The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure.

A device for the stereolithographic additive manufacturing of metallic components includes a material support for a material layer of a material to be polymerized, the surface of which forms a building plane, a material container for fresh material, which opens into the building plane via a material feed opening, a build platform movable between a position flush with the building plane and a lowered position perpendicular to the building plane, a doctor blade movable between the material container and the build platform for applying the material layer on the building plane, and an exposure unit for position-selective exposure of the material layer on the build platform or on a component partially built on the build platform. The material support is exchangeably arranged in the device.

An apparatus for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object by successive layer-by-layer selective illumination and thus selective solidification of construction material layers formed in a construction plane, consisting of a solidifiable construction material by at least one energy beam, comprising a housing structure, and a combined coating and illumination assembly firmly arranged or formed on the housing structure of the apparatus, comprising a coating device provided for applying the construction material into the construction plane and for forming construction material layers to be solidified in the construction plane, and an illumination device provided for the selective illumination of respective construction material layers formed in the construction plane by the coating device, and a carrying device.

An element comprising a non-stick surface for substantially cleanly removing a product which is arranged against said non-stick surface. The element comprises a first layer of an pervious material, which is configured to allow a fluid to flow there through. An outer surface of said first layer provides the non-stick surface. The element comprises a second layer of an impervious material, which is configured to substantially block a flow of fluid there through. The second layer is arranged at a side of said first layer opposite to the outer surface. The element comprises ducts or chambers which are arranged in said first layer or in between said first and second layer. Said ducts or chambers are arranged in fluid connection with said pervious material and are configured for feeding a pressurized fluid to the pervious material. At least the first layer is formed using a three-dimensional printing tool.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

An electron beam system for the additive manufacture of a workpiece having a process chamber which can be evacuated and comprising an electron beam generator which is designed to direct an electron beam onto laterally different locations of a powder bed made of a pulverulent material to be processed in the process chamber. In order to improve the throughput of the electron beam system, the system has at least one prechamber which can be evacuated and which is constantly connected to the process chamber during the operation of the electron beam system in a vacuum-tight manner via a sluice door. Furthermore, at least one movable receiving device for receiving the powder bed and a transport device are provided, said transport device allowing the at least one receiving device to be transported from the prechamber into the process chamber.

A body, a table that is located on the body and allows powders to be laid thereon by a laying apparatus is disclosed. A layer is created by sintering or fusing the powders laid on the table, a part (P) that is produced by depositing the layers on top of each other using additive manufacturing method, and at least one heat source is located on the body and applies heat treatment to the powders laid on the table.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system includes a print engine chassis, a build box, a vertical movement mechanism, a powder dispensing module, a consolidation module, and a controller. The print engine chassis defines a build chamber configured to receive and support the build box. The build box includes a build plate upon which the 3D article is fabricated. The vertical movement mechanism includes a plurality of actuators configured to collectively provide precise positioning of the build plate. The controller is configured to (1) operate the vertical movement mechanism including operating the plurality of actuators to position an upper surface of the 3D article generally proximate and parallel to a build plane, (2) operate the powder dispensing module to dispense a new layer of powder over the upper surface, and (3) operate the consolidation module to selectively consolidate the new layer of powder.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a build module. A feed module is configured to support a first portion of a resin support. The first portion of the resin support is supported by a feed mounting panel. A take-up module is configured to support a second portion of the resin support. The second portion of the resin support is supported by a take-up mounting panel and is positioned on an opposing side of the radiant energy device from the feed module. An adjustment assembly is configured to adjust a position of at least one of a feed mandrel within the feed module or a take-up mandrel within the take-up module.

Cover assemblies for machines are disclosed, as well as machines and methods for producing three-dimensional components by selectively solidifying a material by a beam acting on the material, including a build cylinder cover that sealingly closes an opening of the build cylinder for changing of the build cylinder, and including a process chamber cover associated with the build cylinder cover, which are detachably connected to one another via an interface, wherein the build cylinder cover and the process chamber cover are formed as a single handling unit for changing the build cylinder.