A tooling system, such as an additive manufacturing system, includes a tool displacement mechanism mounted on a fixed structure and carrying a system tool such as a printhead. The tool displacement mechanism displaces the system tool along a curvilinear closed path about a system axis and located within a working plane intersecting the system axis. A bed, connecting to the fixed structure, is substantially positioned within the working plane, locally adjacent the closed path and along at least a portion of the closed path.

A tooling system, such as an additive manufacturing system, includes a tool displacement mechanism mounted on a fixed structure and carrying a system tool such as a printhead. The tool displacement mechanism displaces the system tool along a curvilinear closed path about a system axis and located within a working plane intersecting the system axis. A bed, connecting to the fixed structure, is substantially positioned within the working plane, locally adjacent the closed path and along at least a portion of the closed path.

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.

A composite member is manufactured by a manufacturing method including adding, on a surface of a base member composed of a first material, a second material different from the first material, using additive manufacturing employing directed energy deposition as an additive manufacturing process. The manufacturing method is performed by placing the base member in a machining area of a machine tool configured to perform subtractive machining. Accordingly, a composite member can be obtained that is manufactured through additive manufacturing and that is in a state in which the composite member can be promptly machined.

An additive manufacturing apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of layers of a powder material, which parts correspond to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional article includes a process chamber housing enclosing a process chamber. A rotatable support conveyor is rotatably connected to a bottom of the process chamber housing by a rotatable shaft. The rotatable support conveyor includes an opening that extends therethrough for dispensing powder material from a powder storage vessel located on the rotatable support conveyor and a powder distributor that includes a rake portion that is located between the rotatable support conveyor and the bottom of the process chamber housing.

An additive manufacturing apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of layers of a powder material, which parts correspond to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional article includes a process chamber housing enclosing a process chamber. A rotatable support conveyor is rotatably connected to a bottom of the process chamber housing by a rotatable shaft. The rotatable support conveyor includes an opening that extends therethrough for dispensing powder material from a powder storage vessel located on the rotatable support conveyor and a powder distributor that includes a rake portion that is located between the rotatable support conveyor and the bottom of the process chamber housing.

A 3D printing cleaning module comprises an extraction gate at a lateral wall of a housing; and a platform within the housing to support a build bed including 3D printed parts and un-solidified build material. The platform is tilted or tiltable with respect to a horizontal plane towards the extraction gate to enable 3D printed parts on the platform to be removable through the extraction gate. The module comprises a cleaning engine to remove at least part of the un-solidified build material from the housing, a vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform; and a controller. The controller is to control the cleaning engine to execute a cleaning operation by removing un-solidified build material from the housing, to cause the part ejection gate to open upon completion of the cleaning operation, and to cause the vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform when the part extraction gate is in the open position.

A 3D printing cleaning module comprises an extraction gate at a lateral wall of a housing; and a platform within the housing to support a build bed including 3D printed parts and un-solidified build material. The platform is tilted or tiltable with respect to a horizontal plane towards the extraction gate to enable 3D printed parts on the platform to be removable through the extraction gate. The module comprises a cleaning engine to remove at least part of the un-solidified build material from the housing, a vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform; and a controller. The controller is to control the cleaning engine to execute a cleaning operation by removing un-solidified build material from the housing, to cause the part ejection gate to open upon completion of the cleaning operation, and to cause the vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform when the part extraction gate is in the open position.

A 3D printing module to remove un-solidified build material attached to a 3D printed part is disclosed herein. The 3D printing module comprises a platform within a housing to support a 3D printed part, a vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform, a cleaning element to apply a cleaning stream within the housing to clean the 3D printed part, and a controller. The controller is to vibrate the platform, generate a cleaning stream in the housing, and to control at least one of the platform and the cleaning element to apply the cleaning stream to different portions of a 3D printed part on the platform.

A 3D printing module to remove un-solidified build material attached to a 3D printed part is disclosed herein. The 3D printing module comprises a platform within a housing to support a 3D printed part, a vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform, a cleaning element to apply a cleaning stream within the housing to clean the 3D printed part, and a controller. The controller is to vibrate the platform, generate a cleaning stream in the housing, and to control at least one of the platform and the cleaning element to apply the cleaning stream to different portions of a 3D printed part on the platform.