Rafts may be used in a three-dimensional printing process for automatic leveling and to prevent warping of an object being printed. A raft is a platform for an object that is fabricated on another surface prior to fabrication of the object itself to provide a consistent surface on which to initiate fabrication of the object. A typical raft is printed from the same build material as the object using a standard grid of spaced apart segments of build material. This provides a level surface of material that can bond to the object while reducing the surface area of contact between the raft and the object. While this works adequately, there is often a strong bond formed between the raft/build platform and the raft/printed object, which can necessitate additional finishing steps for removal.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds