초록 ▼

In a solid imaging system, the beam of a relatively high-powered beam radiation source, and more particularly a laser, is modulated in accordance with its varying vector sweep speed so that substantially constant layer depth is maintained at all scanner speeds in a strip of photohardenable compositi

In a solid imaging system, the beam of a relatively high-powered beam radiation source, and more particularly a laser, is modulated in accordance with its varying vector sweep speed so that substantially constant layer depth is maintained at all scanner speeds in a strip of photohardenable composition as it hardens and solidifies in response to the source\s irradiation.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for maintaining a constant exposure level during fabrication of an integral three-dimensional rigid object from successive thin layers of a liquid photohardenable composition comprising the steps of: storing graphic data, corresponding to the shape of the rigid object desired to be fabrica

A process for maintaining a constant exposure level during fabrication of an integral three-dimensional rigid object from successive thin layers of a liquid photohardenable composition comprising the steps of: storing graphic data, corresponding to the shape of the rigid object desired to be fabricated, in a first computer control means, placing the liquid photohardenable composition in a vessel, generating a radiation beam having an intensity by using radiaton means, using said first computer control means, controllably deflecting said radiation beam in a vector scanning mode to predetermined positions on the successive thin layers in order to induce photohardening of preselected portions of the liquid photohardenable composition to a depth of photohardening, and also deflecting the radiation beam with an acceleration from zero level to a maximum accelertion, and with a velocity from zero level to a maximum velocity by using deflection means, coupling a second computer control means with, said deflection means, and said first computer control means, said second computer control means being used in conjunction with a modulation means for controllably modulating the intensity of the radiation beam from a substantially zero intensity level to a maximum intensity, in proportion to the velocity of said beam, thereby providing a substantially constant exposure level, said exposure level being substantially independent of the velocity of said beam, on the predetermined portions of the liquid photohardenable composition in order to achieve substantially constant depth of photohardening within each successive thin layer, supporting the rigid object on a movable substantially flat table within the vessel, controllably moving the flat table by using placement means, the placement means being controlled by the first computer control means, and forming the successive thin layers of the liquid photohardenable composition by layer forming means, the layer forming means being controlled also by the first computer control means.