US 11,850,793 B2
Laser array position detection
Matthew Sweetland, Bedford, MA (US)
Assigned to VulcanForms Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed by VulcanForms Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 2, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/009,892.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/895,677, filed on Sep. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0060857 A1, Mar. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); B29C 64/268 (2017.01); B29C 64/286 (2017.01); B29C 64/282 (2017.01); B29C 64/277 (2017.01); B29C 64/386 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B23K 26/082 (2014.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B29C 64/236 (2017.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/153 (2017.08) [B23K 26/0643 (2013.01); B23K 26/0648 (2013.01); B23K 26/082 (2015.10); B29C 64/236 (2017.08); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/268 (2017.08); B29C 64/277 (2017.08); B29C 64/282 (2017.08); B29C 64/286 (2017.08); B29C 64/386 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An additive manufacturing system comprising:
a build surface;
a plurality of laser energy sources;
an optics assembly movable relative to the build surface and configured to direct laser energy from the plurality of laser energy sources towards the build surface and to form an array of laser energy pixels on the build surface;
at least one sensor configured to detect the laser energy from a laser energy pixel; and
at least one processor operatively coupled to the optics assembly and the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to move the optics assembly relative to the at least one sensor to scan at least two laser energy pixels across the at least one sensor, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine an angular orientation of the array of laser energy pixels based at least in part on detected laser energy from each of the at least two laser energy pixels.