Patent ID: 11919244
Assignee: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 16:
17. A method for controlling, in situ, curing of a resist being used to form a three dimensional (3D) part through a volumetric three dimensional (3D) printing operation, the method comprising:
projecting an optical signal from an optical source disposed through a first side of a container containing the resist, wherein the resist defines a build volume, and fully through the build volume and then through a second side of the container different from the first side;
detecting the optical signal after the optical signal has passed fully through the build volume and through the second side of the container, while the resist is being cured using a curing beam being projected through the resist, wherein the optical signal has a wavelength such that it experiences a first level of absorption when passing fully through the resist from the first side to the second side of the container when the resist is in an uncured state, and a second level of absorption which is different than the first level of absorption when passing fully through the resist from the first side to the second side of the container, after the resist is cured;
analyzing a characteristic of the detected optical signal in real time to determine how curing of the resist is proceeding; and
using the analysis of the characteristic of the detected optical signal to modify a property of the curing beam in real time to help optimize curing of the resist.