Patent ID: 7297304

Claim:
A method for three-dimensional modeling comprising the steps of heating a build chamber to an elevated temperature, dispensing modeling material from an outlet of a dispensing head onto a base provided in the build chamber, and moving the dispensing head and the base in three-dimensions with respect to one another in synchrony with the dispensing of modeling material so as to build up a three-dimensional object of predetermined shape on the base, characterized by: maintaining physical and thermal separation between the heated build chamber and a gantry that controls motion of the dispensing head with at least a first deformable thermal insulator and a second deformable thermal insulator, wherein the first deformable thermal insulator and the second deformable thermal insulator form a portion of a ceiling of the build chamber and the first deformable thermal insulator and the second deformable thermal insulator comprise baffles; compressing or expanding the first deformable thermal insulator when the dispensing head is moved in a first direction; and compressing or expanding the second deformable thermal insulator when the dispensing head is moved in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.