An apparatus (20) and method for forming an integral three-dimensional object (22) from laminations (24) of the same or gradually varying shape. The apparatus includes a supply station (26), a work station (30) for forming a material (28) into plural laminations for the object, a control station (36) for directing the operation of the work station, an assembly station (38) for stacking (66) the laminations in sequence and bonding (34) to complete the formation of the object. The method includes providing a work station (30) for forming the laminations (24) for the three-dimensional object (22), providing the material (28) which can be a dimaterial composite, providing a control station (36) for directing the operation of the work station, entering data concerning the three-dimensional object at the control station, instructing the control station to direct the operation of the work station, assembling (38) the laminations in sequence and integrally bonding (34) the laminations to complete the formation of the integral three-dimensional object.

Apparatus and method for forming an integral object from laminations.

A variety of support structures and build styles for use in Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing systems are described wherein particular emphasis is given to Thermal Stereolithography, Fused Deposition Modeling, and Selective Deposition Modeling systems, and wherein a 3D modeling system is presented which uses multijet dispensing and a single material for both object and support formation.

Selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects and supports

The rapid prototyping has been developed from the 1980s to produce models and prototypes until the technologies evolution today. Nowadays, these technologies have other names such as 3D printing or additive manufacturing, and so forth, but they all have the same origins from rapid prototyping. The design and manufacturing process stood the same until new requirements such as a better integration on production line, a largest series of manufacturing or the reduce weight of products due to heavy costs of machines and materials. The ability to produce complex geometries allows proposing of design and manufacturing solutions in the industrial field in order to be ever more effective. The additive manufacturing (AM) technology develops rapidly with news solutions and markets which sometimes need to demonstrate their reliability. The community needs to survey some evolutions such as the new exchange format, the faster 3D printing systems, the advanced numerical simulation or the emergence of new use. This revie...

Additive manufacturing technologies: state of the art and trends

A system for processing a radiograph such as an x-ray includes a scanner, a computer with monitor for displaying a digital copy of the radiograph and pet-forming a number of enhancements. The computer stores the digitized image in memory in such a way that it cannot be modified, stores temporarily a second copy of the image in random access memory for display, and stores the enhancements separately in a data file so that, each time the user wishes to see an enhanced image, the enhancements are applied to the displayed digital image as an overlay, rather than being stored as a copy of the enhanced image. Less space is required for storage when only the unenhanced image and the enhancements are stored than if the unenhanced and the enhanced images are stored. Furthermore, not only is the unenhanced image available for a variety of purposes (stored in such a way that it cannot be modified), but the enhancements that are made to produce the enhanced, displayed image are reproduced the same way each time.

Radiographic image enhancement comparison and storage requirement reduction system

In an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by laser sintering the object is produced by successive solidification of layers of a powder material at points corresponding to a cross-section of said object using radiation for solidifying said powder material. The apparatus includes a support having a substantially plane upper side for supporting the object, a material applying device for applying a layer of the material onto the upper side or onto another layer formed on the upper side, and a solidification device for solidifying a layer of the material by irradiation. The material applying device has a coating device and a drive for displacing the coating device in a direction parallel to the upper side of the support. The coating device has a first side face, a second side face, a base surface parallel to the upper side and facing the same, a first edge portion between the first side face and the base surface, the first edge portion including a first angle of inclination with the base surface, and a second edge portion between the second side face and the base surface, the second edge portion including a second angle of inclination with the base surface, the second angle of inclination being smaller than the first angle of inclination.

Method and apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object

A system responsive to coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising apparatus for selectably solidifying a solidifiable material on a sequential layer by layer basis characterized in that following selectable solidification of a given layer, the non-solidified portions thereof are removed and replaced by a removable support material which is not solidifiable under the same conditions as the solidifiable material.

Three dimensional modelling apparatus

A system responsive to coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical object (373) of a desired geometry and comprising apparatus for selectably solidifying a solidifiable material on a sequential layer by layer basis characterized in that following selectable solidification (372) of a given layer, the non-­solidified portions thereof are removed and replaced by a removable support material (374) which is not solidifiable under the same conditions as the solidifiable material.

Three dimensional modeling apparatus and method

An apparatus for sharpening a color image having a multiplicity of color separation signals defining a plurality of color pixels comprising apparatus for generating at least two sharpening signals from the color separation signals and apparatus for combining each of the color separation signals with any collection of the at least two sharpening signals wherein the collection changes throughout the color image.

Apparatus and method capable of using several sharpened color signals to sharpen each color component of a color image

A laser beam scanner comprising a laser source, apparatus for producing a scanning beam and a reference beam which are generally parallel, apparatus for directing the scanning beam onto a surface to be scanned, and apparatus for determining the position of the scanning beam in real time in two dimensions by sensing the position of the reference beam, and wherein the apparatus for sensing the position of the reference beam comprises a grating disposed along a scan axis and defining a multiplicity of first grating lines along the scan axis, which permit the definition of the position of the reference beam in a first dimension, a second grating line disposed across the multiplicity of first grating lines and first and second sensors disposed at respective sides of the second grating line, for sensing the relative amount of light impinging above and below the second grating line, for permitting the definition of the reference beam in a second dimension, whereby the position of the reference beam may be determined both along the scan axis and perpendicular thereto at every location along the scan axis.

Scanner utilizing a particular light guide

A color separation scanner comprising a movable support arranged for mounting thereon of a two-dimensional input picture to be scanned and color separation sensing apparatus arranged for sensing the two-dimensional input picture for providing electrical signals representing color separations of the two-­dimensional picture, the color separation sensing apparatus including a scanning head having a plurality of generally parallel CCD arrays, associated with dichroic filter apparatus and operative for simultaneous scanning of the two-dimensional input picture.

Michael Nagler

Papers

Three dimensional modelling apparatus

Three dimensional modeling apparatus and method

Apparatus and method capable of using several sharpened color signals to sharpen each color component of a color image

Scanner utilizing a particular light guide

Colour picture scanner