The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

A method includes manufacturing a kernel that comprises a quantity of a phase-change material and heating the thermoplastic past a softening temperature thereof. This softening temperature is greater than the phase-change material's melting temperature. The method continues with pressing this heated thermoplastic onto a contact surface of the kernel and the thermoplastic to cool to below its softening temperature. As a result, the thermoplastic assumes a profile that depends, at least in part, on the contact surface's profile. The method continues with separating the kernel from the thermoplastic.

A method of fabricating an airfoil preform for a turbine engine by selective melting on a bed of powder, the preform including an airfoil and a removable support secured to the airfoil, the airfoil being fabricated layer by layer from a first edge to a second edge of the airfoil, the method including fabricating the removable support and the airfoil, the removable support being for securing to a fabrication platform and to a portion of a face of the airfoil situated near the first edge and facing the fabrication platform. The face of the airfoil facing the fabrication platform includes a flat extending away from the face, the flat being present over a portion of the face that is situated outside the first edge, the support being secured to the flat or both to the flat and to the portion of the face that is situated outside the first edge.

A method of fabricating an airfoil preform for a turbine engine by selective melting on a bed of powder, the preform including an airfoil and a removable support secured to the airfoil, the airfoil being fabricated layer by layer from a first edge to a second edge of the airfoil, the method including fabricating the removable support and the airfoil, the removable support being for securing to a fabrication platform and to a portion of a face of the airfoil situated near the first edge and facing the fabrication platform. The face of the airfoil facing the fabrication platform includes a flat extending away from the face, the flat being present over a portion of the face that is situated outside the first edge, the support being secured to the flat or both to the flat and to the portion of the face that is situated outside the first edge.

Method(s) include projecting a support toolpath into a current layer of a model, removing any pieces within an expanded version of a current boundary of the model, generating a support toolpath for the current layer, adding a height increase to portion(s) of model toolpath(s) for the higher layer of the model that overlie the support toolpath generated for the current layer, connecting the support toolpath and the projected support toolpath to form a connected support toolpath, overlaying the connected support toolpath with a next boundary of the model in a lower layer of the model, adding a height increase to portion(s) of the connected support toolpath that fall within the next boundary of the model in the lower layer of the model, and repeating the process through layers of the model to form support toolpaths for support walls for the object to be manufactured by the extrusion printer.

Method(s) include projecting a support toolpath into a current layer of a model, removing any pieces within an expanded version of a current boundary of the model, generating a support toolpath for the current layer, adding a height increase to portion(s) of model toolpath(s) for the higher layer of the model that overlie the support toolpath generated for the current layer, connecting the support toolpath and the projected support toolpath to form a connected support toolpath, overlaying the connected support toolpath with a next boundary of the model in a lower layer of the model, adding a height increase to portion(s) of the connected support toolpath that fall within the next boundary of the model in the lower layer of the model, and repeating the process through layers of the model to form support toolpaths for support walls for the object to be manufactured by the extrusion printer.

Support substrates are used in certain additive fabrication processes to permit processing of an object. For additive fabrication processes with materials that are sintered into a final part, a multi-layer support substrate of interleaved support and interface layers is fabricated to support an object while reducing an impact of friction on shrinkage of the part during the sintering process.

Support substrates are used in certain additive fabrication processes to permit processing of an object. For additive fabrication processes with materials that are sintered into a final part, a multi-layer support substrate of interleaved support and interface layers is fabricated to support an object while reducing an impact of friction on shrinkage of the part during the sintering process.

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a component and at least one support structure joined to the component by additive layer manufacturing, wherein the support structure has a reduced density and/or increased porosity relative to the component. The method then comprises a subsequent heat treatment step at increased pressure on the component and support structure to separate the component and at least one support structure.