CPC B29C 64/209 (2017.08) [B29C 64/118 (2017.08); B29C 64/241 (2017.08); B29C 64/277 (2017.08); B29C 64/321 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] | 23 Claims |
1. A three-dimensional (“3D”) printing system, comprising:
an extruding system including a feed pipe coupled to a printing material source and a nozzle coupled to the feed pipe, the nozzle having a longitudinal axis along which printing material is extruded during a printing process to form at least a portion of a 3D printed object, wherein the nozzle is configured to extrude printing material fed thereto by way of the feed pipe at a printing angle, the printing angle being defined by the angle between the longitudinal axis and the top surface of a layer of printing material being printed;
a curing system including a plurality of curing components configured to cure the printed material at an adjustable curing angle after the printed material has been extruded from the nozzle; and
a positioning system including a platform configured to support the extruding system and the curing system and a platform rotating subsystem configured to rotate a rotating portion of the platform during the printing process, the platform having a fixed portion with a first set of angle setting features and the rotating portion that rotates with respect to the fixed portion, the rotating portion having a second set of angle setting features that interact with the first set of angle setting features, wherein rotating the rotating portion of the platform simultaneously adjusts the printing angle, rotates the second set of angle setting features with respect to the first set of angle setting features, and also repositions the curing system according to the adjusted printing angle.
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