A machine for manufacturing shaped objects layer by layer by locationally selectively fusing material powder to form connected regions by means of electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation. The machine includes a process chamber, which surrounds a process space, an unpacking chamber, which surrounds an unpacking space, a first building cylinder and a second building cylinder, which each have a workpiece table for material powder and a building space, wherein the workpiece tables can each be moved into the building space, and a transporting device for transferring the building cylinders between an operating position in the process space and an unpacking position in the unpacking space. According to the invention, the transporting device is configured to transfer the first building cylinder from the operating position into the unpacking position and the second building cylinder from the unpacking position into the operating position simultaneously.

A method of fabricating a component is provided. The method includes depositing particles onto a build platform. The method also includes distributing the particles to form a build layer. The method further includes operating a consolidation device to consolidate a first plurality of particles along a scan path to form a component. The component includes a top surface spaced apart from the build platform and an outer surface. The outer surface extends between the build platform and the top surface, and at least a portion of the outer surface faces a substantially particle-free region of the build platform.

The present disclosure relates to a scraper component of a three-dimensional printing device, which includes a scraper, a fixing frame, a pulley and a sliding rail, the scraper is installed on the fixing frame, and the pulley is set on at least one end of the fixing frame; the sliding rail has a horizontal first rail and a tilted and movable second rail, and a first end of the second rail is connected to the first rail and a second end is located on the first rail; when the pulley slides from a middle to an end of the first rail, the pulley enters the second rail from the first end and leaves the second rail from the second end then comes back to the first rail; when the pulley slides from an end to a middle of the first rail, the pulley passes through the second rail from below. The scraper of the present disclosure can push the printing slurry to the side plate of the storage tank without squeezing the slurry out of the storage tank, and can better push the printing slurry with high viscosity or low fluidity.

The present disclosure relates to a scraper component of a three-dimensional printing device, which includes a scraper, a fixing frame, a pulley and a sliding rail, the scraper is installed on the fixing frame, and the pulley is set on at least one end of the fixing frame; the sliding rail has a horizontal first rail and a tilted and movable second rail, and a first end of the second rail is connected to the first rail and a second end is located on the first rail; when the pulley slides from a middle to an end of the first rail, the pulley enters the second rail from the first end and leaves the second rail from the second end then comes back to the first rail; when the pulley slides from an end to a middle of the first rail, the pulley passes through the second rail from below. The scraper of the present disclosure can push the printing slurry to the side plate of the storage tank without squeezing the slurry out of the storage tank, and can better push the printing slurry with high viscosity or low fluidity.

An apparatus for additive manufacturing includes a platform comprising a fixing device for fixing a component to the platform, wherein the platform is configured to vary an orientation of the component over an angle of at least 360° according to at least one spatial direction, and an actuation device for mechanically actuating the platform at a predefined frequency.

Plant for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object, comprising at least one process station being configured to perform an additive manufacturing process and/or at least one preprocessing process for an additive manufacturing process and/or at least one postprocessing process for an additive manufacturing process; at least one conveying device configured to convey an item between at least two positions (P1, P2) of the plant, the conveying device comprising at least one conveying element, the at least one conveying element being at least partially bound to ground, and at least one conveying carriage being connectable or connected with the conveying element so as to be moveable between at least two positions (P1, P2) of the plant, the at least one conveying carriage comprising at least one supporting interface for supporting at least one item.

A powder bed fusion apparatus in which an object is built in a layer-by-layer manner. The apparatus has a build sleeve and a build platform for supporting a powder bed, the build platform lowerable in the build sleeve. A processing plate is coupled to an upper end of the build sleeve. The apparatus further has a doser for dosing powder and a recoater for spreading the dosed powder across the processing plate to the powder bed. A heater is provided for heating the powder bed. An active cooling device having a cooling element and/or cooling channel is to form, in use, an active thermal barrier to conduction of heat from the build sleeve through the processing plate.

A system for removing residual powder from a three-dimensional (3D)-printed component integrally constructed with a build plate during an additive manufacturing (AM) process includes an end-effector, an enclosure, one or more transducers, and an electronic control unit (ECU). The end-effector includes a base surrounded by a perimeter flange, and includes a through-opening that receives the build plate. A perimeter clamp attaches and seal the enclosure to a perimeter flange of the end-effector such that the enclosure, the base, and the build plate collectively form a powder containment cavity. The transducers vibrate at a predetermined frequency or range thereof. The ECU transmits a vibration control signal to the transducers during a post-processing stage of the AM process to loosen and remove the residual powder from the component and collect the loosened powder within the powder containment cavity.

A system for removing residual powder from a three-dimensional (3D)-printed component integrally constructed with a build plate during an additive manufacturing (AM) process includes an end-effector, an enclosure, one or more transducers, and an electronic control unit (ECU). The end-effector includes a base surrounded by a perimeter flange, and includes a through-opening that receives the build plate. A perimeter clamp attaches and seal the enclosure to a perimeter flange of the end-effector such that the enclosure, the base, and the build plate collectively form a powder containment cavity. The transducers vibrate at a predetermined frequency or range thereof. The ECU transmits a vibration control signal to the transducers during a post-processing stage of the AM process to loosen and remove the residual powder from the component and collect the loosened powder within the powder containment cavity.

An additive manufacturing machine (910) includes a build unit (920) including a powder dispenser (906) having a hopper (904) for receiving a volume of additive powder (902). A powder supply system (1000) includes a powder supply source (940) and a conveyor (1024) for transporting dispensed additive powder (902) to the hopper (904). A supply sensing system (1060) monitors the additive powder (902) that is dispensed from the powder supply source (940) and transported to the hopper (904) and a hopper sensing system (1040) monitors the additive powder (902) within the hopper (904). Each of these systems includes one or more powder level sensors (1042, 1044, 1062), weight sensors (1050, 1064), and/or vision systems (1054, 1070) for monitoring the additive powder (902).