B33Y - Definition 
Definition statement
This subclass covers:
Technologies involving the use or application of processes or apparatus that produce three-dimensionally shaped structures by selectively depositing successive layers of material one upon another. In particular it covers processes, apparatus, materials, and other aspects of additive manufacturing, i.e., making, repairing, or modifying articles of manufacture by the selective application of multiple layers of material. The applied layers may be applied directly, as in a printing process, or by selective solidification of material onto a substrate or previously developed layers, for example, by selective sintering of a particulate.
Relationship between large subject matter areas
In order to be considered additive manufacturing for this subclass each layer of material successively applied must essentially be formed directly on the previously applied layer of material, or on a substrate or support in the case of the first applied layer. In this regard, laminating premade layers together is not an aspect of additive manufacturing, and is classified per se in B32B 37/00.
Likewise, build-up welding, for the purpose of restoring dimensional integrity to worn objects, is not an aspect of additivive manufacturing, and is classified per se in B23K 9/04 or B23K 26/342. This subclass does cover build-up welding that creates objects per se, or missing or broken pieces of existing objects.
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Preparation of food or foodstuffs | A23L 5/00-A23L 35/00 |
Preparation of cocoa products | A23G |
Making of dental protheses | A61C 13/00 |
Coating apparatus, in general | B05C |
Coating processes, in general | B05D |
Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the manner of compacting or sintering | B22F 3/00 |
Milling, in general | B23C |
Producing shaped articles from ceramic or cementitous material | B28B 1/00 |
Shaping by coating a mould, core or other substrate, i.e. by depositing material and stripping-off the shaped article | B29C 41/00 |
Moulding by agglomeration | B29C 67/02 |
Forme preparation | B41C 1/00 |
Typewriters or selective printers | B41J 2/00 |
Superimposing layers to produce ornamental structures | B44C 3/02 |
Braille printing | B41M 3/16 |
Sintering of ceramic materials | C04B 35/64 |
Culture of undifferentiated human, animal or plant cells | C12N 5/00 |
Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material | C23C 14/00 |
Photosensitive materials | G03C, G03F 7/004 |
Photomechanical production of patterned surfaces | G03F 7/00 |
Electrographic processes using a charge pattern | G03G 13/00 |
Manufacture of semiconductor or otherwise not provided for electric solid state devices | H01L 21/00 |
Programme-control systems for surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing | G05B 19/4099 |
General purpose image data processing | G06T 1/00 |
Image enhancement for 2D or 3D images | G06T 5/00 |
Image analysis for 2D or 3D images | G06T 7/00 |
Image coding, e.g. from bit-mapped to non bit-mapped | G06T 9/00 |
3D [Three dimensional] image rendering | G06T 15/00 |
3D [Three dimensional] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects | G06T 17/00 |
Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics | G06T 19/00 |
Geography, e.g. relief models | G09B 25/06 |
Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised application of thin layers on objects | H01J 37/317 |
Manufacturing printed circuits by printing of conductive patterns | H05K 3/12 |
Glossary of terms
In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
| 3D printing | Additive manufacturing where the buildup of successive layers of material includes the use of a printer-like device having a servo controlled head for dispensing materials that form the layers, similar to that used by inkjet printers |
| Stereolithography | Additive manufacturing technique where the successive layers of material are formed by selectively hardening regions of polymeric material successively applied to the structure, typically by the use of laser light. |
Synonyms and Keywords
In patent documents the following abbreviations are often used:
| SLS | Selective laser sintering |
| DTM | Desktop manufacturing |
| LOM | Laminated Object Modelling |
| 3DP, 3D-printing | Three-dimensional printing |
| SFF | Solid Freeform Fabrication |
| FDM | Fused Deposition Modelling |
| 3DD | Three-dimensional deposition |
| SDM | Selective Deposition Modelling |
| LDM | Layered deposition modelling |
| 3DM | Three-dimensional modelling |
| BPM | Ballistic Particle Modelling |