A plasticizing device includes a material reservoir which has an input port and is configured to retain a material, a plasticizer which has a screw and a case housing the screw and provided with a feed port communicated with the input port, and which is configured to plasticize the material to generate a plasticized material, a coupling pipe having a coupling path configured to connect the input port and the feed port to each other, a material sensor which has a light emitter configured to emit light toward the screw via the feed port, and a light receiver configured to receive reflected light of the light, and which is configured to detect a remaining amount of the material, and a controller configured to control the material reservoir, wherein the material reservoir has a material feed mechanism configured to feed the material to the coupling path, and the controller controls the material feed mechanism to feed the material to the coupling path when the remaining amount of the material detected by the material sensor is smaller than a reference value.

A plasticizing device includes a material reservoir which has an input port and is configured to retain a material, a plasticizer which has a screw and a case housing the screw and provided with a feed port communicated with the input port, and which is configured to plasticize the material to generate a plasticized material, a coupling pipe having a coupling path configured to connect the input port and the feed port to each other, a material sensor which has a light emitter configured to emit light toward the screw via the feed port, and a light receiver configured to receive reflected light of the light, and which is configured to detect a remaining amount of the material, and a controller configured to control the material reservoir, wherein the material reservoir has a material feed mechanism configured to feed the material to the coupling path, and the controller controls the material feed mechanism to feed the material to the coupling path when the remaining amount of the material detected by the material sensor is smaller than a reference value.

A build material dispensing device may include a material spreader to spread an amount of build material along a build platform, and at least one hopper for dispensing the build material. The at least one hopper dispenses a plurality of doses of the build material in front of the progression of the material spreader as the material spreader is moved over the build platform.

A build material dispensing device may include a material spreader to spread an amount of build material along a build platform, and at least one hopper for dispensing the build material. The at least one hopper dispenses a plurality of doses of the build material in front of the progression of the material spreader as the material spreader is moved over the build platform.

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object includes a first step of receiving a selection of a shaping mode for the three-dimensional shaped object, a second step of generating, based on the received shaping mode, shaping data for shaping the three-dimensional shaped object, and a third step of shaping the three-dimensional shaped object based on the shaping data, in which the third step includes a step of controlling a discharge adjusting unit configured to adjust a discharge amount of a shaping material from a nozzle, and the number of times the discharge adjusting unit is controlled in the third step is different depending on the shaping mode received in the first step.

In one example, a system for loading a build material powder supply container for 3D printing includes a dispenser to dispense a build material powder into a supply container, a device to measure a density of the build material powder in the supply container, a compactor to compact the build material powder in the supply container, and a controller operatively connected to the measuring device and the compactor. The controller is programmed to control the compactor to compact the build material powder in the supply container until a measured density reaches a threshold density.

In one example, a system for loading a build material powder supply container for 3D printing includes a dispenser to dispense a build material powder into a supply container, a device to measure a density of the build material powder in the supply container, a compactor to compact the build material powder in the supply container, and a controller operatively connected to the measuring device and the compactor. The controller is programmed to control the compactor to compact the build material powder in the supply container until a measured density reaches a threshold density.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes: first and second spaced apart side walls extending along a pre-defined path and defining a build chamber therebetween; one or more build units mounted for movement along the pre-defined path, the one or more build units including at least one of: a powder dispenser positioned above the build chamber; an applicator configured to scrape powder dispensed into the build chamber; and a directed energy source configured to fuse the scraped powder.

The invention relates to a device (1) for the production, in particular the production and metering, of a powder mixture for an additive manufacturing process. The powder mixture for the additive manufacturing process comprises a first powder arranged in a first container (2), and at least one further, in particular a second, powder arranged in at least one further, in particular a second, container (2′). An inlet of a first means of powder transport and/or metering (4) is arranged at the outlet (6) of the first container (2), and an inlet of a further, in particular a second, means of powder transport and/or metering (4′), is arranged at the outlet (6′) of the further, in particular the second, container (2′). The first powder can be supplied by means of the first means of transport and/or metering (4) and the further, in particular the second, powder can be supplied by means of the further, in particular the second, means of transport and/or metering (4′), in each case in a controlled manner, in particular in a controllable and/or regulatable manner, to at least one mixing container (5), preferably comprising at least one screen (10). The outlet (7) of the first means of transport and/or metering (4) and the outlet (7′) of the further, in particular the second, means of transport and/or metering (4′) are arranged in or above the mixing container (5) above each other, or next to each other, preferably above each other, or next to each other, and in each case above the screen (10).

The invention relates to a device (1) for the production, in particular the production and metering, of a powder mixture for an additive manufacturing process. The powder mixture for the additive manufacturing process comprises a first powder arranged in a first container (2), and at least one further, in particular a second, powder arranged in at least one further, in particular a second, container (2′). An inlet of a first means of powder transport and/or metering (4) is arranged at the outlet (6) of the first container (2), and an inlet of a further, in particular a second, means of powder transport and/or metering (4′), is arranged at the outlet (6′) of the further, in particular the second, container (2′). The first powder can be supplied by means of the first means of transport and/or metering (4) and the further, in particular the second, powder can be supplied by means of the further, in particular the second, means of transport and/or metering (4′), in each case in a controlled manner, in particular in a controllable and/or regulatable manner, to at least one mixing container (5), preferably comprising at least one screen (10). The outlet (7) of the first means of transport and/or metering (4) and the outlet (7′) of the further, in particular the second, means of transport and/or metering (4′) are arranged in or above the mixing container (5) above each other, or next to each other, preferably above each other, or next to each other, and in each case above the screen (10).