The invention comprises a 3D printer for additively manufacturing a multilayer component. The 3D printer comprises at least two separate dispensers (2) coating a conveyor belt (3) with respectively different raw material, a manufacturing unit in which at least part of the raw material is added to the component (8) as a new layer, at least two separate recovery devices (12) for selectively recovering the respectively different raw material, which is not consumed when a layer is added to the component (8), and returning the raw material to the respective associated dispenser (2) and conveyor belt (3) which transports the raw material from the dispenser (2) to the manufacturing unit and further to the recovery device (12) in the lateral direction.

A device for the stereolithographic additive manufacturing of metallic components includes a material support for a material layer of a material to be polymerized, the surface of which forms a building plane, a material container for fresh material, which opens into the building plane via a material feed opening, a build platform movable between a position flush with the building plane and a lowered position perpendicular to the building plane, a doctor blade movable between the material container and the build platform for applying the material layer on the building plane, and an exposure unit for position-selective exposure of the material layer on the build platform or on a component partially built on the build platform. The material support is exchangeably arranged in the device.

In order to provide a composite object that can be produced at high quality and low cost using a 3D printer, a composite object includes: a first object obtained by assembling one or at least two assemblable toy blocks; and a second object constituted by one or at least two parts produced through 3D printing, and configured to be attached to the first object so as to cover at least a portion except for part of a surface thereof. Accordingly, it is possible to produce an object at high quality and low cost using a 3D printer.

In order to provide a composite object that can be produced at high quality and low cost using a 3D printer, a composite object includes: a first object obtained by assembling one or at least two assemblable toy blocks; and a second object constituted by one or at least two parts produced through 3D printing, and configured to be attached to the first object so as to cover at least a portion except for part of a surface thereof. Accordingly, it is possible to produce an object at high quality and low cost using a 3D printer.

Complexity of a geometry of a desired (i.e., target) three-dimensional (3D) object being produced by an additive manufacturing system, as well as atypical behavior of the processes employed by such a system, pose challenges for producing a final version of the desired 3D object with fidelity relative to the desired object. An example embodiment enables such challenges to be overcome as a function of feedback to enable the final version to be produced with fidelity. The feedback may be at least one value that is associated with at least one characteristic of a printed object following processing of the printed object. Such feedback may be obtained as part of a calibration process of the 3D printing system or as part of an operational process of the 3D printing system.

A curable resin or adhesive composition includes at least one monomer, a photoinitiator capable of initiating polymerization of the monomer when exposed to light, and at least one energy converting material, preferably a phosphor, capable of producing light when exposed to radiation (typically X-rays). The material is particularly suitable for bonding components at ambient temperature in situations where the bond joint is not accessible to an external light source. An associated method includes: placing a polymerizable adhesive composition, including a photoinitiator and energy converting material, such as a down-converting phosphor, in contact with at least two components to be bonded to form an assembly; and, irradiating the assembly with radiation at a first wavelength, capable of conversion (down-conversion by the phosphor) to a second wavelength capable of activating the photoinitiator, to prepare items such as inkjet cartridges, wafer-to-wafer assemblies, semiconductors, integrated circuits, and the like.

Techniques are disclosed for fabricating multi-part assemblies. In particular, by forming release layers between features such as bearings or gear teeth, complex mechanical assemblies can be fabricated in a single additive manufacturing process.

Techniques are disclosed for fabricating multi-part assemblies. In particular, by forming release layers between features such as bearings or gear teeth, complex mechanical assemblies can be fabricated in a single additive manufacturing process.

Three-dimensional printing methods and systems use a derived geometry and aligns anisotropic inclusions in any orientation at any number of discrete volumetric sections. Structural, thermal, or geometry-based analyses are combined with inclusion alignment computations and print preparation methods and provided to 3D printers to produce composite material parts that meet demanding geometric needs as well as enhanced structural and thermal requirements. In one example, optimal inclusion alignment vectors associated with a section of the object are calculated based on specifications for the object, segmenting a three-dimensional model of the object into layer slices, grouping each section within each layer slice having similar alignment vectors and combining the groupings and generating printing instructions for the object according to the grouped alignment vectors.

Methods for additive manufacturing are provided. In embodiments, such a method comprises illuminating a photothermal base with light, the photothermal base comprising a photothermal material and mounted in an additive manufacturing system to form a first interface between a surface of the photothermal base and a curable composition comprising thermally curable components, wherein the light induces light-to-energy conversion in the photothermal base to generate heat at the first interface, thereby inducing curing of the thermally curable components to form a first cured region. Additive manufacturing systems and photothermal bases are also provided.