A printer includes a heat control device configured to cause a temperature of a part that is printed by the printer to remain within a predetermined range as a height of the part increases from about 0 mm to about 30 mm. The predetermined range is from about 545° C. to about 600° C. The heat control device includes a heat plate that is configured to generate heat in a downward direction toward the part.

A printer includes a heat control device configured to cause a temperature of a part that is printed by the printer to remain within a predetermined range as a height of the part increases from about 0 mm to about 30 mm. The predetermined range is from about 545° C. to about 600° C. The heat control device includes a heat plate that is configured to generate heat in a downward direction toward the part.

A manipulator device such as a robot arm that is capable of increasing manufacturing throughput for additively manufactured parts, and allows for the manipulation of parts that would be difficult or impossible for a human to move is described. The manipulator can grasp various permanent or temporary additively manufactured manipulation points on a part to enable repositioning or maneuvering of the part.

The present invention relates to a method for the additive manufacture of components (2), wherein a pulverulent or wire-shaped metal construction material is deposited on a platform (4) in layers, melted using a primary heating device (7), in particular using a laser or electron beam (14), and is heated using an induction heating device (8), which has an alternating voltage supply device (9) with an induction generator (16) and at least one induction coil (10) which can be moved above the platform (4). The induction generator (16) is controlled such that the induction generator is driven with a different output at different specified positions of the at least one induction coil (10). The invention additionally relates to a device, to a control method, and to a storage medium.

The present invention relates to a method for the additive manufacture of components (2), wherein a pulverulent or wire-shaped metal construction material is deposited on a platform (4) in layers, melted using a primary heating device (7), in particular using a laser or electron beam (14), and is heated using an induction heating device (8), which has an alternating voltage supply device (9) with an induction generator (16) and at least one induction coil (10) which can be moved above the platform (4). The induction generator (16) is controlled such that the induction generator is driven with a different output at different specified positions of the at least one induction coil (10). The invention additionally relates to a device, to a control method, and to a storage medium.

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus has a plurality of thermally insulative members that float in a volume of heat transfer lubricating fluid in which a X-Y translation mechanism moves to position a platform opposite an ejector. The apparatus also includes a housing having an internal volume in which the platform and X-Y translation mechanism are located. The heat transfer lubricating fluid can be a molten salt, such as a molten fluoride, chloride, or nitrate molten salt. The thermally insulative members can be spheres made of zirconium oxide or zirconium dioxide. The thermally insulative layer formed by the members floating in the fluid protects the X-Y mechanism while the housing helps keep the surface temperature of the object being formed on the platform in an optimal range for bonding of melted metal drops ejected from the ejector to a surface of a metal object being formed on the platform.

A method includes illuminating a drop with a pulse of light from a light source. A duration of the pulse of light is from about 0.0001 seconds to about 0.1 seconds. The method also includes capturing an image, video, or both of the drop. The method also includes detecting the drop in the image, the video, or both. The method also includes characterizing the drop after the drop is detected. Characterizing the drop includes determining a size of the drop, a location of the drop, or both in the image, the video, or both.

A device produces three-dimensional objects layer by layer in a powder bed fusion process. The device includes a building space, at least one energy source, a building area with a building space platform and a building space container laterally confining the building space platform. The building space platform has an upper side, facing a powder, and an underside, facing away from the powder. The upper side of the building space platform includes a material with a thermal conductivity of at least 20 W/(m.Math.K) and the underside of the building space platform includes a material with a thermal conductivity of a maximum of 0.5 W/(m.Math.K). The contact surface of the upper side of the building space platform with respect to the powder or with respect to the cooling medium is raised by at least 20% in comparison with the planar surface of a building space platform.

A three-dimensional shaping device includes a chamber that has a shaping space; a heating unit configured to heat the shaping space; a base that has a shaping surface exposed to the shaping space; a discharge unit configured to discharge a shaping material toward the shaping surface while moving in a first direction in the shaping space heated by the heating unit and shape a three-dimensional shaped article; a first drive unit configured to move the base in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a tubular first heat resistant member that is disposed between a peripheral part of a first opening formed in a partition wall of the chamber and the base, configured to extend and contract in the second direction in accordance with a movement of the base in the second direction, and defines a separation space separated from the shaping space, in which at least a part of the first drive unit is disposed in the separation space.

A 3D printing module, a build unit and a method are disclosed herein. The 3D printing module comprises a build unit receiving interface to receive a build unit. The build unit comprises a build platform with a build platform drive interface. The 3D printing module further comprises a driving mechanism engageable with the build platform drive interface to controllably move the build platform.