Apparatus for providing thermal energy to an article, the apparatus comprising: a first flexible heater configured to emit infrared radiation; and a first flexible member comprising a material configured to absorb the infrared radiation emitted by the first flexible heater and to generate thermal energy from the absorbed infrared radiation, the first flexible member being configured to transfer the generated thermal energy to the article through thermal conduction.

An additive manufacturing system includes a platen to support an object to be fabricated, a dispenser assembly positioned above the platen, and an energy source configured to selectively fuse a layer of powder. The dispenser assembly includes a first dispenser, a second dispenser, and a drive system. The first dispenser delivers a first powder in a first linear region that extends along a first axis, and the second dispenser delivers a second powder in a second linear region that extends parallel to the first linear region and is offset from the first linear region along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The drive system a drive system moves the support with the first dispenser and second dispenser together along the second axis.

An additive manufacturing system includes a platen, a dispenser configured to deliver a powder in a linear region that extends across less than all of a width of the platen, a drive system configured to move the dispenser along the first axis and a perpendicular second axis, a controller, and an energy source configured to selectively fuse a layer of powder. The controller is configured to cause the drive system to move the dispenser along the second axis a first time such that the linear region makes a first sweep along the second axis to deposit the powder in a first swath over the platen, thereafter along the first axis, and thereafter along the second axis a second time such that the first linear region makes a second sweep along the second axis to deposit the powder in a parallel second swath over the platen.

An additive manufacturing system that includes a platen, a feed material delivery system configured to deliver feed material to a location on the platen specified by a computer aided design program and a heat source configured to raise a temperature of the feed material simultaneously across all of the layer or across a region that extends across a width of the platen and scans the region across a length of the platen. The heat source can be an array of heat lamps, or a plasma source.

An additive manufacturing system that includes a platen, a feed material delivery system configured to deliver feed material to a location on the platen specified by a computer aided design program and a heat source configured to raise a temperature of the feed material simultaneously across all of the layer or across a region that extends across a width of the platen and scans the region across a length of the platen. The heat source can be an array of heat lamps, or a plasma source.

The present invention provides a far-infrared radiation heating furnace for steel sheets for hot stamping configured to inhibit thermal deformation of the furnace body and furnace body parts. A far-infrared radiation heating furnace (10) includes heating units (13-1) to (13-6), a ceiling unit (19), and a furnace body frame (12) made of steel, the heating units including: blocks made of a thermal insulation material, the blocks being disposed around horizontal planes of spaces for accommodating the steel sheets for hot stamping; and far-infrared radiation heaters positioned above and below the steel sheets for hot stamping to heat the steel sheets for hot stamping, the furnace body frame being disposed around the heating units and the ceiling unit. The furnace body frame includes spacers (17-1) to (17-7) that space the heating units and the ceiling unit apart from the furnace body frame and support them.

Provided is a far-infrared radiation multi-stage type heating furnace for steel sheets for hot stamping, the furnace including far-infrared radiation heaters having flexibility that are prevented from deflecting even during heating at temperatures ranging from the Ac.sub.3 transformation temperature to 950 C. The far-infrared radiation multi-stage type heating furnace includes: multiple-staged heating units that accommodate steel sheets for hot stamping, each heating unit formed by thermal insulation materials disposed around the periphery; and far-infrared radiation heaters positioned above and below the heating units. A far-infrared radiation heater (14-1) is received by a plurality of first metal strips (26) so as to be disposed approximately horizontally. The plurality of first metal strips (26) are disposed so that their strong axis direction approximately corresponds to the direction of gravity and supported by support pieces (27) so as to be expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction by thermal expansion or thermal contraction. The support pieces (27) are disposed outside the thermal insulation materials in the heating units and a ceiling unit.

A near-infrared condensing heating unit includes a frame having an open side at a side and a seat inside, and a reflecting plate disposed in the seat of the frame having an opening corresponding to the open side, and an extended semi-elliptic cross-section along an elliptic line. The near-infrared condensing heating unit further includes a lamp disposed inside the reflecting plate, with both ends mounted on the frame through sockets.

An additive manufacturing system includes a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material over the platen, an energy source positioned above the platen to direct a beam to fuse at least some of an outermost layer of feed material, and a plurality of lamps disposed above the platen and around the energy source to radiatively heat the outermost layer of feed material.

An additive manufacturing system includes a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material over the platen, an energy source positioned above the platen to direct a beam to fuse at least some of an outermost layer of feed material, and a plurality of lamps disposed above the platen and around the energy source to radiatively heat the outermost layer of feed material.