In a method for producing an implant from a biocompatible silicone, a 3D mathematical model of an implant to be produced is used to create a 3D model of a casting mold for the implant as a negative. The casting mold is produced from a polymeric material through an additive manufacturing process and coated through vapor deposition of a coating material from the parylene family at least in a region that comes into contact with the biocompatible silicone to be cast. A platinum-catalyzed 2-component thermosetting silicone as the biocompatible silicone for the implant is introduced into a mold cavity of the coated casting mold, with a residence time of the implant in a patient's body of more than 29 days. The casting mold is heated to vulcanize the biocompatible silicone, and after cooling down the vulcanized implant is demolded from the casting mold.

A method for manufacturing a weighing system (10) includes, first, modeling a blank that includes a base (12) having at least one wall (26) and a lever (20) hinged to the base (12) via thin-section joints (14) and secured to the base (12) via material bridges. The lever (20) has a lever portion adjacent to the wall (26), wherein the wall (26) and the lever portion adjacent to the wall are each provided with an aperture (32, 34), and wherein the apertures (32, 34) are both aligned with each other. The manufacturing method further includes thereafter cutting open the material bridges. Before the material bridges are cut open, however, a fixing bolt (36) is pushed into the apertures (32, 34) in such a way that it engages positively in the apertures (32, 34) during the cutting open of the material bridges.

A method for manufacturing a weighing system (10) includes, first, modeling a blank that includes a base (12) having at least one wall (26) and a lever (20) hinged to the base (12) via thin-section joints (14) and secured to the base (12) via material bridges. The lever (20) has a lever portion adjacent to the wall (26), wherein the wall (26) and the lever portion adjacent to the wall are each provided with an aperture (32, 34), and wherein the apertures (32, 34) are both aligned with each other. The manufacturing method further includes thereafter cutting open the material bridges. Before the material bridges are cut open, however, a fixing bolt (36) is pushed into the apertures (32, 34) in such a way that it engages positively in the apertures (32, 34) during the cutting open of the material bridges.

An additive manufacturing system having multiple components includes a high power laser to form a laser beam. A beam dump with a fluid chamber having at least one laser transparent window into which the laser beam is directed is provided. A heat exchanger is connected to the fluid chamber, with the heat exchanger acting to provide useful energy to at least one of the multiple components of the additive manufacturing system. An absorbing fluid can be circulated through both the fluid chamber and the heat exchanger.

An additive manufacturing system having multiple components includes a high power laser to form a laser beam. A beam dump with a fluid chamber having at least one laser transparent window into which the laser beam is directed is provided. A heat exchanger is connected to the fluid chamber, with the heat exchanger acting to provide useful energy to at least one of the multiple components of the additive manufacturing system. An absorbing fluid can be circulated through both the fluid chamber and the heat exchanger.

The invention provides a method for manufacturing a 3D item (10) with a fused deposition modeling 3D printer, the method comprising (a) providing a thermoplastic material (20), wherein the thermoplastic material (20) comprises a first polymer (21) of the semi-crystalline type, wherein the first polymer (21) has a glass temperature (T.sub.g) and wherein the thermoplastic material (20) has a melting temperature (T.sub.m); generating in a generation stage an intermediate 3D printed item (110) by printing the thermoplastic material (20), wherein the thermoplastic material (20) is heated to a temperature equal to or above the melting temperature (T.sub.m), while maintaining during printing an ambient temperature (T.sub.a) to the intermediate 3D printed item under construction below the glass temperature (T.sub.g); and generating in an annealing stage said 3D item (10) by heating the intermediate 3D printed item (110) equal to or above the glass temperature (T.sub.g).

The invention provides a method for manufacturing a 3D item (10) with a fused deposition modeling 3D printer, the method comprising (a) providing a thermoplastic material (20), wherein the thermoplastic material (20) comprises a first polymer (21) of the semi-crystalline type, wherein the first polymer (21) has a glass temperature (T.sub.g) and wherein the thermoplastic material (20) has a melting temperature (T.sub.m); generating in a generation stage an intermediate 3D printed item (110) by printing the thermoplastic material (20), wherein the thermoplastic material (20) is heated to a temperature equal to or above the melting temperature (T.sub.m), while maintaining during printing an ambient temperature (T.sub.a) to the intermediate 3D printed item under construction below the glass temperature (T.sub.g); and generating in an annealing stage said 3D item (10) by heating the intermediate 3D printed item (110) equal to or above the glass temperature (T.sub.g).

A multi-station stereolithographic group, includes: support and movement apparatus for a modelling plate with respect to a fixed base facing the modelling plate, the fixed base including at least two work stations positioned in respective areas able to be reached by the modelling plate moved by the support and movement apparatus. Such a fixed base includes at least three work stations: at least one first station for forming an object, at least one second station for washing a formed object, at least one third station for stabilising a formed object.

A 3-dimensional object-forming apparatus is provided which may avoid lowering of irradiation efficiency of laser light due to fumes and so forth while avoiding lowering of quality of the formed object. A shroud 20 includes an inside partition wall portion 21 that demarcates an inside space S.sub.1 which extends from one end opening 202 to another end opening 206, and an outside partition wall portion 22 that opens in the other end opening 206 of a shroud 20 on an outside of the inside space S.sub.1 and demarcates, together with the inside partition wall portion 21, an outside space S.sub.2 which closes in a position closer to the one end opening 202 than the other end opening 206 of the shroud. A ventilation area of the inside space S.sub.1 in the other end opening 206 of the shroud 20 is larger than the ventilation area of the inside space S.sub.1 in an upstream portion closer to the one end opening 202 than the other end opening 206.

A 3-dimensional object-forming apparatus is provided which may avoid lowering of irradiation efficiency of laser light due to fumes and so forth while avoiding lowering of quality of the formed object. A shroud 20 includes an inside partition wall portion 21 that demarcates an inside space S.sub.1 which extends from one end opening 202 to another end opening 206, and an outside partition wall portion 22 that opens in the other end opening 206 of a shroud 20 on an outside of the inside space S.sub.1 and demarcates, together with the inside partition wall portion 21, an outside space S.sub.2 which closes in a position closer to the one end opening 202 than the other end opening 206 of the shroud. A ventilation area of the inside space S.sub.1 in the other end opening 206 of the shroud 20 is larger than the ventilation area of the inside space S.sub.1 in an upstream portion closer to the one end opening 202 than the other end opening 206.