A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a wire detector to determine a position of a top surface of melted metal contained in a receptacle of a heated vessel in the apparatus from time to time. The solid metal wire being fed into the heated vessel is retracted and the length of the retracted wire is determined using a signal generated by the wire detector. The determined length of the wire is used to identify the position of the top level of the melted metal in the receptacle so the receptacle can be replenished if the level has fallen below a predetermined capacity for the receptacle.

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a wire detector to determine a position of a top surface of melted metal contained in a receptacle of a heated vessel in the apparatus from time to time. The solid metal wire being fed into the heated vessel is retracted and the length of the retracted wire is determined using a signal generated by the wire detector. The determined length of the wire is used to identify the position of the top level of the melted metal in the receptacle so the receptacle can be replenished if the level has fallen below a predetermined capacity for the receptacle.

Apparatuses, systems and methods of providing heat to enable an FDM additive manufacturing nozzle having refined print control and enhanced printing speed. The heating element may include at least one sheath sized to fittedly engage around an outer circumference of the FDM printer nozzle; at least one wire coil at least partially contacting an inner diameter of the sheath; and at least one energy receiver associated with the at least one wire coil.

Apparatuses, systems and methods of providing heat to enable an FDM additive manufacturing nozzle having refined print control and enhanced printing speed. The heating element may include at least one sheath sized to fittedly engage around an outer circumference of the FDM printer nozzle; at least one wire coil at least partially contacting an inner diameter of the sheath; and at least one energy receiver associated with the at least one wire coil.

An additive manufacturing system is provided. The additive manufacturing system includes a build platform and at least one workstation. The build platform defines a continuous workflow path and is configured to rotate about a build platform axis. The workstation is spaced apart from the build platform along the third direction and at least one of the build platform and the workstation is configured to move along the third direction. The workstation includes at least one particle delivery device, at least one recoating device, and at least one consolidation device. The particle delivery device is configured to deposit particles on the build platform. The recoating device is configured to distribute the deposited particles to form a build layer on the build platform. The consolidation device is configured to consolidate at least a portion of the build layer.

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object, which is a method of shaping a three-dimensional shaped object using a cutting tool configured to cut a first length in a cutting direction, includes: a first portion shaping step of stacking a shaping material to shape a first portion having a length in the cutting direction shorter than the first length; a first portion cutting step of cutting the first portion in the cutting direction by the cutting tool; and a second portion shaping step of stacking the shaping material to couple to a first end surface of the first portion in a direction opposite to the cutting direction, and to shape a second portion having a length in the cutting direction shorter than that of the first portion.

There is provided a three-dimensional shaping device that shapes a three-dimensional shaped object by laminating a layer. The three-dimensional shaping device includes: an ejection unit configured to eject a shaping material toward a table; a measurement unit configured to measure the shaping material at a measurement position separated from an ejection position of the ejection unit by a predetermined distance; a position changing unit configured to relatively move the ejection position and the measurement position with respect to the table; and a control unit. A movement range in which the measurement position is moved is wider than a shaping region where the shaping material is deposited on the table. The control unit is configured to perform a measurement of a measurement value by the measurement unit at least in a region where the movement range and the shaping region overlap each other, and control the ejection unit and the position changing unit to shape the three-dimensional shaped object in accordance with the measurement value.

This method describes techniques to create 3D parts by dispensing a liquid polymer or slurry in evenly delivered layers, which are exposed to light from a visual display screen before the print platform upon which it is being built is moved one-layer thickness away and the process is repeated. The process of dispensing the photosensitive material is via a pumped system through a metering device that discharges and levels the material. Multiple dispensing devices can be arranged in sequence to deliver different materials, either multiple photosensitive dispensing heads or alternative mechanisms such as robocasting, fused deposition modelling or inkjet in addition to a photosensitive deposition head.

This method describes techniques to create 3D parts by dispensing a liquid polymer or slurry in evenly delivered layers, which are exposed to light from a visual display screen before the print platform upon which it is being built is moved one-layer thickness away and the process is repeated. The process of dispensing the photosensitive material is via a pumped system through a metering device that discharges and levels the material. Multiple dispensing devices can be arranged in sequence to deliver different materials, either multiple photosensitive dispensing heads or alternative mechanisms such as robocasting, fused deposition modelling or inkjet in addition to a photosensitive deposition head.

A three-dimensional molding device includes a discharge unit that discharges a molding material towards a stage, a heating unit that heats the discharge unit, a temperature acquisition unit that acquires a temperature of the molding material placed on the stage, and a control unit. The control unit controls the heating unit such that a relationship of a temperature Tb of an existing layer, a path cross-sectional area Sb of the existing layer, a specific gravity ρb of a first thermoplastic resin contained in the existing layer, a specific heat Cb of the first thermoplastic resin, a temperature Tu of the heating unit, a path cross-sectional area Su of a subsequent layer, a specific gravity ρu of a second thermoplastic resin contained in the subsequent layer, a specific heat Cu of the second thermoplastic resin, a thermal decomposition temperature Td that is a lower temperature between a thermal decomposition temperature of the first thermoplastic resin and a thermal decomposition temperature of the second thermoplastic resin, and a glass transition point Tg that is a higher glass transition point between a glass transition point of the first thermoplastic resin and a glass transition point of the second thermoplastic resin satisfies the following expression (1).
Td>(Tu×Su×ρu×Cu+Tb×Sb×ρb×Cb)/(Su×ρu×Cu+Sb×ρb×Cb)>Tg  (1)