Methods and apparatus for recoating parameter control are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a blade holder, a blade, and a control element disposed within the blade holder, the control element to move the blade between a first position and a second position, the apparatus having a first stiffness when the blade is in the first position, the apparatus having a second stiffness when the blade is in the second position, the first stiffness greater than the second stiffness.

A three-dimensional fabrication system includes a supply device that supplies a fabrication material to form a fabrication material layer, an application device that applies a binder to the fabrication material layer, and circuitry. The circuitry determines a fabrication control condition based on data of a shape of a three-dimensional object to be fabricated, to form the fabrication material layer having a biased distribution of a density of the fabrication material.

The present invention relates to a fluid supply system for a 3D printer including a fluid pressure generating device for generating a pressurized fluid flow and with a fluid heating device for heating the fluid flow, wherein the 3D printer has at least one construction chamber which is delimited by a construction chamber with respect to the surroundings of the 3D printer and is sealed in a fluid-tight manner, wherein the fluid pressure generating device, the fluid heating device and the construction chamber housing are in fluid connect ion, whereby the fluid flow can flow through the construction chamber, and wherein the fluid pressure generating device, the fluid heating device and the construction chamber housing define a closed fluid circuit for the fluid flow which is heated by the fluid heating device before entry into the construction chamber.

An irradiation device for an additively manufacturing apparatus may include a working beam generation device configured to provide a working beam, a modulation beam generation device configured to provide a modulation beam, and a solid-state optical modulator that includes a crystalline material that exhibits a change in refractive index in response to photoexcitation of free electrons within the crystalline material. The irradiation device may include a power source coupled to the solid-state optical modulator and configured to introduce free electrons into the crystalline material. The modulation beam may cause photoexcitation of the free electrons within the crystalline material. The photoexcitation of the free electrons within the crystalline material may cause the crystalline material to exhibit a change in refractive index. The working beam, when incident upon the crystalline material, may exhibit a change in one or more parameters, such as a phase shift, attributable at least in part to the change in refractive index exhibited by the crystalline material.

An irradiation device for an additively manufacturing apparatus may include a working beam generation device configured to provide a working beam, a modulation beam generation device configured to provide a modulation beam, and a solid-state optical modulator that includes a crystalline material that exhibits a change in refractive index in response to photoexcitation of free electrons within the crystalline material. The irradiation device may include a power source coupled to the solid-state optical modulator and configured to introduce free electrons into the crystalline material. The modulation beam may cause photoexcitation of the free electrons within the crystalline material. The photoexcitation of the free electrons within the crystalline material may cause the crystalline material to exhibit a change in refractive index. The working beam, when incident upon the crystalline material, may exhibit a change in one or more parameters, such as a phase shift, attributable at least in part to the change in refractive index exhibited by the crystalline material.

A system may include a powder source; a powder delivery device; an energy delivery device; and a computing device. The computing device may be configured to: control the powder source to deliver metal powder to the powder delivery device; control the powder delivery device to deliver the metal powder to a surface of an abrasive coating; and control the energy delivery device to deliver energy to at least one of the abrasive coating or the metal powder to cause the metal powder to be joined to the abrasive coating.

Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers (3) of a build material (4) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source.

A computing device comprising a processor is disclosed herein. The processor is to access print data of a virtual build volume including a plurality of 3D objects to be generated through a selective application of a binder agent by a 3D printer. The processor is further to modify the print data to include a 3D structure at a location within the build volume to protect a 3D object from migrating solvents of the binder agent during a curing operation.

A computing device comprising a processor is disclosed herein. The processor is to access print data of a virtual build volume including a plurality of 3D objects to be generated through a selective application of a binder agent by a 3D printer. The processor is further to modify the print data to include a 3D structure at a location within the build volume to protect a 3D object from migrating solvents of the binder agent during a curing operation.

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.