An additive manufacturing particulate build material management station (306), comprising: a material management station body; a particulate build material supply conduit (382, 582) with a particulate build material supply connector (385, 585) to releasably connect to a particulate build material supply container (314) to couple flow of a fluid carrying a particulate building material supply from within the supply container (314) to the material management station body; and a station data processor (295) to read data from a data memory chip of the supply container (314) corresponding with a quantity of particulate build material associated with the supply container (314), and to control the withdrawal of particulate build material from the supply container (314) based upon the quantity of particulate build material associated with the supply container (314).

A modular system for performing additive manufacturing of an object includes at least two additive manufacturing devices, each having a housing with two slots on lateral sides to accommodate a manufacturing tray; a printer head and axis system; and a movement mechanism. A control module is operatively coupled to each of the at least two additive manufacturing devices. The control module is configured to control the at least two additive manufacturing devices to arrange the manufacturing tray in a first of the at least two additive manufacturing devices; print a part of the object on the manufacturing tray arranged in the first additive manufacturing device; move the manufacturing tray having the partially manufactured object to a second of the at least two additive manufacturing devices; and print a remaining part of the object on the manufacturing tray to complete the additive manufacturing of the object.

According to examples, an apparatus may include a build platform and a chamber. The chamber may support a layer forming station including a spreading component to spread a layer of build material particles onto the build platform and an agent delivery component to apply fusing agent onto selected locations on the spread layer of build material particles and a heating station including a heating component to apply energy onto the spread layer of build material particles and the applied fusing agent, in which the heating station is separated from the layer forming station. The apparatus may also include an actuator to move the chamber with respect to the build platform or vice versa while maintaining the separation between the layer forming station and the heating station.

According to one example, there is provided a method of preparing build material in a build material supply module. The method comprises moving a supply platform within a build material supply module in a predetermined manner to compact build material within the supply module.

A three-dimensional printing system includes an array of platen sections, a plurality of compressive sheets, a chassis, a plurality of actuators, a powder dispenser, and an energy beam source. The array of platen sections individually have a top surface and a plurality of vertical side surfaces intersecting the top surface. The plurality of platen sections are positioned with adjacent pairs of platen sections having a pair of the vertical side surfaces in facing relation with each other and defining a vertical gap therebetween. Thus they define a plurality of vertical gaps over the array of platen sections. The plurality of compressible sheets fill the plurality of vertical gaps. The chassis supports the array of platen sections. The plurality of actuators is for individually and vertically positioning the platen sections.

System (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2), comprising: a movable modular functional unit (12a-12d), a tunnel structure (21), an apparatus (3) which is configured for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object (2) by successive layerwise selective exposure and consequent solidification by means of an energy beam (5) of construction material layers which have been formed, wherein the apparatus (3) comprises a connecting portion (26), by means of which the apparatus (3) can be or is connected to the tunnel structure (21) so that a modular functional unit (12a-12d) can be moved starting from the apparatus (3) into the tunnel structure (21) or vice versa, a filling and/or emptying device (13) which is configured for filling with construction material (4) a reception space of a functional unit (12a-12d) moved into a filling section (14) of the filling. and/or emptying device (13).

An inertable container (10) for transporting an additive manufacturing powder comprises an inertable volume (12) and a main opening (14) granting access to the inside of this inertable volume, the inertable volume (12) comprising an upper portion (16) and a lower portion (18), the main opening (14) being located in the lower portion (18) of the inertable volume, and the section (S12) of the inertable volume (12) increasing gradually over at least part of the height (H10) of the container (10) and from the lower portion (18) towards the upper portion (16) of the inertable volume. The main opening is equipped with a passive half-valve (20) allowing this main opening (14) to be closed in such a way as to be sealed in an airtight and humidity-proof manner. The container comprises at least two inerting tappings.

An additive manufacturing system includes a factory interface chamber, a load lock chamber, a first valve to fluidically seal the factory interface chamber from the load lock chamber, an additive manufacturing chamber including a dispensing system to deliver a plurality of layers of a powder to a build platform and an energy source to apply energy to the powder dispensed on the top surface of the build platform, at least a second valve to fluidically seal the load lock chamber from the additive manufacturing chamber, and a plurality of supports and actuators that provide a transport tool to carry the build platform from the factory interface unit, through the load lock chamber, to the additive manufacturing chamber, and back to the factory interface chamber.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing device includes a processor and memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The processor verifies that a digital contract certified by an authorized party is authentic and applicable. The digital contract includes a process bound, a part bound for each part in a packed bed of parts, a time bound, and a cost identifier to define a cost of printing the packed bed that is based on the process bound, the part bound for each part in the packed bed of parts, and the time bound.

A powder sieving system is provided. The powder sieving system includes a filter housing including a filter for separating powder into a first portion larger than a predetermined size and a second portion smaller than a predetermined size, the powder being a reactive metal powder; a network of passageways configured to move the powder through the powder sieving system, the network of passageways located upstream of the filter housing and downstream of the filter housing, the network of passageways comprising one or more carrier gas passageways for primarily transporting a carrier gas flow and one or more powder passageways for transporting a mixture flow of carrier gas and the powder; and a first sensor in communication with a portion of the powder sieving system, the first sensor configured to monitor an amount of oxygen within the network of passageways, wherein the first sensor is an optical sensor.