A newly granted Chinese utility model proposes combining material heating, mixing and forced feeding inside one compact 3D printer hopper.
patent
Mechanical Patent Detects FFF Material Flow Failures
System to mechanically detect material flow in the hot end [Source: Espacenet]
Nine Bambu Lab Patents Reveal Broader Printer Architecture
A collection of nine new Bambu Lab patents provides a detailed picture of several future 3D printer concepts.
Patent Proposes Self Retracting FFF Nozzle Guard
A newly published Chinese patent proposes an unusually elaborate way to protect an FFF 3D printer nozzle when the machine is idle.
Retracting Sensor Patent Targets Cleaner Filament Monitoring
A newly granted Chinese utility model patent proposes a self-cleaning, retractable filament sensor for FFF 3D printers.
Chinese Patent Proposes Unusual Magnetic FFF Platform
A newly granted Chinese utility patent describes an unusual FFF 3D printer arrangement combining a magnetically driven platform, a rotating work area and a vertically actuated extrusion head.
INSTATIQ Patents Method for Difficult Concrete Printing
INSTATIQ has patented a construction 3D printing system designed to place concrete directly against existing walls and other awkward building features.
Patent Proposes New Method to Reduce CoreXY Ringing
A new Chinese patent application suggests a more sophisticated way to stop ringing on high speed CoreXY 3D printers.
Crawling 3D Printer Patent Targets Large FFF Parts
A Chinese patent application describes a crawling FFF 3D printer that can print beyond a fixed build volume.
FlashForge Patent Describes a Method for Smoother Toolhead Docking
FlashForge has patented a new way to make detachable FFF toolheads dock more reliably.
Inkbit Patents New 3D Printing Process
Inkbit has published a patent application that describes a different kind of material chemistry for inkjet additive manufacturing.
SprintRay Patent Targets Replaceable LCD Resin Screens
SprintRay has been granted a patent for a replaceable screen cartridge.
Chinese Patent Targets Magnetic Flexible Print Beds
A Chinese utility model patent attempts to claim a magnetic flexible print platform — a feature that has been common in desktop FFF machines for many years.
IBM Patent Applies AI To 3D Printer Control
IBM has published a patent application describing an AI decision engine for managing 3D printers.
Qingdao Patents Multimaterial Gradient Resin Printing
Qingdao University of Technology has filed a patent application for a light curing 3D printing method for functional gradient materials.
Hefei Patent Targets Cleaner Multi Resin SLA Printing
A new patent proposes a more practical way to switch materials in resin 3D printing.
Bosch Patents Suggest Continuous Pellet 3D Printing
Bosch has published three related German patent applications that point toward a rather interesting 3D printing concept: a pellet-based extrusion system designed to keep printing while its printheads are being refilled.
Patent Filing Trends Reveal China’s Dominance in 3D Printing Intellectual Property
I did some analysis on 3D print patents to understand where innovation seems to be occurring.
No, Voron Was Not Just Patented In China
The Voron 3D printer design was NOT just patented by Chinese organizations.
Magma OrcaSlicer Fork Introduces Vertical Plastic Injection for Stronger Parts, But There’s a Patent
There’s an interesting software fork of OrcaSlicer brewing, but there could be patent issues in the future.
Prosthetic Printer Patent Targets Better Z Accuracy
A new Chinese utility model patent describes a compact high speed FFF 3D printer aimed specifically at prosthetic and orthotic manufacturing.
Creality Patents Better 3D Printer Feet
Creality appears to be looking at an overlooked 3D printer component: the foot.
Patent For Smarter FFF Failure Recovery
A Chinese patent application describes a way to make FFF printers recover more intelligently from nozzle clogs and filament breaks.
Bambu Lab Fails to Invalidate Stratasys Purge Tower Patent in U.S. Patent Office Ruling
Bambu Lab just lost a case against Stratasys. What does this mean?
Chinese Patent Describes Adjustable FFF Nozzle
A newly granted Chinese utility patent proposes a variable extrusion head for FFF 3D printers, aimed at avoiding one of the oldest annoyances in desktop and industrial extrusion printing: changing nozzles.
Selective SLA Curing Patent Targets Variable Properties
A patent application proposes a more selective way to post-cure stereolithography parts.
Patent Suggests Low Cost Automated Part Removal
A new German patent application proposes a simpler way to automate part removal in 3D printers: use the motion system already inside the machine.
Flashforge Patent Targets Smarter Resin Peel Speeds
Flashforge appears to be looking at a smarter way to control resin 3D printing.
HKUST Patent Targets Multi Directional DLP Coating
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has filed a patent for a DLP 3D printer that uses multi-directional coating to handle more difficult photopolymer materials.
3D Systems Patent a New Way to Align Printheads
3D Systems has published a European patent application for a printhead mounting and alignment system that could make multi printhead 3D printers easier to calibrate.
TNO Patents a Multi Material Semi Solid Extrusion
TNO has published a patent application describing a compact printhead for multi material semi solid extrusion.
Kumovis Patents Smoother Porous Implants
Kumovis has a new European patent application that digs into a very specific FFF problem: how to print parts with regions that transform smoothly from porous to solid.
ELEGOO Develops Faster FFF Nozzle Switching System
A new ELEGOO patent application describes a mechanical approach to making multi nozzle FFF 3D printers easier to set up and switch.
Shining 3D Patent Introduces Sealed Resin Printing
There’s a new patent for a resin 3D printing method that tries to handle high viscosity materials without slowing the job.
Chinese Patent Targets Combined 3D Printer Plotter
A newly published Chinese patent application describes a machine that can switch between FFF 3D printing and pen-based writing or drawing without manual toolhead replacement.
EOS Patent Targets Higher SLS Powder Reuse
EOS has filed a patent application that could make polymer powder reuse in SLS more efficient.
Trinckle Patents User Guided 3D Printing Configuration
Trinckle 3D has published a pair of German patent applications that point toward a very specific problem in additive manufacturing: how do you let less experienced users customize 3D printed parts without letting them break the part?
Bosch Patent Targets Hotter FFF Nozzle Control
Bosch has filed a German patent application for a 3D printer printhead with a heated ring around the nozzle.
Stick Tech Patent Targets Easier Print Removal
Stick Tech has published a patent application for getting a finished part off the build surface.
Patent Targets Dual Material DLP Printing
Shanghai JIZHI Zongheng Technology has patented a compact approach to dual-material resin 3D printing.
Creality Patent Suggests Faster Filament Switching For FFF Printing
A new patent application by Creality describes a way to make filament changes faster in FFF 3D printers.
Bambu Lab Patent Describes Smarter 3D Printer Heating
Shenzhen Tuozhu Technology has filed a patent application for a 3D printer control system that manages heating loads more intelligently.
DTU Patent Targets Scanned Vat Photopolymerization
Technical University of Denmark has patented a resin 3D printing concept that moves the optics instead of exposing a whole layer at once.
Bambu Lab Patents Simpler Material Box Handle
Bambu Lab has patented a more foolproof handle and latch for a 3D printer material storage box.
Laser Beam Modulation Patent Targets Smarter Metal PBF
A new patent application from GE/Concept Laser proposes tighter real time control over laser energy in powder bed fusion systems.
Prusa Patents Automated Resin Print Workflow
A Czech patent application by Prusa Research proposes a more coordinated resin printing workflow built around shared process data.
European Court Denies Stratasys Injunction Request Against Bambu Lab
The Stratasys / Bambu Lab patent dispute continues — in Europe. Readers may recall that in 2024, Stratasys launched a patent infringement lawsuit against Bambu Lab. We suspected at the time that Stratasys may have believed that Bambu Lab was cutting into their business, and therefore it was time to leverage the several patents Stratasys… Continue reading European Court Denies Stratasys Injunction Request Against Bambu Lab
Self Heating Composite Filaments Could Simplify AM
A new Dalian University of Technology patent proposes heating fiber-reinforced thermoplastic filament from the inside instead of heating it with a conventional hot end.
3D Printer Noise May Become Speed Aware
A new Chinese patent application by Anycubic proposes tuning 3D printer noise reduction by speed range.
Elegoo Patents Dynamic Build Platform Leveling
Elegoo appears to be working on a way to keep a 3D printer’s build platform level while the job is already underway.
Bambu Lab Patent Points to New Filament Handling System for Flexible TPU Materials
A very curious patent has been registered by Bambu Lab.
Patent Proposes Recycling Thermoset Polymers Into 3D Printing Filaments
You may soon be 3D printing thermoset filament.
Centrifugal Resin Printer Patent Targets Post Processing
A Chinese patent proposes folding three messy resin workflows into one machine.
Creality’s Compact Filament Cutter Patent Targets Smaller Toolheads
A new patent filing sketches a compact way to cut filament inside the printhead before a tool change, and that matters because cleaner swaps can make multi material FFF systems faster and less troublesome.
Hyperion Patent Splits Extrusion From Motion System
A new patent from Australia-based Hyperion Systems proposes a different way to build large format extrusion systems without dragging a heavy hot end around the machine.
IBM Patents Smarter Hollow Fill 3D Printing
IBM is exploring a way to turn empty 3D printed cavities into engineered features instead of unused air.
Creality Patent Targets Cleaner FFF Material Changes
Creality appears to be patenting a small but potentially useful fix for one of desktop FFF’s most annoying recurring chores.
Tethon 3D Acquires Fortify Dielectric Material Technologies
Tethon 3D announced the acquisition of several ceramic materials from Fortify.
Multi Wire FSAM Patent Targets Bigger Metal Builds
A new friction stir additive manufacturing patent proposes a smarter way to feed several metal wires through one rotating tool.
Huistone Patent Targets Large Area Resin Printing Economics
A new Chinese patent application describes a way to make large format resin systems much cheaper.
Patent Proposes Software-Based Method for Sidewall Color Mixing in Multi-Nozzle FFF Printing
A new Chinese patent application suggests standard multi nozzle FFF systems could produce richer sidewall colors without adding any new hardware.
New Creality Patent Proposes Swappable Multi Nozzle Module For FFF
A newly filed Creality patent describes a modular FFF printhead that treats filament changes like tool changes.
Flashforge’s Hidden Filament Cutter Reclaims FFF Build Area
A newly published patent from Flashforge describes a filament cutting mechanism that stays out of the build area until the instant it is needed.
Someone Just Patented 3D Printing Moon Dirt
A surprising new patent proposes an end to end “field factory” that can turn regolith, sand, and scrap into parts using spectroscopy plus automation.
Stratasys Patents Low Temperature PolyJet Modeling Materials
Stratasys has filed a patent that targets a surprising bottleneck in PolyJet 3D printing: the need to run hot just to keep materials jettable.
Patent Proposes Lights Out Implant 3D Printing
A new patent filing describes an AI driven 3D printer that could automate patient specific implant production with minimal human touch time.
Snapmaker Patent Targets Faster Multi Color FFF Switching
Snapmaker has filed a patent that tries to make multicolor FFF printing less wasteful without slowing the job to a crawl.
Dyze Design Patents Modular Motion Control For AM
Dyze Design has filed a patent application that reads like a blueprint for turning a 3D printer into a data driven, self aware machine tool.
Patent Uses Reservoir Silt For Low-Carbon 3DPC
A new Taiwanese patent details a 3D printed concrete mix that substitutes reservoir silt to lower cement and aggregate demand.
Food 3D Printing Enters New Territory With Patent for Plant-Based Salmon Replication
An unusual patent describes a method to 3D print plant-based salmon sashimi.
Creality Files Patent for Telescoping Filament Buffer Design
Creality seems to have patented a new filament buffer concept.
Patent Proposes TFT Driven Electrochemical Metal Printing
A newly published Taiwanese patent describes a powderless metal additive manufacturing concept using a TFT backplane to electrochemically print metal.
Patent Proposes Mobile Swarm FFF On One Platform
A new Turkish patent describes a mobile, multi-robot Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) system that prints on a shared platform to sidestep conventional build-volume limits.
New Web Tool Makes Bricklayers Extrusion Method Accessible to Mainstream 3D Printing
Using the Bricklayers approach to 3D printing has never been easier with the new Brick Effect Processor.
New Stratasys Patent Centralizes and Restricts 3D Printer Tuning Parameters
Stratasys has patented a simplified approach for tuning 3D printers, which could have major implications in the future.
Patent Outlines Heat-Aided Finishing For Thermoset AM Parts
A new US patent application proposes a heat-aided abrasion method to speed finishing of additively manufactured thermoset parts.
Patent Proposes Variable Frequency Microwave 3D Printer
A new patent describes a printer that cures deposited material with variable frequency microwaves, eliminating separate post curing.
Patent Reimagines Editable Tree 3D Supports
A newly published patent outlines editable, tree-style supports with controllable penetration tips to cut support count and stabilize tricky overhangs.
Filament2 Secures Patent for Coaxial Extrusion System Enabling New FFF Materials
Filament2 has secured a patent for their highly unusual coaxial extrusion system.
Patent Outlines Cylindrical Rotary Inkjet 3D Printer
A newly published Chinese patent describes a cylindrical, continuously rotating inkjet 3D printer that aims to boost jet on time and throughput.
Hybrid AFP-FFF Head For Thermoplastic Carbon Fiber
A new Chinese patent describes a robotic toolhead that blends automatic fiber placement with FFF for thermoplastic carbon fiber parts.
Patent Reveals Single-Sided Ultrasonic Levitation Printing
A newly published patent proposes a single-sided ultrasonic levitation printer that maintains contactless deposition even when obstacles and conveyors disturb the sound field.
Bambu Lab Did Not Patent an A2 Model
Bambu Lab was awarded a patent for what is not an unannounced A2 model.
Patent Proposes Magnetic 3D Printing Of Recycled FRP
A new patent outlines a way to recycle fiber reinforced plastics waste into magnetically aligned, FFF-printed composites.
Nexa3D Awarded New Resin Viscosity Patent Despite Company’s Collapse
Nexa3D has been awarded a patent!
Bambu Lab Awarded Patent for Intelligent Speed-Adjusting Method
An interesting patent has just been awarded to Bambu Lab related to print quality.
Lugo Labs Awarded Patent for Hot-End Swapping System as Waste-Free FFF Technologies Advance
An interesting patent was just awarded to Lugo Labs for a hot end swapping system.
Competing 3D Printer Plate-Cycler Designs Spark Licensing Questions and Potential Patent Risks
Since our last post on the PlateCycler, we’ve learned of significant controversies about this technology.
Flashforge Patent Reveals Waste Free Toolchanger 3D Printing Concept
It appears that Flashforge is getting into the toolchanger game.
New Patent Enables Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforcement in Resin 3D Printing for Ultra-Strong Parts
Researchers have developed a process to embed continuous carbon fiber into resin 3D prints.
Bambu Lab Secures Patent for Advanced Multimaterial Filament Assignment System
Bambu Lab just received a very interesting multimaterial patent.
Boston Micro Fabrication Secures Patent for Dual-Resolution Micro 3D Printing Technology
Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) announced they’ve received an important patent.
Continuous Composites Secures Patent for CC3D 3D Printing
I’ve just noticed a new patent awarded to Continuous Composites.
Elegoo Patent Suggests New Extruder Design for Future Multimaterial 3D Printing
I found a patent that might hint at Elegoo’s plans for multimaterial 3D printing.
Bambu Lab Expands into Engineering Materials Market as Stratasys Lawsuit Continues
The announcement of the Bambu Lab H2D Pro might have something to do with the Stratasys lawsuit.