An electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system (e.g., 10; 100; 200; 300; 350; 500; 700) having at least one electrophotography (EP) or electrostatographic engine (e.g., 12; 12p; 12s; 612p; 612p; 712-1; 712-2) and being configured such that a plurality of independently movable parts is built in parallel at a plurality of decoupled processing stations.

An electrostatic-based layer-wise manufacturing system (e.g., 200; 200-1; 250; 282; 300) decouples a layer imaging process from a layer transfusion process. The layer imaging process is performed in a first batch process that is independent from the layer transfusion process that is performed in a second batch process

A method of printing a part in an additive manufacturing system includes printing a support structure for the part, printing a boundary surrounding the support structure, and printing the part on the support structure. An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part includes a transfer medium configured to receive and transfer imaged layers of a thermoplastic-based powder for a boundary, a thermoplastic-based powder for a support, and a thermoplastic-based powder for the part from at least two imaging engines, a heater configured to heat the imaged layers on the transfer medium to at least a fusion temperature of the thermoplastic-based powder, and a layer transfusion assembly including a build platform, the layer transfusion assembly being configured to transfuse the heated layers in a layer-by-layer manner onto the build platform to print the three-dimensional part.

A part material for printing three-dimensional parts with an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the part material including a composition having a grafted copolymer (including acrylonitrile units, butadiene units, aromatic units modified with polycarbonate and poly(styrene-co-maleimide)), a charge control agent, and a heat absorber. The part material is provided in a powder form having a controlled particle size, and is configured for use in the electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system having a layer transfusion assembly for printing the three-dimensional parts in a layer-by-layer manner.

A water dispersible sulfo-polyamide is configured as a filament for use as an extrudable support material in the additive manufacture of a part comprising a non water dispersible polymer. The water dispersible sulfo-polyamide is a reaction product of a sulfo monomer, the water dispersible sulfo-polymer being dispersible in water resulting in separation of the water dispersible polymer from the part comprising the non water dispersible polymer.

A transfer device includes a transfer drum that rotates in conjunction with a fixing roller, a transfer belt that transfers an image onto a medium while rotating along with the transfer drum in a state where the medium is nipped between the transfer belt and the transfer drum, a pressing member that is disposed in a space enclosed by the transfer belt, and a switching unit that moves the pressing member and switches between a pressed state in which the transfer belt is pressed against the transfer drum and a separated state in which the transfer belt is separated from the transfer drum.

3-D printing transfers build material and support from an intermediate transfer belt (ITB) to a platen. The build material is the same as the support material, except that the build material includes a photoinitiator and the support material does not. The platen moves to make contact with the ITB, and the ITB transfers successive layers of build material and support material each time the platen contacts the ITB. The platen and a portion of the ITB that is adjacent the platen are heated prior to the platen contacting the ITB, and the same is exposed so as to crosslink polymers of build material, without crosslinking polymers of support material. The polymers of build material being crosslinked and the polymers of support material not being crosslinked makes the support material selectively soluble in a solvent.

A method is disclosed for improving the productivity of digitally fabricated 3D objects with the same or different shape and material composition. The improved productivity is enabled by the incorporation of multiple build platforms and multiple objects per build platform within a 3D object fabrication apparatus. Some 3D manufacturing processes such as those based on electrophotography require a wait time to condition the build object before the next layer of build and support material can be applied. Under these fabrication conditions, the utilization of multiple build platforms in the 3D object manufacturing process effectively minimizes the wait time between layer deposition so that the productivity for fabricating 3D objects is improved. Furthermore, the incorporation of an additional adjacent set of multiple platforms enables rapid changeover when the fabrication of one set of 3D objects is completed on an adjacent set of build platforms.

A method is disclosed for improving the productivity of digitally fabricated 3D objects with the same or different shape and material composition. The improved productivity is enabled by the incorporation of multiple build platforms and multiple objects per build platform within a 3D object fabrication apparatus. Some 3D manufacturing processes such as those based on electrophotography require a wait time to condition the build object before the next layer of build and support material can be applied. Under these fabrication conditions, the utilization of multiple build platforms in the 3D object manufacturing process effectively minimizes the wait time between layer deposition so that the productivity for fabricating 3D objects is improved. Furthermore, the incorporation of an additional adjacent set of multiple platforms enables rapid changeover when the fabrication of one set of 3D objects is completed on an adjacent set of build platforms.

An intermediate transfer belt includes a base layer that has ionic conductivity and is a thickest layer out of multiple layers making up the intermediate transfer belt with respect to the thickness direction of the intermediate transfer belt, and an inner layer having electronic conductivity and a lower electrical resistance than the base layer.