To treat parts printed by means of 3D printing from the powder bed, they are inserted into a trough belt conveyor which transports and circulates the parts and in which the parts are acted on by a fluid jet during the transport.

To treat parts printed by means of 3D printing from the powder bed, they are inserted into a trough belt conveyor which transports and circulates the parts and in which the parts are acted on by a fluid jet during the transport.

A laser power control method for additive manufacturing includes a pre-processing component and an intra-processing component. The pre-processing component creates in the system controller a machine code expressed additive-path-with-geometry-metadata that includes a path description. The path description represents the path of the beam source on the build and includes a geometry index for the build. The intra-processing component calculates required power for the beam at intervals and events on the beam path based upon the additive-path-with-geometry-metadata and calculations of the energy balance at the melt pool and the total energy for each point P(s) on the path.

An apparatus and method for fabricating a three-dimensional object from a representation of the object stored in memory. The apparatus includes a build platform having a build gap defined therein. A base plate is initially supported along a lower surface of the build platform such that an edge of the base plate extends along and closes off the build gap. A powder delivery assembly is configured to supply powder to the build gap. At least one directed energy source is configured to apply directed energy to at least a portion of the build gap to form a layer of the three-dimensional structure. An advancement assembly configured to selectively engage with the base plate and/or the three-dimensional structure to hold the base plate and the three-dimensional structure in a fixed position during forming of a layer and to advance the base plate and the three-dimensional structure once the layer is formed.

A system is disclosed that includes an end effector and a support configured to move the end effector. The support may include a first link, a second link rotationally connected to the first link at a joint, and a motor rigidly mounted to the first link and configured to drive rotation of the second link relative to the first link. The support may also include a sole encoder associated with the joint and configured to generate a signal indicative of a position of the first link relative to the second link. The system may further include a controller in communication with the sole encoder and the motor. The controller may be configured to selectively trim operation of the motor based only on the signal.

A system is disclosed that includes an end effector and a support configured to move the end effector. The support may include a first link, a second link rotationally connected to the first link at a joint, and a motor rigidly mounted to the first link and configured to drive rotation of the second link relative to the first link. The support may also include a sole encoder associated with the joint and configured to generate a signal indicative of a position of the first link relative to the second link. The system may further include a controller in communication with the sole encoder and the motor. The controller may be configured to selectively trim operation of the motor based only on the signal.

A method is disclosed for operating an additive manufacturing system. The method may include wetting a reinforcement with a thermoset matrix inside of a print head, discharging the wetted reinforcement from the print head, and moving the print head in multiple directions during discharging. The method may also include exposing the thermoset matrix wetting the reinforcement to a cure energy to initiate a chemical reaction, and directing a medium onto the wetted reinforcement to regulate a rate of the chemical reaction.

A multifunctional robotic system for performing in vivo procedures includes a control unit comprising a computer processor and a robotic arm in communication with the control unit for multi-axis movement of the robotic arm. The robotic arm has a plurality of passages therein.

A printer head is disposed in one of the passages and is configured to create multi-dimensional objects in vivo. The robotic system includes a measuring system disposed in one of the passages.. The computer processor has executable software configured to receive signals from the measuring system and is configured to control the printer head and the measuring system to position the object in an in vivo location based upon the signals from the measuring system.

A method for producing an additively manufactured object includes melting and solidifying a filler metal by use of an arc, and depositing and forming a plurality of layers of molten beads to produce a built-up object, and the method includes: shaping the molten bead of a previous layer; and monitoring a temperature of the molten bead of the previous layer. Shaping of the molten bead of a next layer is started when the temperature of the molten bead of the previous layer is equal to or lower than an allowable interpass temperature.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may have a first tool center point associated with discharge of a first material, and a second tool center point associated with discharge of a second material that is a type different than the first material.