Adept three-dimensional printing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable medium. The disclosure delineates real time manipulation of three-dimensional printing to reduce deformation. The present disclosure further provides 3D object formed using the methods, apparatuses, and systems.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for three-dimensional (3D) printing, the apparatus comprising: at least one controller configured to:
 (a) couple with a power source;   (b) operatively couple with an energy beam; and   (c) during, the 3D printing, direct the energy beam to impinge on an exposed surface of a portion of a 3D object to densify a transformed material of the portion, the transformed material being disposed (A) below the exposed surface of the portion printed by the 3D printing and (B) below a height of at least an average height of a layer of the 3D object, the 3D printing comprising layerwise transforming pre-transformed material to the transformed material to layerwise print the 3D object comprising the layers, the layers comprising the layer.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to modulate the energy beam during the 3D printing. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to control at least one characteristic of the energy beam in real time during the 3D printing, the at least one characteristic comprising a power per unit area, a dwell time, a footprint, a cross section, or a focus. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to direct printing the 3D object at least in part by utilizing an altered model comprising an alteration of a 3D model of the 3D object, wherein the altered model comprises a structural alteration. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to print the 3D object from a material bed. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured direct the energy beam to impinge on the exposed surface of the portion to locally densify the transformed material at a state of the transformed material being a hardened material, the transformed material being of the portion. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to direct the energy beam to impinge on the exposed surface of the portion to locally densify the transformed material of the portion, the exposed surface being disposed vertically above a bottom skin surface; wherein the at least one controller is configured to direct the energy beam to impinge on the exposed surface along a first vertical direction; and wherein above is along a second vertical direction opposing the first vertical direction. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to print the 3D object such that, with X and Y being points on the bottom skin of the portion, (i) the bottom skin that intersects a sphere of radius XY at positions X and Y is devoid of an auxiliary support feature, and (ii) an acute angle between a straight line XY and a direction normal to an average layering plane of the 3D object is from about 45 degrees to 90 degrees when X and Y are spaced apart by at least about 2 millimeters. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one controller is configured direct the energy beam to impinge on the exposed surface of the portion to locally densify the transformed material of the portion to anneal the portion. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one controller is configured direct the energy beam to impinge on the exposed surface of the portion to densify the portion disposed above a bottom skin surface that is vertically unsupported; wherein the at least one controller is configured to direct the energy beam to impinge on the exposed surface along a first vertical direction; and wherein above is along a second vertical direction opposing the first vertical direction. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to print the 3D such that the 3D object deviates from a model of the 3D object by at most about 100 micrometers and a fundamental length scale of the 3D object divided by 2500. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to direct the energy beam to transform the pre-transformed material comprising particulate material. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to direct the energy beam to transform the pre-transformed material at least in part by being configured to direct the energy beam to connect the pre-transformed material. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a subordinate controller. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the layer of the portion comprises successively solidified melt pools of the transformed material. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to (i) operatively couple to a layer dispensing mechanism, and (ii) direct the layer dispensing mechanism to dispense a material bed from which the 3D object is being printed during the printing. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to print the 3D object such that a first grain structure of a layer that comprises the exposed surface is different from a second grain structure of one or more layers of an interior of the 3D object. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein during the 3D printing, the at least one controller is configured to control an atmosphere of an enclosure to be at a positive pressure above ambient pressure external to the enclosure, the 3D printing occurring in the enclosure. 
     
     
         39 . A method of 3D printing, the method comprising: (a) providing the apparatus of  claim 21 , and (b) using the apparatus to print the 3D object. 
     
     
         40 . Non-transitory computer readable program instructions that, when read by one or more processors operatively coupled to the energy beam, cause the one or more processors to execute one or more operations comprising operation (c) of  claim 21 .