
High Speed Electrophotographic 3D Printing SystemAward last edited on: 7/15/2015
Sponsored Program
SBIRAwarding Agency
NSFTotal Award Amount
$149,993Award Phase
1Solicitation Topic Code
MNPrincipal Investigator
James MasonCompany Information
Phase I
Contract Number: ----------Start Date: ---- Completed: ----
Phase I year
2015Phase I Amount
$149,993This project uses the technology found in office laser printers. This technology has never been used before in rapid prototyping systems. There have been previous attempts to harness laser printing technology but they have all found it difficult to make parts thicker than about a quarter inch. This project is a radical innovation in the application of the technology in that it separates two critical functions, transfer and consolidation, that have always been combined in previous attempts to use the technology. This innovation enables much greater control of both functions in a way that resolves the problem of building thicker parts by making the process look much more like that used in a laser printer. The innovation also allows the 3D printing of parts to be up to five times faster than any existing method. The anticipated technical result is to build multi-layer blocks of material quickly and uniformly layer by layer. The process does also include the capability to support parts during build. This is accomplished by using a second laser printer engine that creates an image of support powder that is transferred with the build layer image. The support layer can be dissolved away after the part is built.
Phase II
Contract Number: ----------Start Date: ---- Completed: ----