Three-dimensional printer having an expandable envelope

• Main Authors: Megarity William M, Ruggles April E, Wormsbecher Paul A, Davis Alvin G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.08.2017
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; HAND TOOLS; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; MANIPULATORS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; MOTOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; REGULATING; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRAILERS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith and executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method. The method includes a three-dimensional printer printing a first layer of an object onto a surface that is not part of the three-dimensional printer, wherein the first layer is printed while a printing platform of the three dimensional printer is in a first position. The printer is autonomously repositioned in a second position elevated above the first position by being supported either on the three-dimensional object itself or on a scaffold printed separate from the object. The printer prints a second layer of the three-dimensional object onto the first layer of the three-dimensional object while the printing platform is in the second position. The printer may have a plurality of legs for controllably repositioning the printing platform.