A monolithic lead separator includes a primary lead tube defining a primary channel, a plurality of secondary lead tubes formed monolithically with the primary lead tube, and an instrumentation lead splitter. A cap is positioned in an aperture in the instrumentation lead splitter in a fluid-tight manner. Each of the secondary channels intersects the primary channel. The instrumentation lead splitter is situated at the intersection of the primary channel and the secondary channels.

A system for additive manufacturing machine energy beam alignment error compensation includes, a calibration table having x-y planar offsets to correct laser alignment errors representing energy beam positional offsets between beam-steering commanded energy beam locations and fiducial marks generated on a burn-paper, a recoater mechanism that distributes successive layers of powder, one or more sensors monitoring the powderbed surface proximal to the beam scan unit, and a processor unit configured to perform a method. The method including collecting sensor data representing height variations across at least a portion of the powderbed surface, deriving dimensional data from the collected data, analyzing the dimensional data to determine a distribution of differences between the powderbed surface and a reference plane containing the burn-paper when the fiducial marks were generated, and calculating z-axis calibration offset points for inclusion in the calibration table x-y planar offsets. A method and a non-transitory medium are also disclosed.

Disclosed embodiments relate to recoater systems for use with additive manufacturing systems. A recoater assembly may be used to deposit a material layer onto a build surface of an additive manufacturing system. In some instances, the recoater assembly may include a powder entrainment system that trails behind a recoater blade of the recoater assembly relative to a direction of motion of the recoater blade across a build surface of the additive manufacturing system. The powder entrainment system may generate a flow of fluid across a portion of the build surface behind the recoater blade that at least temporarily entrains powder above a threshold height from the build surface to mitigate, or prevent, the formation of defects on the build surface with heights greater than the threshold height.

Disclosed embodiments relate to recoater systems for use with additive manufacturing systems. A recoater assembly may be used to deposit a material layer onto a build surface of an additive manufacturing system. In some instances, the recoater assembly may include a powder entrainment system that trails behind a recoater blade of the recoater assembly relative to a direction of motion of the recoater blade across a build surface of the additive manufacturing system. The powder entrainment system may generate a flow of fluid across a portion of the build surface behind the recoater blade that at least temporarily entrains powder above a threshold height from the build surface to mitigate, or prevent, the formation of defects on the build surface with heights greater than the threshold height.

A multi-material three-dimensional printing apparatus is provided. The provided apparatus includes two or more print stations. Each of the print stations includes a substrate, a transportation device, a dispersion device, a compaction device, a printing device, a fixing device, and a fluidized materials removal device. The apparatus also includes an assembly apparatus in communication with the two or more print stations via the transportation device. The apparatus also includes one or more transfer devices in communication with the assembly apparatus. The apparatus also includes a computing and controlling device configured to control the operations of the two or more print stations, the assembly apparatus and the one or more transfer devices.

An additive manufacturing machine includes a laser light source, a beam entry window, a recoater, a plurality of light sources attached to the recoater, a photosensor, and a controller. The laser light source emits laser light to selectively melt one or more portions of a working layer of a powder bed during additive manufacturing of a part. The beam entry window is positioned between the powder bed and the laser light source. The recoater moves across the powder bed to spread the working layer. The photo sensor senses intensity of light emitted by each of the plurality of light sources through the beam entry window. The controller correlates sensed intensity of the light emitted by each of the plurality of light sources through the beam entry window to corresponding positions on the beam entry window based on locations of each of the plurality of light sources.

An additive manufacturing machine includes a laser light source, a beam entry window, a recoater, a plurality of light sources attached to the recoater, a photosensor, and a controller. The laser light source emits laser light to selectively melt one or more portions of a working layer of a powder bed during additive manufacturing of a part. The beam entry window is positioned between the powder bed and the laser light source. The recoater moves across the powder bed to spread the working layer. The photo sensor senses intensity of light emitted by each of the plurality of light sources through the beam entry window. The controller correlates sensed intensity of the light emitted by each of the plurality of light sources through the beam entry window to corresponding positions on the beam entry window based on locations of each of the plurality of light sources.

A method of depositing powder in an additive manufacturing system includes driving a recoater along a drive axis and oscillating the recoater along an oscillation axis. The recoater is oscillated while the recoater is driven along the drive axis to overcome the effect of one or more particle movement restriction mechanisms for smoothing powder deposited in a build chamber of an additive manufacturing system.

A method of depositing powder in an additive manufacturing system includes driving a recoater along a drive axis and oscillating the recoater along an oscillation axis. The recoater is oscillated while the recoater is driven along the drive axis to overcome the effect of one or more particle movement restriction mechanisms for smoothing powder deposited in a build chamber of an additive manufacturing system.

A system for recoating a powder bed includes a build platform holding a powder bed and an electrode assembly including an electrode and an insulating shield. A voltage supply produces a high voltage alternating current and communicates with the powder bed and the electrode. The electrode assembly is positionable over the powder bed, such that when the electrode assembly is over the powder bed, the shield is between the electrode and the powder bed's top surface. The voltage supply produces a high voltage alternating current that creates an alternating electric field between the electrode and the powder bed that causes the powder of the powder bed top surface to oscillate in a region between the shield and the bed and then reposition themselves on the bed such that the top layer of the powder bed is smoother than it was prior to when the powder particles began oscillating.