Patent ID: 7158849

Claim:
A method for rapid prototyping by using linear light as sources, the method comprising the following steps: (1) dividing a 3-D image into a plurality of 2-D images which when overlapped reproduce the 3-D image; (2) depositing a layer of a raw material onto a defined zone; (3) irradiating the deposited layer of the raw material with a first energy source to convert the entire raw material layer into a gel-form substance layer; (4) irradiating selected portions of the gel-form substance layer with a second energy source to solidify the irradiated portions of the gel-form substance layer, the second energy source being a linear light source, the selected portions of the gel-form substance layer being scanned in correspondence to a respective one of the plurality of 2-D images; (5) repeating steps (2) to (4) until each of the plurality of 2-D images have been scanned and establishing connection between each of the layers corresponding to the plurality of 2-D images; and (6) removing the gel-form material substance layer portions from the solidified portions to obtain a solid work piece.