Surface Smoothing in 3D Printing

A 3D printing system that uses multiple energy beams to improve the surface finish of 3D printed articles. The system has a printer with a motorized build plate, a powder coater, and multiple energy beam units. The beams scan over different regions of the build plate that overlap. This allows smoother transitions between beams compared to using a single beam. The overlapping regions reduce surface artifacts caused by switching beams. The system also offsets the layers slightly in the Y-axis to further smooth transitions.

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A method to smooth and improve the internal surface finish of metal components produced by additive manufacturing techniques like 3D printing. The method involves using Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) with an in-situ electrode and graphite additive. The graphite is injected into the component's internal cavities. An electrode is then inserted into the cavities, and EDM is performed using graphite as the dielectric medium. The electrical discharges remove irregularities from the cavity surfaces and convert them into smoother finishes.

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A method for machining a workpiece with complex internal geometries to improve the interior surface finish. The method uses electrochemical machining (ECM) with an electrode placed within the internal passage. An electrolyte is circulated in the gap between the electrode and the workpiece. The voltage applied between the electrode and workpiece dissolves material from the interior surface to smooth it. The electrode can be removed after machining. This enables access and finishing of complex internal geometries that conventional ECM cathodes cannot reach.

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Optimizing the parameters of a laser re-melting step after laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing to reduce the surface roughness of metal parts. The method uses simulation to find the best laser power, scanning speed, and hatching spacing for re-melting based on the initial surface roughness. A model predicts the post-re-melting roughness and iteratively adjusts parameters until the target roughness is reached. By virtually testing re-melting parameters before applying them to parts, the process can be optimized to reduce surface roughness without trial-and-error experimentation.

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Generating a three-dimensional object with a smoother outer surface from a polygon mesh representation. The method involves determining a polygon mesh resembling the object, finding the surface difference between the mesh and the desired object, defining a relief layer based on that difference, and printing/folding the relief layer onto the mesh to improve the smoothness of the resulting 3D object.

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Improving the surface quality of 3D printed objects, particularly reducing roughness and porosity compared to conventional laser sintering. Producing smoother object surfaces by selectively scanning and solidifying surface regions multiple times before inner regions when building each layer of a 3D printed object. This allows more controlled melting and fusion of the surface material to create smooth, glossy finishes without requiring post-processing.

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A method for 3D printing complex objects with smooth surfaces. It uses an adjustable powder feed rate and particle size differentiation to create varying powder densities between the inner and outer regions of the printed layers. By using higher-density powders and lower feed rates for outer layers, the technique prevents excess powder from sticking to the outer surface of the printed object.

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A method for building a high-resolution, rapidly manufactured, three-dimensional object. The method involves jetting a first material to form a plurality of layers that define an increment of a support structure. Then, a second material is extruded to form a three-dimensional object, with the support structure supporting the object. The interior surface of the support structure acts as a mold to shape the object, resulting in a high-resolution interior surface.

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Additive manufacturing (3D printing) technique to improve the surface properties of 3D printed stainless steel components without traditional surface treatment methods. A PVA-based composite film layer is 3D printed directly onto the surface of the stainless steel workpiece. The composite layer improves the bonding ability between the material and the metal surface, extending the service life of the workpiece. The layer is prepared by 3D printing a PVA composition onto the surface of a 3D printed stainless steel workpiece using a metal 3D printer.

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Method and device to improve surface roughness of fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. After FDM printing, a secondary process uses hot gas ejected from the nozzle to melt and push material on the surface. This reduces the difference between peak and trough sections, flattening the surface. The hot gas direction is perpendicular to the surface. By controlling factors like gas temperature, ejection speed, and working area, the process optimizes for minimum peak-trough difference.

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A polishing pad with tunable performance is created by sequentially forming layers of different polymer compositions to create a polishing surface with tunable properties for planarizing substrates. The layers can include porosity-forming agents that degrade in aqueous solution to create voids. The pad can have regions with different compositions, hardness, porosity, contact angle, and thermal diffusivity. This allows precise customization of local polishing characteristics like material removal rate, friction, and slurry transport. The layering enables performance tuning.

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An improved method to produce titanium alloy powder optimized for 3D printing. The method involves gradually reducing gas atomization pressure and increasing the feeding speed of the titanium alloy electrode while atomizing the metal. This hierarchical control reduces collision probability between droplets, improving surface quality while maintaining fine powder yield.

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3D printing method using multiple fluids for additive printing of objects with improved surface quality and post-processing ability. The method involves selective application of different fluids including fusing agents with radiation absorbers, reactive agents to modify the build material, and detailing agents for finishing. The combination allows targeted coalescing of the build material layers during printing and chemically treating the surface afterwards.

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Surface finishing method to achieve a desired surface finish on additively manufactured metal parts with minimal material removal. The method involves using sequenced pulse reverse waveform electrochemical finishing to decrease the surface roughness of an additively manufactured metal part to a desired final surface roughness. The waveform is tuned through multiple iterations to progressively smooth the part surface while minimizing material removal.

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Reducing surface roughness of 3D printed objects using chemical polishing. The method involves treating the printed object with a solvent to reduce surface roughness. Then controlling the amount of solvent removed to maintain desired mechanical properties. This selective solvent removal allows customizing the Young's modulus of the polished object.

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Improving the quality of the inner surface of a 3D printed part by chemical plating and heat treatment. The method involves applying a thin layer of a first material like platinum through electroless plating onto the printed part. Then the part is heat treated in a vacuum furnace. This process improves the inner surface quality of complex internal structures without affecting accuracy.

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A method for processing 3D printed silicon carbide mirrors to improve surface quality and reduce microstep defects. The method involves a combination of grinding, small grinding head grinding, rough polishing, magnetorheological modification, conformal smoothing, and optimizing process parameters. This enables deterministic modification and higher quality polishing of 3D printed silicon carbide mirrors compared to direct polishing. The steps are: 1) Grinding with diamond grit to remove large features. 2) Small grinding head grinding with fine diamond grit to refine the surface. 3) Rough polishing with diamond slurry to further refine the surface. 4) Magnetorheological modification to fill in microsteps and improve surface smoothness. 5) Conformal smoothing to further improve surface quality. 6) Optimizing process parameters like speed, pressure, and feedrate for

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3D printing objects with glossy surfaces by selectively depositing a water-soluble support material alongside the model material in layers. The support material contains hydrophilic monomers that dissolve in water but leave a glossy effect when cured. After printing, the object is dissolved leaving behind the glossy support interface. This creates a glossy surface on the printed object. The key is using hydrophilic monomers that form a glossy interface when mixed with the model material. The water-soluble support dissolves during post-processing, leaving behind the glossy effect.

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Post-processing method for 3D printed parts to improve surface finish and impact resistance. The method involves applying a polishing layer to the 3D printed part that fills the layer gaps and then polishing that layer. This smooths the surface and improves painting results. Before applying the polishing layer, the 3D printed part is immersed in a fluid at 45-100°C to relieve internal stresses that can cause fractures. This improves the part's elasticity and toughness to prevent breakage.

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Post-processing method for 3D printed parts to improve surface finish, color, and mechanical properties without additional equipment or additives. The method involves submerging the 3D printed part in a liquid solvent for a specific time, then allowing it to air dry. This solvent treatment removes excess powder from the surface, smoothens it, and allows color dyes in the solvent to infuse into the part for coloring. The solvent also swells the material, enabling better fusion and packing of powder particles for improved mechanical properties. The swelling effect can be tuned by solvent selection.

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