A machine (1) for the additive manufacture of a component (2) by complete or partial selective melting of a powder comprises: a working chamber (100); a sleeve (3) having a top opening (4) opening into the working chamber (100), and having a vertical central axis (5), a support plate (6) intended to accept the component (2) in the process of being manufactured, a device (7) for actuating the translational movement of the support plate (6) inside the sleeve (3) along the vertical central axis (5) of the sleeve (3), and a component (2) extraction system (8) comprising a container (9), the extraction system (8) further comprising at least one closure plate (12) that is able to move in order to close the bottom opening (15) of the container (9), and the attachment between the support plate (6) and the actuating device (7) being of the removable type.

A rotary molding system for molding food products, mold cavities formed when a mold shell rotates mold shapes disposed along the mold shell into a fill position between a fill plate and a wear plate. Molded food products are removed from mold cavities using knock-out cups, the use of air pressure, or the use of a vacuum source disposed below the mold cavity, without the need to slow the rotation of the mold shell. Knock-out cups may be used with a heating system to reduce accumulation of unwanted materials on the knock-out cups. The rotary molding system can also be used to form products with contoured surfaces. A smart tagging system can be used to ensure that compatible sets of mold shells and knock out cups are being used. A vacuum region may be disposed upstream of the fill position to remove air within the mold cavity prior to filling.

A rotary tablet press with a rotor having a die plate with die bores for producing pressed articles, and with a deflector device for deflecting the pressed articles, which are produced in the die bores and located on the upper face of the die plate in the production process, to an outlet device for the pressed articles, the outlet device includes a conveyor belt for taking over and transporting the pressed articles deflected by the deflector device, wherein the conveying speed of the conveyor belt being adjustable according to the speed of the rotor and/or being adjusted by means of the control device according to the speed of the rotor.

A panel may be formed with mandrels inside of stiffening members. The panel may be coupled to a panel holding jig. A winch may be coupled to the mandrels. The winch may pull the mandrels out of the stiffening members and into curved tracks.

Systems and methods are provided for a caul plate having a feature for removal. One embodiment is a caul plate for forming a composite part. The caul plate includes a body that includes a lower surface which faces the composite part, and an upper surface that is opposite to the lower surface. The caul plate also includes a groove in the upper surface to accept a tool to slide the caul plate laterally from the composite part.

A container (140) for receiving a manufactured object (160) from a 3D printer is disclosed. A method for cooling and unpacking 3D printed objects using that container. (140) is also disclosed. The container has a wall forming the sides of the container, a top extending to the sides of the container, a connector (142) for connection to a vacuum source and a guillotine member (150). The lower portion of the container has support members to slidably receive the guillotine member (150) to form a base of the container. The guillotine member is selectively configurable between an apertured configuration having a plurality of through holes (152) to allow passage of air and/or build material, and a closed configuration in which the through holes are closed so as to prevent build material from falling out of the container.

A system for fabricating composite parts efficiently. Pre-impregnated (prepreg) composite material is drawn as a sheet from a roll and fed by advancement rollers into a stamping and molding station in which a piece of the prepreg material is cut, on a mold, from the sheet. Pressure is applied to cause the prepreg material to conform to a surface of the mold, and the prepreg is cured with ultraviolet light. Additional layers of prepreg may be cut and cured on any layers that have already been cured on the mold. The complete part may be removed from the mold with ejector pins. Scrap prepreg may be recycled in a recycling station that separates reinforcing fiber from uncured resin.

A panel may be formed with mandrels inside of stiffening members. The panel may be coupled to a panel holding jig. A winch may be coupled to the mandrels. The winch may pull the mandrels out of the stiffening members and into curved tracks.

The separating device comprises: an actuating device (8) translatable along a first axis (A1) between a retracted position and a separated position, at least one separating element (28, 60) translatable along a second axis (A2) between a retracted position and a separated position, a transfer device (26) connecting the actuating device (8) and the separating device (28, 60). The transfer device (26) comprises at least two links (46), rotatable relative to one another and relative to the actuating device (8) and the separating element (28, 60), and a guide element (36) receiving said links (46), said links being moved along a movement path by the actuating device (8) and moving the separating element (28, 60).

An additive manufacturing system enables continual production of three-dimensional objects without operator intervention. The system is configured to form an object on a planar member, rotate the planar member 180 to enable gravity to move the object from the planar member to an object transport, which carries the object to a receptacle for storage and later processing. The opposite side of the planar member is then available for manufacture of another object and the planar member is again rotated following manufacture of the object so it can be removed and carried to the receptacle. The alternating formation of objects on opposite sides of the planar member continues until a predetermined number of objects has been made. The planar member can include one or more heaters to heat the surface on which an object is formed to facilitate release of the object once the planar member has been rotated.