|Publication number||US8126580 B2|
|Application number||US 12/815,326|
|Publication date||Feb 28, 2012|
|Filing date||Jun 14, 2010|
|Priority date||Apr 26, 2006|
|Also published as||CN101063811A, CN101063811B, DE102006019963A1, DE502007001002D1, EP1849587A1, EP1849587B1, EP1982824A2, EP1982824A3, EP1982824B1, US7783371, US20080038396, US20100249979|
|Publication number||12815326, 815326, US 8126580 B2, US 8126580B2, US-B2-8126580, US8126580 B2, US8126580B2|
|Inventors||Ali El-Siblani, Volker Schillen, Hendrik John|
|Original Assignee||Envisiontec Gmbh|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (214), Non-Patent Citations (24), Referenced by (4), Classifications (11), Legal Events (1)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/796,709, filed Apr. 26, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,783,371, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference and which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/796,159, filed Apr. 28, 2006, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a device for producing a three-dimensional object by solidification of a material, in particular a photopolymer, solidifiable under the action of electromagnetic radiation by means of energy input via an imaging unit comprising a predetermined number of discrete imaging elements (pixels). In particular, this invention relates to methods in which solidification is based on the exposure by means of a raster mask, with the smallest physical resolution in the mask given by the size of a pixel and the Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) technology being applied to the imaging unit.
The literature specifies highly varying methods for the construction of three-dimensional objects of “light-hardening” photopolymers, cf. “Automated Fabrication—Improving Productivity in Manufacturing” by Marshall Burns, 1993 (ISBN 0-13-119462-3).
Known possibilities are, inter alia, the exposure by
These methods are described in the following patents:
US Patent US005247180A “Stereolithographic Apparatus and Method of use” by Texas Instruments Inc., September 1993;
US Patent US005980813A “Rapid Prototyping using multiple materials” by SRI International, November 1999;
Utility model publication DE G 93 19 405.6 “Device for the production of a three-dimensional object (model) according to the principle of photo solidification” by the Research Center Informatics at the University of Karlsruhe, December 1993;
According to a similar method, the utility model publication DE 299 11 122 U1 “Device for producing a three-dimensional object”, DeltaMed inter alia, June 1999 describes an application for the generation of micro-technical, three-dimensional components.
EP 1250997A (=US2002155189A) “Device for producing a three-dimensional object” by Envision Technologies GmbH, April 2002.
German Patent DE69909136T “Rapid Prototyping Device and Rapid Prototyping Method”, July 2003 (equivalent: European Patent EP 1156922 “Rapid Prototyping Apparatus and Method of Rapid Prototyping”, August 2003) of DICON AS Lystrup, Denmark.
WO 01/00390 A by HAP, Sitec Industrietechnologie and DELTAMED Medizinprodukte GmbH.
WO 2005/110722 A of Envisiontec GmbH.
With laser-based systems for photo-polymerization, the light output in the exposure point is provided by the energy setting of the laser beam, whereby the hardening depth of the solidifiable material, such as the photopolymer, can be controlled in that point.
For selective hardening, the laser beam is scanned over the cross-sectional area to be correspondingly hardened.
The contours of the cross-sectional area to be hardened can be scanned by the laser beam as a curve.
A cross-sectional area is typically exposed at once with systems for photo-polymerization based on mask projection by means of projection systems, especially with the SLM technology. The white areas of the projected image harden the solidifiable material (normally a photopolymer); the black areas do not. The contours of the cross-sectional area to be hardened can only be presented in rasters; the resolution depends on the number of image points or, respectively, pixels and on the size of the projected image.
With the above mentioned WO 01/00390 A, the intensity of beams is controlled by controlling the permeability of the mask, wherein the intensity may be controlled via the selection of gray levels of a transmission LCD. An allocation by different intensities is, however, performed with respect to a layer only depending on whether solidified regions are underneath or not. There is no mentioning in WO 01/00390 of an adjustment and/or a control of an energy input in a voxel matrix as according to the present invention. The present invention deals with resolution and fine adjustment in a voxel matrix; while grey level gradation depending on whether an underneath hardened layer is absent or present for connection is not required in the present invention.
In WO 2005/110722 A, a multiple exposure is carried out on the subpixel level for improving the resolution along the outside and inside contours of the cross-sectional areas of the object to be generated, said exposure consisting of a sequence of a plurality of images offset on the subpixel level in the image/building plane, wherein a separate mask/bitmap is generated for every offset image. A gray level adjustment is taken into account for the contour pixels obtained by the subpixel offset. There is neither any mentioning in WO 2005/110722 A of an adjustment and/or a control of an energy input in a voxel matrix as according to the present invention.
Neither WO 01/00390 A nor WO 2005/110722 show how the resolution and the fine adjustment in the image plane can be improved, and how native inhomogeneities of the light source can be balanced better.
It is the object of the invention to improve device and method for the production of a three-dimensional object by solidification of a material solidifiable under the action of electromagnetic radiation, by means of energy input via an imaging unit comprising a predetermined number of discrete imaging elements (pixels) so that a higher precision, higher resolution and fine adjustment and/or a higher homogeneity of the system will be realized.
In a first embodiment, the invention provides a device for the production of a three-dimensional object by solidification of a material solidifiable under the action of electromagnetic radiation by means of energy input via an imaging unit comprising a predetermined number of discrete imaging elements (pixels), said device comprising a computer unit, an IC and/or a software implementation respectively with the ability of adjusting and/or controlling the energy input via a specific gray value and/or color value.
It has been found to be particularly advantageous to selectively adjust and/or control the energy input via a specific grey value and/or color value in a voxel matrix. Further preferably, a raster mask (bitmap) is used without pixel shift.
In the present invention, the term voxel matrix means a rastered arrangement of solidified voxels (volume pixels), wherein a voxel images an image point of a pixel matrix, and the hardening depth per voxel depends on the energy input per image point.
In a preferred development of the first embodiment, the capability for adjusting and/or controlling a specific gray value and/or color value can be advantageously provided specifically and individually per pixel.
In a second embodiment, the invention further provides a device for the production of a three-dimensional object by means of solidification of a material solidifiable under the action of electromagnetic radiation by means of energy input via a raster imaging unit comprising a predetermined number of discrete imaging elements (pixels) arranged as a dot, a line or as a matrix, wherein the imaging unit composes the image from the pixels and thus forms a raster mask (bitmap), wherein the imaging unit is designed such that at least one part of the pixels can be allocated to more than two energy levels for a variable energy input. Also in this second embodiment, it has been found to be particularly advantageous to selectively adjust and/or control the energy input via a specific grey value and/or color value in a voxel matrix. Further preferably, a raster mask (bitmap) is used without pixel shift.
The allocation is suitably provided by the supply or, respectively, provision of more than two energy levels per bitmap and preferably specifically per pixel. In a preferred development of the second embodiment, the design of the imaging unit can be advantageously such that the allocation or, respectively, the classification of pixels into the more than two energy levels can be provided specifically and individually per pixel.
The more than two energy levels preferably include:
a1) ON and OFF states, by an essentially complete energy transmission (white) or, respectively, by an essentially complete energy blocking without energy transmission (black), in transmissive systems (especially with light valves); or
a2) ON and OFF states, by an essentially complete energy reflection into the optical axis (white in the projection image) or, respectively, by an essentially complete reflection out of the optical axis into an optical absorber (black in the projection image), in reflexive systems (in particular in a Digital Micromirror Device [DMD] or a Liquid Crystal on Silicon [LCoS] for digital light processing [DLP]); and additionally
b1) a predetermined, desired number of gray levels, or
b2) a predetermined, desired number of color values. The color values can represent a color tone and/or a color density or, respectively, intensity.
In accordance with the invention, the adjustment or setting via color values in comparison with gray values can be particularly advantageous because a significantly better fine adjustment will then be possible, specifically in relation to the photopolymer correspondingly used.
In a preferred development of the first and second embodiments, the imaging unit of the device can be included in a projection unit. The imaging unit is typically designed such that the number of pixels is constant and is arranged in the plane in a mutually spatially fixed manner.
In a preferred development of the first and second embodiments, the imaging unit can be the device of the type of an emitting dot, an emitting line or an emitting matrix. A resolution improvement is particularly achieved when the imaging unit comprises a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) or light valves in MEMS technology or LEDs.
The present invention furthermore provides a method for the production of a three-dimensional object by means of solidifying a material solidifiable under the action of electromagnetic radiation by means of energy input via an imaging unit comprising a predetermined number of discrete imagining elements (pixels), wherein the light output for solidification of the material is controlled for at least a part of the pixels via a defined gray value and/or color value. Due to this measure, the depth of penetration of the electromagnetic radiation for solidifying the material can be advantageously set significantly finer and variable and precisely per pixel by selectively adjusting and/or controlling the energy input via a specific grey value and/or color value in a voxel matrix, preferably a raster mask (bitmap) being used without pixel shift.
Information on gray value and/or color value can be stored in the raster image (bitmap) per image point (pixel).
In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the exposure mask or, respectively, the image will be projected by means of a projection unit into the building plane for the solidification of the material.
In a preferred embodiment of the device and the method according to the invention, a compensation mask is generated with gray values for the entire projection image on the basis of the measured native light output distribution, said compensation mask causing, in a superposition to the bitmap generated for the solidification, a homogeneous distribution of the light output over the entire projection image. The homogeneity of the light output distribution will thus be considerably improved. When the measurement of the native light output distribution occurs in the projection image of the building plane, the generation of the compensation mask can occur independently of the bitmap generated in the building process and thus involves not only exposed but also unexposed surfaces.
In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the gray values in the compensation mask are interpolated between the measuring points, thus a more uniform gray value distribution is achieved over the entire compensation mask.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the device and the method according to the invention, it is determined which pixels are overlapped how much by the graphics. Depending on the result of this determination, a correspondingly weighted gray value or a specific color value will be allocated pixel—specifically. Due to this measure, the resolution can be significantly improved for very fine structures. Alternatively or additionally, these measures take into account antialiasing in rastering a contour line, thus eliminating or, respectively, reducing the so-called aliasing artifacts in the edge/contour areas which develop with the rastering of vector graphics—here of the cross-sectional structure to be exposed.
According to the invention, multiple exposure and/or a subpixel offset is not desired in this case.
In another, particularly preferred embodiment of the device and the method according to the invention, different areas of various area expansion will be identified in a cross-sectional image which was generated for solidification. The pixels of the respectively identified areas are allocated or provided with uniform gray values and/or color values so that gray value and/or color value extend over the corresponding areas. Thus, for example, larger area structures can be darkened according to their expansion, whereas smaller area structures are radiated lighter. Thus, a uniform hardening depth will be obtained over the entire cross-sectional image and thus over the entire area to be exposed.
In a preferred embodiment of the device and the method according to the invention, increased hardening of selected areas will occur through the single or multiple exposure of a voxel matrix, by providing a corresponding gray value/color value allocation within the voxel matrix. The hardening depth in the selected areas, which are allocated without or with a lower grey value/color value, is preferably several-fold, i.e. at least the three-fold, preferably at the least the four-fold, and further preferred by at least the five-fold of the hardening depth of the remaining areas.
In a preferred embodiment of the device and the method according to the invention, information regarding the gray Value and/or the color value per image point (pixel) is calculated online on a current basis for each raster image (bitmap).
Device and method according to the invention allow to improve the homogeneity of the light output distribution. Specifically, light output control by means of gray levels and/or color values on the macroscopic level or specifically at the pixel level on the microscopic level can improve the imaging performance by a bitmapping that determines a voxel matrix. Imaging losses can be reduced which are caused by a pure ON/OFF (BLACK/WHITE) raster. The resolution performance in the building plane is improved without having to increase the resolution of the imaging unit. Thus, the quality of the constructed component will be improved overall with regard to surface smoothness, accuracy of details, and tolerances.
Particularly in projection systems with SLM technology, the light output distribution over the image surface can be significantly improved (versus a conventional inhomogeneous distribution of possibly up to 50% in absolute terms). Accordingly, compared with the state of the art, the dependence or, respectively, the influence is reduced by means of the invention, with regard to a) the light source used; b) the optical system for coupling the light energy (specifically to the SLM) and c) the vignetting of the projection optics.
Even if the properties of the light source will change over time, this can be corrected according to the invention so that variable errors and changing homogeneity distributions can be compensated. If desired, even constant errors—which can be caused by the optical system for coupling the light energy to the SLM and the projection optics—can be prevented with the invention by compensating any homogeneity deviations.
If desired, with the concept according to the invention, the problem can also be dealt with that the light intensity varies depending on the size of the exposed area structure (higher light intensity with larger, contiguous areas, lower light intensity with small, filigree area structures) which is why—without the measure according to the invention—the inhomogeneity of the light output distribution in the projected image can result in corresponding deviations in the hardening depth of the photopolymer and thus in errors/deviations, imprecisions in the component upon the application of mask projection by means of the SLM technology.
By means of the gray level control and/or the color value control, the light output distribution can be adjusted over the overall image (gray mask compensation), i.e. a macro-adjustment, but as well as on a pixel level, i.e. a micro-adjustment, but without changing the native condition of the light source and/or the imaging optics. Micro-adjustment is best done selectively, i.e. depending on the cross-sectional structure to be imaged, and during the generation of the bitmap of the cross sectional area for the voxel matrix currently produced.
Furthermore, a significantly better fine adjustment of the energy input can be achieved by means of the measure of allocating at least a part of the pixels more than two energy levels, providing, particularly in addition to the normal ON and OFF states (white/black), additional energy levels by a predetermined number of gray levels, preferably by a predetermined number of color values.
By means of the invention, operating conditions, particularly the hardening depth, also can be largely kept constant over the entire cross-sectional imaging structure, or can be specifically selectively manipulated for the purpose of overexposure or underexposure of selected areas, which will result in an improvement of the quality of the constructed component. A better resolution and a better fine adjustment will be achieved especially if the following are comprised as parameters for overexposure or underexposure:
Also, deviations can be compensated which are caused e.g. by aging of the light source or other optical errors.
The gray level control and/or the color value control can be technically performed most suitably entirely by software. A computer unit such as a CPU, an IC and/or a software implementation respectively with the corresponding function can be used as suitable elements for this purpose. The system can thus be used very flexibly and for all mask projection systems based on SML technology.
Another major advantage is that the selective, pixel-precise light output adjustment can be provided, independent of the exposure time, by the gray level and/or color level control. Thus, the exposure time can advantageously remain constant for all bitmaps.
The invention will be described in more detail on the basis of further exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached Figures; however, the invention is by no means limited to the described embodiments and examples and drawings but can instead comprise any variations and modifications within the scope of the claims.
In the illustrated embodiment, the building of the three-dimensional object 3 is carried out in layers. However, the building can be alternatively carried out independently from layers. Other design options are possible. For example, the hardening process can be carried out continuously without layers; discontinuously (either with same or different or variable layer thicknesses); partially continuously and partially discontinuously (discontinuously either with same or different or variable layer thicknesses); or in a combination of various possibilities. As an example,
The device and process according to the present invention is particularly suitable for building a three-dimensional object independent from layers.
With a method based on photo-polymerization, the light radiation necessary for hardening will be projected into the processing plane. Exposure will be effected by means of a multimedia projector. The image is here composed of individual image points (pixels) to a so-called bitmap. The bitmap mask will be formed by a Spatial Light Modulator, wherein the pixels are arranged in a mutually spatially fixed manner in the plane. A currently typical, exemplary resolution for such semiconductor elements is SXGA+, 1400×1050 pixels.
Gray Level Control/Macro-Adjustment
Macro-adjustment concerns the balancing of native deviations in the light output distribution over the entire image area, which are caused by the optical system or, respectively, its error, by means of a gray or color mask compensation.
For this, multiple measuring values are recorded uniformly distributed over the entire image surface, and a compensation mask of gray values or color values is calculated, said compensation mask being laid over or superposed on each individually projected bitmap mask.
Due to this method, the homogeneity is improved at least by a factor of two.
The measurements can be either manually recorded or determined via a sensor matrix.
Simple tiling can be used with the compensation mask (
Gray Level Control/Micro-Adjustment
Micro-adjustment concerns obtaining the most faithful image of the cross-sectional area to be projected with the maximum precision and to also keep the exposure and hardening parameters over the structure to be exposed either constant or to influence them specifically and pixel-precisely by gray-value or color-value controlled overexposure or underexposure.
With a structural size of 1.5×1.5 pixels, it can happen here that—due to an unfavorable pixel/bitmap distribution or, respectively raster with a purely black/white conversion—either only one pixel or even 3×3 pixels are switched white. With yet smaller structures in 1 pixel size, a complete loss of the structure to be imaged in the bitmap can even occur.
To prevent this, each pixel is allocated a corresponding gray value depending on the degree of overlapping by the structure to be imaged. This comes to bear especially in the contour area of the structure.
The principle is here presented on the basis of a structure which comprises small holes as well as small cylinders of various sizes (diameter 200, 500 and 1000 μm) (
From the resolution of the raster—here 1280×1024 pixels—and the size of the structural field—here 317.5×254 mm—a pixel size of 248 μm will result.
It should be noted that the smallest structure is here smaller than one pixel!
By means of two different bitmapping strategies, the improvement through gray value or color value adjustment will be shown:
Bitmapping Strategy with Purely Black/White Pixels
The bitmap thus generated (
The reason is that with these structures, which do not appear in the bitmap, no pixel will be covered by more than 50%, depending on their position in the raster.
Original Bitmap presentation Bitmap presentation diameter “hole” “cylinder” 200 μm 1 pixel 248 μm 1 pixel 248 μm 500 μm 2 pixels 496 μm 2 pixels 496 μm 1000 μm 4 pixels 992 μm 4 pixels 992 μm
Bitmapping Strategy with Pixel-Precise Gray Value Adjustment:
The thus generated bitmap (
Original Bitmap presentation Bitmap presentation diameter “hole” “cylinder” 200 μm ~1 pixel ~248 μm ~1 pixel ~248 μm 500 μm ~2 pixels ~496 μm ~2 pixels ~496 μm 1000 μm ~4 pixels ~992 μm ~4 pixels ~992 μm
Smoothing the Outside and Inside Contours of the Structures to be Exposed
Here, the antialiasing effect already known in digital image processing will be utilized.
A known problem of rasterization is the alias effect. If a gray value depth of more than 1 bit is available for the raster graphics to be generated, this effect can be reduced by means of “edge smoothing” (antialiasing). Different B/W filter methods are available for this.
With antialiasing of the bitmap output, the so-called aliasing artifacts, an effect of aliasing, will be removed which occur in the raster of a vector graphic (here the cross-sectional structure to be exposed (
When drawing a line, only horizontal and vertical lines can be drawn without any problem whose line thickness is a multiple of the pixel space and whose starting and end point lies on a pixel. If a line is somewhat inclined, aliasing artifacts will inevitably occur. The same also happens with all round/free forms. The effect will become all the more pronounced, the coarser the resolution.
In antialiasing of vector graphics, it is taken into account which pixels are crossed over how much by the graphics; and they are provided with a correspondingly weighted gray value. The pixels are here usually viewed as squares. The more of the pixel surface is covered by the graphics, the lighter the gray value of the pixel will be adjusted. Special software filters are used for implementation.
By this method, the hardening behavior of the material will finally also be accordingly influenced, and a higher precision is thus achieved in the final component.
The imaging imprecision of the projection optics and the photopolymer can additionally exercise a deep pass filter function which can result, on the one hand, in a further smoothing effect of the component surface, but, on the other hand, also in a more imprecise component or, respectively, in a loss of detail.
Controlling the Hardening Depth by Means of the Gray Level Control as a Function of the Cross-Sectional Structure to be Imaged/Component Geometry to be Imaged
Hardening Depth with Large Surface Structures Versus Filigree Cross-Sectional Structures
With larger structure areas, more light output per area is available than with filigree structures; this phenomenon results in different hardening in xy-extension (beyond the contour) and z-extension (depth).
If, for example, a 10 mm×10 mm large surface is exposed once, it will harden e.g. to a thickness of 130 μm; however, with the same exposure time, a structure of 2 mm×10 mm will harden only 100 μm. If the component is now built for example in 100 μm layers or in a corresponding voxel matrix, it may happen that, in the filigree portion, the generated solidified material will not enter into sufficient chemical bonding through overexposure (130 μm depth hardening up to 30% into the preceding layer), that the hardened material will be separated in this portion, and that the component is defective. This phenomenon is particularly critical with filigree supporting structures.
Based on special algorithms, structures of different area expansions will be identified in the cross-sectional image and will be allocated pixel-precisely to corresponding gray values to obtain a uniform hardening depth (Z) and extension (XY) over the entire structural area to be exposed (larger area structures will here be darkened according to their extension).
Higher Green Compact Hardness with Massive Structures/Higher Material Accumulations within One Component
With some components, there are volume portions with an accumulation of material whose wall thickness on the one hand exceeds the maximum possible hardening depth of the material in post-hardening or which are in a position within the component not reached by light energy or only to a limited extent in the post-hardening process.
Already during the generating process, such volume portions can achieve a higher green compact hardness by being specifically overexposed. This can be carried out by corresponding gray value or color value allocations in a voxel matrix, wherein the hardening depth in Z preferably exceeds a normal hardening depth several-fold.
For all applications described above, the bitmap mask/exposure mask can contain information on black/white, gray value, and or color information by which the exposure energy will be controlled. The individually described embodiments and examples can be combined in any way with each other.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US4752498||Mar 2, 1987||Jun 21, 1988||Fudim Efrem V||Method and apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by photosolidification|
|US4837379||Jun 2, 1988||Jun 6, 1989||Organogenesis Inc.||Fibrin-collagen tissue equivalents and methods for preparation thereof|
|US4929402||Apr 19, 1989||May 29, 1990||3D Systems, Inc.||Method for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US4999143||Apr 18, 1988||Mar 12, 1991||3D Systems, Inc.||Methods and apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US5093130||Sep 26, 1989||Mar 3, 1992||Plant Genetics||Powder coated hydrogel capsules|
|US5137662||May 2, 1991||Aug 11, 1992||3-D Systems, Inc.||Method and apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US5139338||Nov 8, 1989||Aug 18, 1992||Cubital Ltd.||Method and apparatus for volumetric digitization of 3-dimensional objects|
|US5143663||Jun 12, 1989||Sep 1, 1992||3D Systems, Inc.||Stereolithography method and apparatus|
|US5157423||May 8, 1991||Oct 20, 1992||Cubital Ltd.||Apparatus for pattern generation on a dielectric substrate|
|US5171490||May 31, 1990||Dec 15, 1992||Fudim Efrem V||Method and apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by irradiation of photopolymers|
|US5173266||Jul 19, 1989||Dec 22, 1992||Drummond Scientific Company||Safety pipet|
|US5174931||Apr 27, 1990||Dec 29, 1992||3D Systems, Inc.||Method of and apparatus for making a three-dimensional product by stereolithography|
|US5236637||Feb 21, 1992||Aug 17, 1993||3D Systems, Inc.||Method of and apparatus for production of three dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US5247180||Dec 30, 1991||Sep 21, 1993||Texas Instruments Incorporated||Stereolithographic apparatus and method of use|
|US5248456||May 17, 1991||Sep 28, 1993||3D Systems, Inc.||Method and apparatus for cleaning stereolithographically produced objects|
|US5263130||Feb 25, 1991||Nov 16, 1993||Cubital Ltd.||Three dimensional modelling apparatus|
|US5268994||Jan 30, 1991||Dec 7, 1993||Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production)||Method of plotting surfaces in a 3D volume|
|US5289214||Sep 27, 1991||Feb 22, 1994||Cubital Ltd.||Apparatus for information transfer including a dielectric element and generally non-imagewise charge service|
|US5298208||Nov 1, 1991||Mar 29, 1994||Athletic Helmet, Inc.||Method for molding a protective helmet|
|US5306446||Jul 10, 1992||Apr 26, 1994||Howe Robert J||Apparatus with roller and for irradiation of photopolymers|
|US5345391||Mar 31, 1992||Sep 6, 1994||3D Systems, Inc.||Method and apparatus for production of high resolution three-dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US5360891||Dec 21, 1993||Nov 1, 1994||Huels Aktiengesellschaft||Colorless and transparent, amorphously processable polyamide molding composition having good resistance to stress cracking and good impact strength|
|US5360981||May 4, 1990||Nov 1, 1994||British Telecommunications Public Limited Company||Amorphous silicon memory|
|US5391072||Feb 3, 1992||Feb 21, 1995||E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company||Solid imaging apparatus having a semi-permeable film|
|US5427733||Oct 20, 1993||Jun 27, 1995||United Technologies Corporation||Method for performing temperature-controlled laser sintering|
|US5437820||Dec 13, 1993||Aug 1, 1995||Brotz; Gregory R.||Process for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped product|
|US5447822||Apr 20, 1994||Sep 5, 1995||3D Systems, Inc.||Apparatus and related method for forming a substantially flat stereolithographic working surface|
|US5454069||Aug 30, 1994||Sep 26, 1995||University Of Kentucky Research Foundation||Process for converting serial image to the sterolithography apparatus (SLA) slice file with automatic base and support generation|
|US5510077||Sep 15, 1994||Apr 23, 1996||Dinh; Thomas Q.||Method of making an intraluminal stent|
|US5529473||Mar 10, 1992||Jun 25, 1996||E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company||Solid imaging system using differential tension elastomerc film|
|US5545367||May 27, 1993||Aug 13, 1996||Soane Technologies, Inc.||Rapid prototype three dimensional stereolithography|
|US5569431||Jun 7, 1995||Oct 29, 1996||3D Systems, Inc.||Method and apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US5571471||Jun 5, 1995||Nov 5, 1996||3D Systems, Inc.||Method of production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US5573721||Feb 16, 1995||Nov 12, 1996||Hercules Incorporated||Use of a support liquid to manufacture three-dimensional objects|
|US5630981||Jun 6, 1995||May 20, 1997||3D Systems, Inc.||Method for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US5651934||Mar 13, 1995||Jul 29, 1997||3D Systems, Inc.||Recoating of stereolithographic layers|
|US5653925||Sep 26, 1995||Aug 5, 1997||Stratasys, Inc.||Method for controlled porosity three-dimensional modeling|
|US5817206||Feb 7, 1996||Oct 6, 1998||Dtm Corporation||Selective laser sintering of polymer powder of controlled particle size distribution|
|US5823778||Jun 9, 1997||Oct 20, 1998||The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force||Imaging method for fabricating dental devices|
|US5858746||Jan 25, 1995||Jan 12, 1999||Board Of Regents, The University Of Texas System||Gels for encapsulation of biological materials|
|US5891382||Dec 17, 1996||Apr 6, 1999||3D System, Inc.||Recoating of stereolithographic layers|
|US5894036||Jun 10, 1997||Apr 13, 1999||Tylko; Marek K.||Three-dimensional plotter|
|US5897825||Sep 21, 1995||Apr 27, 1999||3D Systems, Inc.||Method for producing a three-dimensional object|
|US5902537||Jan 28, 1997||May 11, 1999||3D Systems, Inc.||Rapid recoating of three-dimensional objects formed on a cross-sectional basis|
|US5945058||May 13, 1997||Aug 31, 1999||3D Systems, Inc.||Method and apparatus for identifying surface features associated with selected lamina of a three-dimensional object being stereolithographically formed|
|US5980813||Jun 26, 1998||Nov 9, 1999||Sri International||Rapid prototyping using multiple materials|
|US6013099||Apr 29, 1998||Jan 11, 2000||Medtronic, Inc.||Medical device for delivering a water-insoluble therapeutic salt or substance|
|US6027324||Jul 13, 1998||Feb 22, 2000||3D Systems, Inc.||Apparatus for production of three dimensional objects by stereolithography|
|US6048487||Apr 5, 1999||Apr 11, 2000||3D Systems, Inc.||Recoating stereolithographic layers|
|US6051179||Mar 18, 1998||Apr 18, 2000||Replicator Systems, Inc.||Apparatus and method for production of three-dimensional models by spatial light modulator|
|US6124858||Apr 14, 1997||Sep 26, 2000||Adobe Systems Incorporated||Raster image mapping|
|US6153034||Aug 3, 1998||Nov 28, 2000||Micromod R.P. Ltd||Rapid prototyping|
|US6158946||Sep 2, 1999||Dec 12, 2000||Tokyo Electron Limited||Positioning apparatus for substrates to be processed|
|US6171610||Nov 25, 1998||Jan 9, 2001||University Of Massachusetts||Guided development and support of hydrogel-cell compositions|
|US6180050||Nov 9, 1998||Jan 30, 2001||The Institute Of Physical And Chemical Research||Optical formation device and method|
|US6280727||Nov 9, 1999||Aug 28, 2001||Cohesion Technologies, Inc.||Compositions containing thrombin and microfibrillar collagen and methods for preparation and use thereof|
|US6281903||Dec 4, 1998||Aug 28, 2001||International Business Machines Corporation||Methods and apparatus for embedding 2D image content into 3D models|
|US6334865||Jul 27, 1999||Jan 1, 2002||Fusion Medical Technologies, Inc.||Percutaneous tissue track closure assembly and method|
|US6352710||Dec 7, 2000||Mar 5, 2002||Focal, Inc.||Compliant tissue sealants|
|US6391245||Apr 13, 1999||May 21, 2002||Eom Technologies, L.L.C.||Method for creating three-dimensional objects by cross-sectional lithography|
|US6420698||Oct 23, 1998||Jul 16, 2002||Cyra Technologies, Inc.||Integrated system for quickly and accurately imaging and modeling three-dimensional objects|
|US6490496||Feb 25, 1999||Dec 3, 2002||3D Systems, Inc.||Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a control system in a selective deposition modeling system|
|US6500378||Jul 13, 2000||Dec 31, 2002||Eom Technologies, L.L.C.||Method and apparatus for creating three-dimensional objects by cross-sectional lithography|
|US6501483||May 29, 1998||Dec 31, 2002||Ati Technologies, Inc.||Method and apparatus for antialiasing using a non-uniform pixel sampling pattern|
|US6508971||Aug 6, 2001||Jan 21, 2003||3D Systems, Inc.||Selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects and supports|
|US6547552||Feb 8, 2000||Apr 15, 2003||Efrem V. Fudim||Fabrication of three-dimensional objects by irradiation of radiation-curable materials|
|US6630009||Apr 3, 2002||Oct 7, 2003||3D Systems, Inc.||Metallic filled pastes|
|US6733267||Dec 10, 2001||May 11, 2004||Dsm Desotech, Inc.||Solid imaging apparatus and method with coating station|
|US6764636||Feb 29, 2000||Jul 20, 2004||3D Systems, Inc.||Fast three-dimensional modeling method and device|
|US6813594||May 3, 2001||Nov 2, 2004||3D Systems, Inc.||Automatic determination and selection of build parameters for solid freeform fabrication techniques based on automatic part feature recognition|
|US6828068||Jan 23, 2003||Dec 7, 2004||Photronics, Inc.||Binary half tone photomasks and microscopic three-dimensional devices and method of fabricating the same|
|US6833231||Jul 31, 2002||Dec 21, 2004||3D Systems, Inc.||Toughened stereolithographic resin compositions|
|US6833234||Aug 6, 2001||Dec 21, 2004||Massachusetts Institute Of Technology||Stereolithographic patterning with variable size exposure areas|
|US6942830||Dec 1, 2000||Sep 13, 2005||Envisiontec Gmbh||Device and method for the production of three-dimensional objects|
|US6974656||Jul 19, 2001||Dec 13, 2005||3D Systems, Inc.||Paste filled with metal powder and metal products obtained with same|
|US6989225||Jan 7, 2003||Jan 24, 2006||3D Systems, Inc.||Stereolithographic resins with high temperature and high impact resistance|
|US6995830||Dec 22, 2003||Feb 7, 2006||Asml Netherlands B.V.||Lithographic projection apparatus and device manufacturing method|
|US7006887||May 3, 2002||Feb 28, 2006||Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.||Optical modeling method|
|US7052263||Apr 18, 2002||May 30, 2006||Envisiontec Gmbh||Apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object|
|US7073883||Oct 16, 2003||Jul 11, 2006||Eastman Kodak Company||Method of aligning inkjet nozzle banks for an inkjet printer|
|US7083405||Jan 20, 2004||Aug 1, 2006||Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.||Photo-fabrication apparatus|
|US7128866||Oct 12, 1999||Oct 31, 2006||Dicon A/S||Rapid prototyping apparatus and method of rapid prototyping|
|US7133041||Feb 26, 2001||Nov 7, 2006||The Research Foundation Of State University Of New York||Apparatus and method for volume processing and rendering|
|US7195472||Apr 23, 2002||Mar 27, 2007||Envisiontec Gmbh||Apparatus and method for the non-destructive separation of hardened material layers from a flat construction plane|
|US7215430||Nov 22, 2004||May 8, 2007||Leica Geosystems Hds Llc||Integrated system for quickly and accurately imaging and modeling three-dimensional objects|
|US7239373 *||Oct 12, 2006||Jul 3, 2007||Asml Netherlands B.V.||Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method|
|US7261542||Mar 11, 2005||Aug 28, 2007||Desktop Factory, Inc.||Apparatus for three dimensional printing using image layers|
|US7317510 *||Dec 27, 2004||Jan 8, 2008||Asml Netherlands B.V.||Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method|
|US7403213||Jun 2, 1998||Jul 22, 2008||Texas Instruments Incorporated||Boundary dispersion for artifact mitigation|
|US7467939||May 3, 2006||Dec 23, 2008||3D Systems, Inc.||Material delivery tension and tracking system for use in solid imaging|
|US7506299 *||Oct 29, 2004||Mar 17, 2009||Asml Holding N.V.||Feature optimization using interference mapping lithography|
|US7550251 *||Jan 10, 2005||Jun 23, 2009||Day International, Inc.||Liquid transfer articles and method for producing the same using digital imaging photopolymerization|
|US7568904||Feb 22, 2006||Aug 4, 2009||Laser Solutions Co., Ltd.||Stereolithography apparatus|
|US7573561||Jun 15, 2007||Aug 11, 2009||University Of South Florida||Method and apparatus for maskless photolithography|
|US7636610||Jul 19, 2006||Dec 22, 2009||Envisiontec Gmbh||Method and device for producing a three-dimensional object, and computer and data carrier useful therefor|
|US7639416 *||Oct 24, 2007||Dec 29, 2009||Maskless Lithography, Inc.||Apparatus for SLM-based optical lithography with gray level capability|
|US7646919 *||Nov 2, 2007||Jan 12, 2010||Micronic Laser Systems Ab||Graphics engine for high precision lithography|
|US7783371||Apr 26, 2007||Aug 24, 2010||Envisiontec Gmbh||Device and method for producing a three-dimensional object by means of mask exposure|
|US7785093||May 21, 2008||Aug 31, 2010||3D Systems, Inc.||Stereolithographic apparatus|
|US7790093||Sep 7, 2010||Envisiontec Gmbh||Process for the production of a three-dimensional object with resolution improvement by “pixel-shift”|
|US7831328||Nov 9, 2010||Envisiontec Gmbh||Method and device for producing a three-dimensional object, and computer and data carrier useful therefor|
|US7894921||Feb 22, 2011||Envisiontec Gmbh||Device and method for producing a three-dimensional object by means of mask exposure|
|US20010028495||Jun 14, 2001||Oct 11, 2001||Quate Calvin F.||Compositions and methods involving direct write optical lithography|
|US20010048183||May 31, 2001||Dec 6, 2001||Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd||Optical shaping apparatus and optical shaping process|
|US20020028854||Aug 31, 2001||Mar 7, 2002||Andre-Luc Allanic||Photopolymerizable foam composition, procedure for obtaining three-dimensional parts by rapid prototyping, device for implementation, part obtained and use|
|US20020155189||Apr 18, 2002||Oct 24, 2002||Envision Technologies Gmbh,||Apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object|
|US20030021823||Jun 26, 2002||Jan 30, 2003||Rudiger Landers||Coated polymer material, its use and process for its production|
|US20030067539||Jan 24, 2001||Apr 10, 2003||Falk Doerfel||Method and system for the three-dimensional representation|
|US20030074096||Oct 10, 2002||Apr 17, 2003||Suman Das||Solid freeform fabrication of structurally engineered multifunctional devices|
|US20030173714||Mar 12, 2003||Sep 18, 2003||Teijin Seiki Co., Ltd.||Three-dimensional stereolithographic method and apparatus|
|US20030205849||Jun 6, 2003||Nov 6, 2003||Farnworth Warren M.||Layer thickness control for stereolithography utilizing variable liquid elevation and laser focal length|
|US20040008309||Mar 24, 2003||Jan 15, 2004||Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha||Liquid crystal display device with improved field angles|
|US20040027363||Sep 11, 2002||Feb 12, 2004||William Allen||Image display system and method|
|US20040028293||Aug 7, 2002||Feb 12, 2004||Allen William J.||Image display system and method|
|US20040118309||Jul 3, 2002||Jun 24, 2004||Therics, Inc.||Apparatus, systems and methods for use in three-dimensional printing|
|US20050023710||Jun 22, 2004||Feb 3, 2005||Dmitri Brodkin||Solid free-form fabrication methods for the production of dental restorations|
|US20050084766||Dec 11, 2002||Apr 21, 2005||Micronic Laser Systems Ab||Method and apparatus for patterning a workpiece|
|US20050091346||Oct 23, 2003||Apr 28, 2005||Brijesh Krishnaswami||Settings management infrastructure|
|US20050208168||Mar 11, 2005||Sep 22, 2005||Hickerson Kevin P||Apparatus for three dimensional printing using image layers|
|US20050248061||May 6, 2005||Nov 10, 2005||Alexandr Shkolnik||Process for the production of a three-dimensional object with an improved separation of hardened material layers from a construction plane|
|US20050248062||May 9, 2005||Nov 10, 2005||Alexandr Shkolnik||Process for the production of a three-dimensional object with resolution improvement by "pixel-shift"|
|US20050259785||Sep 27, 2001||Nov 24, 2005||Xiang Zhang||Dynamic mask projection stereo micro lithography|
|US20050288813||Aug 19, 2005||Dec 29, 2005||Laixia Yang||Direct write and freeform fabrication apparatus and method|
|US20060055724||Dec 30, 2004||Mar 16, 2006||Krawczyk John W||Fluid ejection device structures and methods therefor|
|US20060078638||Oct 8, 2004||Apr 13, 2006||3D Systems, Inc.||Stereolithographic apparatus|
|US20060161287||Jan 14, 2005||Jul 20, 2006||Simonis Steven F||Rapid prototyping and manufacturing of photocured objects using LCD panel as programmably variable photomask|
|US20060192312||Feb 28, 2005||Aug 31, 2006||3D Systems, Inc.||Multiple vat leveling system|
|US20060239588||Apr 1, 2005||Oct 26, 2006||3D Systems, Inc.||Edge smoothness with low resolution projected images for use in solid imaging|
|US20060249884||Mar 15, 2006||Nov 9, 2006||3D Systems, Inc.||Bubble-free cross-sections for use in solid imaging|
|US20070074659||Sep 30, 2005||Apr 5, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Rapid prototyping and manufacturing system and method|
|US20070075458||Sep 30, 2005||Apr 5, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Rapid prototyping and manufacturing system and method|
|US20070075459||Sep 30, 2005||Apr 5, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Rapid prototyping and manufacturing system and method|
|US20070075460||Sep 30, 2005||Apr 5, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Rapid prototyping and manufacturing system and method|
|US20070075461||Nov 29, 2005||Apr 5, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Rapid prototyping and manufacturing system and method|
|US20070077323||Sep 30, 2005||Apr 5, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Rapid prototyping and manufacturing system and method|
|US20070120842||Sep 24, 2004||May 31, 2007||Peguform Gmbh||Method for manipulating a three-dimensional surface|
|US20070254490 *||Jul 11, 2007||Nov 1, 2007||Versatilis, Llc||Method of Making a Microelectronic and/or Optoelectronic Circuitry Sheet|
|US20070257055||May 3, 2006||Nov 8, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Material delivery system for use in solid imaging|
|US20070259066||May 3, 2006||Nov 8, 2007||3D Systems, Inc.||Material delivery tension and tracking system for use in solid imaging|
|US20070260349||Apr 26, 2007||Nov 8, 2007||Envisiontec Gmbh||Device and method for producing a three-dimensional object by means of mask exposure|
|US20080038396||Apr 26, 2007||Feb 14, 2008||Envisiontec Gmbh||Device and method for producing a three-dimensional object by means of mask exposure|
|US20080054531||Aug 29, 2006||Mar 6, 2008||3D Systems, Inc.||Wall Smoothness, Feature Accuracy and Resolution In Projected Images Via Exposure Levels In Solid Imaging|
|US20080055581||Feb 16, 2007||Mar 6, 2008||Rogers John A||Devices and methods for pattern generation by ink lithography|
|US20080099667 *||Dec 28, 2007||May 1, 2008||President And Fellows Of Harvard College||Methods and apparatus for sensing a physical substance|
|US20080113293||Nov 15, 2006||May 15, 2008||Alexandr Shkolnik||Continuous generative process for producing a three-dimensional object|
|US20080169586||Sep 17, 2007||Jul 17, 2008||Hull Charles W||Imager Assembly and Method for Solid Imaging|
|US20080169589||Sep 17, 2007||Jul 17, 2008||Sperry Charles R||Solid imaging apparatus and method|
|US20080170112||Sep 17, 2007||Jul 17, 2008||Hull Charles W||Build pad, solid image build, and method for building build supports|
|US20080179786||Sep 17, 2007||Jul 31, 2008||Sperry Charles R||Cartridge for solid imaging apparatus and method|
|US20080179787||Sep 17, 2007||Jul 31, 2008||Sperry Charles R||Elevator and method for tilting solid image build platform for reducing air entrainment and for build release|
|US20080181977||Sep 17, 2007||Jul 31, 2008||Sperry Charles R||Brush assembly for removal of excess uncured build material|
|US20080206383||Sep 17, 2007||Aug 28, 2008||Hull Charles W||Solid Imaging System with Removal of Excess Uncured Build Material|
|US20080217818||May 21, 2008||Sep 11, 2008||Holmboe Scott B||Stereolithographic Apparatus|
|US20080226346||Sep 17, 2007||Sep 18, 2008||3D Systems, Inc.||Inkjet Solid Imaging System and Method for Solid Imaging|
|US20080231731||Sep 17, 2007||Sep 25, 2008||Hull Charles W||Imager and method for consistent repeatable alignment in a solid imaging apparatus|
|US20080309665||Jun 13, 2007||Dec 18, 2008||3D Systems, Inc., A California Corporation||Distributed rapid prototyping|
|US20090020901||Jul 2, 2008||Jan 22, 2009||Envisiontec Gmbh||Process and device for producing a three-dimensional object|
|US20090044166 *||Oct 8, 2008||Feb 12, 2009||Ken Ozawa||Exposing mask and production method therefor and exposing method|
|US20090130449||Oct 24, 2008||May 21, 2009||Envisiontec Gmbh||Process and freeform fabrication system for producing a three-dimensional object|
|US20090146081 *||Jan 5, 2007||Jun 11, 2009||President And Fellows Of Harvard College||Surface Plasmon Enhanced Radiation Methods and Apparatus|
|US20090146344||Oct 24, 2008||Jun 11, 2009||Envisiontec Gmbh||Process and freeform fabrication system for producing a three-dimensional object|
|US20090191489||Feb 3, 2009||Jul 30, 2009||Torbjorn Sandstrom||Pattern generator|
|US20100125356||Nov 18, 2008||May 20, 2010||Global Filtration Systems||System and Method for Manufacturing|
|DE4102257A1||Jan 23, 1991||Jul 30, 1992||Artos Med Produkte||Appts. for mfg. reinforced components in laser-cured polymer - has laser-curable polymer in bath, laser directed at polymer surface where fibres pass through polymer and are guided relative to laser beam angle|
|DE4105314A1||Feb 20, 1991||Aug 29, 1991||Jobs Spa||Dreidimensionaler plotter|
|DE4125534A1||Aug 1, 1991||Feb 18, 1993||Eos Electro Optical Syst||Three=dimensional layering - in which transparent sealed cover is used over bath to allow radiation through but exclude ambient atmos.|
|DE4340108C2||Nov 22, 1993||Sep 25, 1997||Emi Tec Elektronische Material||Abschirmelement und Verfahren zu dessen Herstellung|
|DE10003374C1||Jan 26, 2000||Aug 23, 2001||Fraunhofer Ges Forschung||Verfahren zum Herstellen von Prototypen oder Formen aus Formmaterial|
|DE10018987A1||Apr 17, 2000||Oct 31, 2001||Envision Technologies Gmbh||Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Herstellen von dreidimensionalen Objekten|
|DE19716240C2||Apr 18, 1997||Dec 4, 2003||Mivatec Gmbh||Fotoplott-Verfahren und Anordnung zur Aufzeichnung eines computergespeicherten Rasterbildes auf einen ebenen lichtempfindlichen Aufzeichnungsträger|
|DE19727554A1||Jun 28, 1997||Jan 7, 1999||Huels Chemische Werke Ag||Verfahren zur Hydrophilierung der Oberfläche polymerer Substrate mit einem Makroinitiator als Primer|
|DE19838797A1||Aug 26, 1998||Mar 2, 2000||Martin Umwelt & Energietech||Spacing device for circuit board adhesive dispenser; has sensor to detect relative movement between dispenser cartridge dosing needle and reference element during movement towards circuit board surface|
|DE19929199A1||Jun 25, 1999||Jan 18, 2001||Hap Handhabungs Automatisierun||Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen eines dreidimensionalen Objektes|
|DE20106887U1||Apr 20, 2001||Sep 6, 2001||Envision Technologies Gmbh||Vorrichtung zum Herstellen eines dreidimensionalen Objekts|
|DE29911122U1||Jun 25, 1999||Sep 30, 1999||Hap Handhabungs Automatisierun||Vorrichtung zum Herstellen eines dreidimensionalen Objektes|
|DE69909136D1||Oct 12, 1999||Jul 31, 2003||Dicon As Lystrup||Rapid-prototyping-vorrichtung und rapid-prototyping-methode|
|DE69909136T2||Oct 12, 1999||May 6, 2004||Dicon A/S||Rapid-prototyping-vorrichtung und rapid-prototyping-methode|
|DE102004022961A1||May 10, 2004||Dec 15, 2005||Envisiontec Gmbh||Verfahren zur Herstellung eines dreidimensionalen Objekts mit Auflösungsverbesserung mittels Pixel-Shift|
|DEG9319405U1||Title not available|
|EP0250121A2||Jun 2, 1987||Dec 23, 1987||Cubital Ltd.||Three-dimensional modelling apparatus|
|EP0426363A2||Oct 24, 1990||May 8, 1991||Stratasys Inc.||Apparatus and method for creating three-dimensional objects|
|EP0435564B1||Dec 19, 1990||Apr 26, 1995||E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company||Solid imaging system|
|EP0466422B1||Jul 5, 1991||May 31, 1995||E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company||Solid imaging system using differential tension elastomeric film|
|EP0484086B1||Oct 29, 1991||Sep 27, 1995||E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company||Solid imaging semi-permeable film coating|
|EP0958912B1||Nov 9, 1998||Mar 5, 2003||NTT Data Corporation||Optical formation device and method|
|EP1026564B1||Feb 8, 2000||Jun 22, 2005||3D Systems, Inc.||Stereolithographic method and apparatus with control of prescribed stimulation|
|EP1156922B1||Oct 12, 1999||Jun 25, 2003||Dicon A/S||Rapid prototyping apparatus and method of rapid prototyping|
|EP1192041B1||Jun 16, 2000||Mar 5, 2003||Deltamed Medizinprodukte GmbH||Method and device for producing an object by means of stereolithography|
|EP1250995A1||Jan 26, 2001||Oct 23, 2002||Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.||Molded article from thermoplastic composite material and method for producing the same|
|EP1250997A1||Apr 10, 2002||Oct 23, 2002||Envision Technologies GmbH||Manufacturing device for three-dimensional object|
|EP1270185A1||Jun 18, 2002||Jan 2, 2003||3D Systems, Inc.||Recoating system and method for solid freeform fabrication|
|EP1338846A2||Apr 17, 1997||Aug 27, 2003||Dicon A/S||Method and apparatus for controlling light|
|EP1674243A2||Dec 16, 2005||Jun 28, 2006||Objet Geometries Ltd.||Apparatus and method for three dimensional model printing|
|EP1849587A1||Mar 8, 2007||Oct 31, 2007||Envisiontec GmbH||Device and method for creating a three dimensional object using mask illumination|
|EP1849587B1||Mar 8, 2007||Jul 8, 2009||Envisiontec GmbH||Device and method for creating a three dimensional object using mask illumination|
|EP1880830A1||Jul 19, 2006||Jan 23, 2008||Envisiontec GmbH||Method and device for producing a three-dimensional object, and computer and data carrier useful thereof|
|EP1894704A1||Aug 29, 2007||Mar 5, 2008||3D Systems, Inc.||Improved wall smoothness, feature accuracy and resolution in projected images via control of exposure levels in solid imaging|
|EP1950032A2||Jan 16, 2008||Jul 30, 2008||3D Systems, Inc.||Imager and method for consistent repeatable alignment in a solid imaging apparatus|
|EP2011631A1||Jul 4, 2007||Jan 7, 2009||Envisiontec GmbH||Process and device for producing a three-dimensional object|
|FR2254194A5||Title not available|
|FR2583334B1||Title not available|
|FR2634686B1||Title not available|
|FR2692053A1||Title not available|
|WO03/059184A2||Title not available|
|WO2001/00390A1||Title not available|
|WO2001/12679A1||Title not available|
|WO2001/72501A1||Title not available|
|WO2095/11007A1||Title not available|
|WO2095/15841A1||Title not available|
|WO2096/00422A1||Title not available|
|WO1999045435A1||Mar 2, 1999||Sep 10, 1999||Micronic Laser Systems Ab||Pattern generator with improved precision|
|WO2005110722A1||May 9, 2005||Nov 24, 2005||Envisiontec Gmbh||Method for producing a three-dimensional object with resolution enhancement by means of pixel shift|
|WO2009053100A1||Oct 24, 2008||Apr 30, 2009||Envisiontec Gmbh||Process and freeform fabrication system for producing a three-dimensional object|
|WO2009053100A8||Oct 24, 2008||May 27, 2010||Envisiontec Gmbh||Process and freeform fabrication system for producing a three-dimensional object|
|1||"A Parameterized Mask Model for Lithography Simulation",-Zhu. Cadence Research Labs, Berkeley, CA. DAC '09, Jul. 26-31, 2009.|
|2||"A Parameterized Mask Model for Lithography Simulation",—Zhu. Cadence Research Labs, Berkeley, CA. DAC '09, Jul. 26-31, 2009.|
|3||"Rapid Prototyping Using Three-Dimensional Computer Vision",-Koivunen et al.,University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical report No. MS-CIS-92070. 1992.|
|4||"Rapid Prototyping Using Three-Dimensional Computer Vision",—Koivunen et al.,University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical report No. MS-CIS-92070. 1992.|
|5||3D Systems, Inc. v. Envisiontec, Inc. et al. Special Masters Report and Recommendation on the Parties' Summary Judgement Motions.|
|6||Burns, "Automatic Fabrication Improving Productivity in Manufacturing," 1993 (ISBN 0-13-110462-3).|
|7||C. Sun, et al., "Projection Micro-Stereolithography Using Digital Micro-Mirror Dynamic Mask," Sensors and Actuators A 121 (2005) 113-120.|
|8||E. Sachs, et al., "Three Dimensional Printing: Rapid Tooling and Prototypes Directly from CAD Model," Journal of Engineering for Industry, 114:481-488 (1992).|
|9||http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2004/040609a.html "HP Technology Doubles the Resolution of Digital Projection Displays," Jun. 9, 2004.|
|10||IEE Super Resolution article abstract vol. 20, issue 3, pp. 21-36, May 2003.|
|11||Ingrid A.M. Relou, et al., "Effect of Culture Conditions on Endothelial Cell Growth and Responsiveness," Tissue & Cell, 30(5):525-538 (1998).|
|12||K. Takahashi, "A new Application of DMD to Photolithography and Rapid Prototyping System," Institute of Electronics, Information, and Communication Engineers.|
|13||Opposition to EP 1,849,587, dated Apr. 8, 2010.|
|14||Reply Brief of 3D Systems in Opposition to EP 1 849 587, dated May 13, 2011.|
|15||Rudiger Landers, et al., "Desktop Manufacturing of /complex Objects, Prototypes and Biomedical Scaffolds by Means of Computer-Assisted Design Combined with Computer-Guided 3D Plotting of Polymers and Reactive Oligomers," Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 282:17-22 (2000).|
|16||S. Ventura, et al., "Freeform Fabrication of Functional Silicon Nitride Components by Direct Photoshaping," Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., vol. 625 (2000).|
|17||Special Master's Report & Recommendation, dated May 12, 2009 from 3D Systems, Inc. v. Envisiontec, Inc., et al., (E. D. MI, Case No. 2:05-CV-74891).|
|18||Stark, G.B., et al., "Biological Matrices and Tissue Reconstruction," Springer Publications, Berlin (1998).|
|19||Toshiyuki Okada, et al., "Tissue Reactions to Subcutaneously Implanted, Surface-Modified Silicones, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research," 27:1509-1518 (1993).|
|20||V.V. Nikolaychik, et al., "A New Cryoprecipitate Based Coating for Improved Endothelial Cell Attachment and Growth on Medical Grade Artificial Surfaces," ASAIO Journal 40:M846-M852 (1994).|
|21||W. Allen, R. Ulichney, "Wobulation: Doubling the Addressed Resolution," SID 05 Digest, 2005.|
|22||Willem M. Kuthreiber, et al., "Cell Encapsulation Technology and Therapeutics," Birkhauser (Boston 1998).|
|23||Wobulation, saved as PDF from the Internet; wikipedia definition, citing several resolution-relate patents.|
|24||Wohlers Report 2000, "Rapid Prototyping & Tooling State of the Industry Annual Worldwide Progress Report," T. Wohlers, Wohlers Association, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado (2000).|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US9034237||Sep 25, 2012||May 19, 2015||3D Systems, Inc.||Solid imaging systems, components thereof, and methods of solid imaging|
|US9205601||Dec 12, 2014||Dec 8, 2015||Carbon3D, Inc.||Continuous liquid interphase printing|
|US9211678||Dec 16, 2014||Dec 15, 2015||Carbon3D, Inc.||Method and apparatus for three-dimensional fabrication|
|US9216546||Dec 15, 2014||Dec 22, 2015||Carbon3D, Inc.||Method and apparatus for three-dimensional fabrication with feed through carrier|
|U.S. Classification||700/98, 700/120|
|Cooperative Classification||B29C67/007, G03F7/0037, G03F7/2022, G03F7/2057|
|European Classification||G03F7/20B, G03F7/20S3, B29C67/00R2D4, G03F7/00S|