a first electrically-conductive rotatable drum, and wherein the surface of the photoconductor component comprises a photoconductive surface.

5. The additive manufacturing system of claim 4 , wherein the transfer component comprises a second rotatable drum.

6. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising:

a third development station configured to develop a layer of a third material on the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction; and

a fourth development station configured to develop a layer of a fourth material on the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction;

wherein the controller is further configured to interchangeably operate the first development station and the third development station while the photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction, and to interchangeably operate the second development station and the fourth development station while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction.

7. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising:

a first cooling unit configured to cool the surface of the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the first counter rotational direction; and

a second cooling unit configured to cool the surface of the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the second counter rotational direction.

8. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising at least one cooling unit configured to blow localized cooling air to at least a portion of the received heated layers on the platen.

9. An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part, the additive manufacturing system comprising:

a photoconductor component having a surface;

first and second development stations located along opposing sides of the photoconductor component, and configured to develop layers on the surface of the photoconductor component;

a transfer component configured to receive the developed layers from the surface of the photoconductor component;

a controller configured to rotate the photoconductor component in opposing first and second rotational directions, and to rotate the transfer component in first and second counter rotational directions that are respectively synchronized with and counter to the first and second rotational directions of the photoconductor component;

a first heater located along a first side of the transfer component, the first heater being configured to heat a first portion of the developed layers on the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the first counter rotational direction;

a second heater along a second side of the transfer component that is opposite of the first side of the transfer component, the second heater being configured to heat a second portion of the developed layers on the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the second counter rotational direction; and

a platen configured to receive the heated layers from the transfer component to print the three-dimensional part from at least a portion of the received heated layers.

10. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising:

a first cooling unit located along the second side of the transfer component, the first cooling unit being configured to cool a surface of the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the first counter rotational direction; and

a second cooling unit located along the first side of the transfer component, the second cooling unit being configured to cool the surface of the transfer component while the transfer component rotates in the second counter rotational direction.

11. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising a rotatable carousel that carries the first development station and at least one additional development station.

12. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising at least one fixing element configured to further heat at least a portion of the received heated layers on the platen.

13. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising:

a first charge inducer configured to generate uniform electrostatic charges to the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction; and

a second charge inducer configured to generate second uniform electrostatic charges to the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction; and

an imager configured to generate latent images from the first and second uniform electrostatic charges, wherein the developed layers are based on the latent images.

14. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising a chamber at least partially enclosing the platen, wherein the chamber is configured to be heated to one or more temperatures.

15. A method for printing a three-dimensional part and a support structure, the method comprising:

developing a layer of the support structure from a first development station onto a surface of a photoconductor component while the photoconductor component is rotating in a first rotational direction;

transferring the developed layer of the support structure from the surface of the photoconductor component to a transfer component while the transfer component is rotating in a first counter rotational direction that is synchronized with and counter to the first rotational direction of the photoconductor component;

heating the developed layer of the support structure on the transfer component while the transfer component is rotating in the first counter rotational direction;

transferring the heated layer of the support structure from the rotatable transfer component to a platen;

developing a layer of the three-dimensional part from a second development station onto the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component is rotating in a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction;

transferring the developed layer of the three-dimensional part from the surface of the photoconductor component to the transfer component while the transfer component is rotating in a second counter rotational direction that is synchronized with and counter to the second rotational direction of the photoconductor component;

heating the developed layer of the three-dimensional part on the transfer component while the transfer component is rotating in the second counter rotational direction; and

transferring the heated layer of the three-dimensional part from the transfer component onto the layer of the support structure previously transferred to the platen.

16. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising:

moving the platen in the first direction and at a synchronized rate with the rotation of the transfer component in the first counter rotational direction; and

moving the platen in a second direction and at a synchronized rate with the rotation of the transfer component in the second counter rotational direction.

17. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising further heating the layer of the three-dimensional part that is transferred onto the layer of the support structure.

18. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising developing a layer of a third material from a third development station onto the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component is rotating in the second rotational direction.

19. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising rotating a carousel comprising the second development station and at least one additional development station.

20. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising:

cooling a surface of the transfer component after transferring the heated layer of the support structure to the platen and while the transfer component is rotating in the first counter rotational direction; and

cooling the surface of the transfer component after transferring the heated layer of the three-dimensional part onto the layer of the support structure and while the transfer component is rotating in the second counter rotational direction.