Skillful Three-Dimensional Printing

Abstract

The present disclosure various apparatuses, and systems for 3D printing. The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, software and systems for a step and repeat energy irradiation process; controlling material characteristics and/or deformation of the 3D object; reducing deformation in a printed 3D object; and planarizing a material bed.

1 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A system for three-dimensional printing, the system comprising:
 a laser source configured to generate a laser beam having a first beam profile of a power of the laser beam, the system being configured to alter the first beam profile to a second beam profile comprising two maxima symmetrically connected in a center of the second beam profile by a minima;   a scanner configured to translate the laser beam along a target surface having the second beam profile; and   a building platform configured to include, or support, the target surface.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a beam profile alteration device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the beam profile alteration device comprises a lens. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the beam profile alteration device comprises a micro lens array comprising the lens. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the beam profile alteration device comprises a beam shaper configured to alter a shape of a beam profile. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein each of the two maxima have a first power value H, and wherein the minima has a second power value h smaller than the first power value H. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising an optical filter configured to alter an incoming laser beam from the laser source. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the optical filter is configured to change during the three-dimensional printing of a layer of hardened material. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a digital mask configured to alter a beam profile. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising an optical setup comprising a lens having a first exposed surface that is planar, and a second exposed surface opposing the first exposed surface, the second exposed surface being non-planar, the second exposed surface comprising a peak pointing in a direction opposing the first exposed surface, wherein the second exposed surface comprises planes disposed in different angles. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the scanner is configured to translate the laser beam along the target surface in a tiling operation to print tiles of transformed material as part of a three-dimensional object, the tiling operation comprising a step and repeat process, the tiles being disposed along a path of tiles, the scanner being configured to direct the laser beam to the target surface such that the laser beam is stationary or substantially stationary when forming each of the tiles. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the scanner is configured to direct the laser beam to translate along the target surface in a step and repeat process. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a processing chamber configured to, during the three-dimensional printing, enclose an internal atmosphere having a positive pressure relative to an ambient pressure external to the processing chamber. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the processing chamber is configured to enclose during the three-dimensional printing a positive pressure of at least about 760 Torr as measured at ambient temperature. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the building platform is configured to support a powder bed utilized during the three-dimensional printing for printing at least one three-dimensional object, and wherein the target surface is an exposed surface of the powder bed. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the system is configured to print the at least one three-dimensional object such that it freely floats anchorless in the powder bed. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the powder bed comprises an elemental metal, a metal alloy, a ceramic, or an allotrope of elemental carbon. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a load lock chamber. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a cyclonic separator configured to separate pre-transformed material as part of the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the system is configured to print a three-dimensional object using the three-dimensional printing at least in part by using the laser beam to transform a pre-transformed material to a transformed material, the three-dimensional object having a bottom skin layer; and wherein the system further comprises at least one controller configured to (A) operatively couple to the laser beam, and (B) control at least one characteristic of the laser beam such that a temperature of the bottom skin layer at a position below the transformed material is (i) between a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature of a material of the bottom skin layer, and/or (ii) at or above a temperature at which the material of the bottom skin layer plastically yields. 
     
     
         46 . A method of three-dimensional printing, the method comprising: (a) providing the system of  claim 26 , and (b) using the system for the three-dimensional printing. 
     
     
         47 . An apparatus for three-dimensional printing, the apparatus comprising one or more controllers configured to: (a) operatively couple to the system of  claim 26 , and (b) direct usage of the system for the three-dimensional printing, the one or more controllers comprising a power connector. 
     
     
         48 . A non-transitory computer-readable program instructions comprising machine-executable code that, upon execution by one or more computer processors operatively coupled to the system of  claim 26 , directs using the system for the three-dimensional printing, the program instructions being stored in a medium or on media.