Patent ID: 11858213
Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 8:
9. A method of fabricating a build part using a vibration-assisted stereolithography system, comprising:
separating a build surface of the build part a distance from a constrained surface to form a gap having a gap thickness;
populating the gap thickness with a resin;
at a first time, directing electromagnetic energy from a light source through the constrained surface to cure the resin residing in the gap;
at a second time after the first time, applying a separating load including a downward displacement force along a first directional axis to a build platform to at least partially separate the build surface from the constrained surface; and
at a third time after the first time, vibrating the constrained surface upwardly and downwardly along the first directional axis to separate, post-cure, the build surface from the constrained surface, wherein the vibrating comprises:
activating a vibratory source connected to the constrained surface by a linkage system having a first end connected to the vibratory source and a second end connected to the constrained surface to generate the vibrating the constrained surface;
using the vibratory source including an audio speaker to separate the build surface from the constrained surface; and
filtering, by a bias element having a coil spring attached to the linkage system, the vibrating the constrained surface.