While desktop 3D printing is coming a long way, FDM/FFF processes typically leave something to be desired in the quality of finished prints -- most notably regarding the visibility of layers and the seams where layers meet. Stratasys has this week been awarded US patent number 8,974,715 B2 for a new method to control seams in FDM printing processes. The process, the brainchild of Paul E. Hopkins and Donald J. Holzwarth, is fairly technical and illustrated in the patent paperwork with complex diagrams, but the base idea is fairly straightforward. Their technique uses the printing of two exterior layers of a model that overlap on the object's interior, where the resultant seam is not visible. For a more in-depth look at the patented process, check out the full article: http://3dprint.com/50476/stratasys-patent-seams-fdm/


Below is an illustration from the patent filing: