A machining centre comprising a machining plane; a subtractive unit for performing chip removal on a workpiece positioned on the machining plane; the subtractive unit comprising a first carriage that is slidable parallel to an operating axis; an additive unit arranged to perform machining by additive production techniques on the machining plane; the additive unit comprising a second carriage that is slidable along the operating axis. The additive unit is provided with a first coupling portion and said subtractive unit is provided with a second coupling portion couplable with the first coupling portion. In one step, the subtractive unit adopts a pick-up configuration in which the first coupling portion is coupled with the second coupling portion to connect the subtractive unit to the additive unit at least along the operating axis. In the pick-up configuration, the subtractive unit, connected to the additive unit, is configured to move the additive unit.

A 3-dimensional printing system for manufacturing a part is provided. The system includes a building platform having a deposited pattern of metal powder, a sand dispensing nozzle selectively supplying sand to the building platform, a binder dispensing nozzle selectively supplying binder material to the building platform, a robotic arm supporting one or more of the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle, the robotic arm moving the one or more of the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle, and a processor controlling the robotic arm to position the one or more of the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle relative to the deposited pattern of metal powder and control the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle to supply powdered sand and binder, respectively, based on a Computer Aided Drafting file associated with the part.

A 3-dimensional printing system for manufacturing a part is provided. The system includes a building platform having a deposited pattern of metal powder, a sand dispensing nozzle selectively supplying sand to the building platform, a binder dispensing nozzle selectively supplying binder material to the building platform, a robotic arm supporting one or more of the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle, the robotic arm moving the one or more of the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle, and a processor controlling the robotic arm to position the one or more of the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle relative to the deposited pattern of metal powder and control the sand dispensing nozzle and the binder dispensing nozzle to supply powdered sand and binder, respectively, based on a Computer Aided Drafting file associated with the part.

A powder dispensing assembly for an additive manufacturing machine is provided. The powder dispensing assembly includes a housing that defines a powder reservoir that receives additive powder; a first plate removably connectable to the housing, the first plate defining a first discharge orifice having a first discharge orifice geometry; and a second plate removably connectable to the housing, the second plate defining a second discharge orifice having a second discharge orifice geometry different than the first discharge orifice geometry, wherein with the first plate connected to the housing, the additive powder flows out of the first discharge orifice at a first dosing rate, and wherein with the second plate connected to the housing, the additive powder flows out of the second discharge orifice at a second dosing rate different than the first dosing rate.

An additive manufacturing machine is provided. The additive manufacturing machine includes a build unit including a powder dispenser assembly defining a powder reservoir that receives additive powder; a dosing rate measurement device in communication with the powder dispenser assembly, wherein the dosing rate measurement device measures a dosing rate of the additive powder in-situ; and a controllable device operably coupled to the build unit and including one or more processors configured to execute a program to cause the controllable device to adjust the dosing rate of the additive powder based on the dosing rate measured by the dosing rate measurement device.

An additive manufacturing machine is provided. The additive manufacturing machine includes a build unit including a powder dispenser assembly defining a powder reservoir that receives additive powder; a dosing rate measurement device in communication with the powder dispenser assembly, wherein the dosing rate measurement device measures a dosing rate of the additive powder in-situ; and a controllable device operably coupled to the build unit and including one or more processors configured to execute a program to cause the controllable device to adjust the dosing rate of the additive powder based on the dosing rate measured by the dosing rate measurement device.

An additive manufacturing machine having a build vessel defining a work surface is provided. The additive manufacturing machine includes a build unit including a powder dispenser assembly defining a powder reservoir that receives additive powder; a positioning system adapted to provide independent movement of at least one of the build unit and the work surface with respect to one another in at least two dimensions; and a dosing rate measurement device in communication with the powder dispenser assembly, wherein the dosing rate measurement device measures a dosing rate of the additive powder in-situ.

An additive manufacturing machine having a build vessel defining a work surface is provided. The additive manufacturing machine includes a build unit including a powder dispenser assembly defining a powder reservoir that receives additive powder; a positioning system adapted to provide independent movement of at least one of the build unit and the work surface with respect to one another in at least two dimensions; and a dosing rate measurement device in communication with the powder dispenser assembly, wherein the dosing rate measurement device measures a dosing rate of the additive powder in-situ.

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a vacuum system and a hold-down plate to secure a metal foil to the hold-down plate during manufacture of a metal object. The melted metal drops ejected by the apparatus to form the object bond to the metal foil to form the base layer of the object. When the vacuum system is deactivated after manufacture of the object is complete, the object and foil are removed from the apparatus intact and the foil not part of the base layer is trimmed from the object.

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a vacuum system and a hold-down plate to secure a metal foil to the hold-down plate during manufacture of a metal object. The melted metal drops ejected by the apparatus to form the object bond to the metal foil to form the base layer of the object. When the vacuum system is deactivated after manufacture of the object is complete, the object and foil are removed from the apparatus intact and the foil not part of the base layer is trimmed from the object.