In order to use a laser beam to cure a resin composite material to a high strength with simple equipment, this curing device (1) is provided with: a pressurizing body (4) which is formed from a material that transmits a laser beam (L) (quartz glass, for example) and which, when pressed against the surface of an uncured resin composite material (2), applies pressure on the resin composite material (2); and a laser beam supply unit (5) which irradiates a laser beam (L) through the pressurizing body (4) onto the uncured resin composite material (2). This curing device is further provided with an irradiation position adjustment unit (6) which, within the area pressed by the pressurizing body (4), moves the position irradiated by the laser beam (L) supplied from the laser beam supply unit (5).

Provided is a curable composition which has chargeability into silicone molds and curability at excellent levels, less causes the silicone molds to swell, and allows the silicone molds to have better durability and a longer service life in repeated use. The curable composition according to the present invention contains curable compounds and a cationic initiator and is used for production of an optical component by molding using silicone molds. The curable compounds include (A) a cycloaliphatic epoxy compound in a content of 10 weight percent or more of the totality of all the curable compounds contained in the curable composition. Of the totality of all the curable compounds contained in the curable composition, 10 to 50 weight percent is a curable compound or compounds having a molecular weight of 400 or more.

A head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a housing, and a matrix reservoir disposed inside of the housing. The head may also include at least one roller located inside of the housing and configured to engage at least one of a ribbon and a sheet of reinforcement passing through the head. The head may further include a nozzle fluidly connected to the matrix reservoir, and a cure enhancer located outside of the housing and adjacent the nozzle.

A continuous reinforcement is disclosed for use in additive manufacturing. The continuous reinforcement may include a plurality of continuous primary fibers oriented in a general axial direction of the continuous reinforcement. The continuous reinforcement may also include a plurality of secondary fibers interspersed with the plurality of continuous primary fibers and oriented generally orthogonal to the plurality of continuous primary fibers.

A system for additively manufacturing a composite structure is disclosed. The system may include a print head configured to discharge a matrix-coated reinforcement, and a support configured to move the print head in multiple dimensions during discharging of the matrix-coated reinforcement. The system may further include at least one cure enhancer located offboard the print head, and a controller in communication with the support and the at least one cure enhancer. The controller may be configured to selectively activate the at least one cure enhancer to expose the matrix-coated reinforcement to a cure energy during discharging of the matrix-coated reinforcement.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a moveable support, and a print head connected to the moveable support. The print head may be configured to discharge a continuous reinforcement that is wetted with a liquid matrix. The additive manufacturing system may also include an auto-threader configured to thread the continuous reinforcement through the print head, and a controller in communication with the moveable support, the print head, and the auto-threader. The controller may be configured to selectively activate the auto-threader at a start of a manufacturing process.

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The system may include a vat configured to hold a supply of resin, and a build surface disposed inside the vat. The system may also include a print head configured to discharge a matrix-coated continuous reinforcement onto the build surface, and an energy source configured to expose resin on a surface of the matrix-coated continuous reinforcement to a cure energy.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a matrix reservoir, a primary nozzle fluidly connected to the matrix reservoir, and a primary cure enhancer operatively connected to at least one of the matrix reservoir and the primary nozzle. The primary cure enhancer may be configured to direct a cure energy toward a tip of the primary nozzle. The additive manufacturing system may also include an auxiliary nozzle, an arm configured to mount the auxiliary nozzle at a trailing side of the primary nozzle, and a passage extending from the matrix reservoir to the auxiliary nozzle.

The object of the present invention consists of a device that allows for the easy creation of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional plastic objects using a 3-D drawing pen. The device object of the present invention is comprised of a flexible, heat resistant, non-sticky, transparent silicon mat characterized by the presence of grooves cut in its surface the path of which can be of any geometric or non-geometric shape. The groove works as a guide for the 3-D drawing pen user by allowing such user to stretch the melted plastic, extruded by the 3D pen, on its bed, and within its walls, so that once hard the plastic object is exactly of the shape of the groove and its path, and not an imprecise shape caused by the unstableness of the hand of the free-hand 3-D pen user.

A polymerizable liquid, or resin, useful for the production by additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object of polyurethane, polyurea, or a copolymer thereof, is described. The resin includes at least one of (i) a blocked or reactive blocked prepolymer, (ii) a blocked or reactive blocked diisocyanate, or (iii) a blocked or reactive blocked diisocyanate chain extender.