Some examples include an additive manufacturing build object including an electrical component and a build object body. The electrical component having a varying electrical resistivity within a resistivity range of 109 ohms per square to 105 ohms per square, the resistivity range obtained by an application and fusing of a fusing component of a printing agent and build material, the printing agent applied to the build material at a predetermined saturation dosage range corresponding to the resistivity range. The build object body having a second electrical resistivity obtained by an application and fusing of the fusing component of the printing agent and the build material, the printing agent applied at a dosage below the predetermined saturation dosage range, the build object body being electrically non-conductive.

A method for making a three-dimensional object by means of layer-wise application and selective solidification of a pulverulent building material The method includes applying a layer of the pulverulent building material onto a build area by an application device The application device includes a recoating unit movable across the build area in an application direction. The method further includes solidification of the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be made, and repeating the steps of applying and selective solidification until the object is completed. The pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area is heated locally by a radiant heater before being applied.

A method for making a three-dimensional object by means of layer-wise application and selective solidification of a pulverulent building material The method includes applying a layer of the pulverulent building material onto a build area by an application device The application device includes a recoating unit movable across the build area in an application direction. The method further includes solidification of the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be made, and repeating the steps of applying and selective solidification until the object is completed. The pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area is heated locally by a radiant heater before being applied.

An apparatus and device for creating a vertical strengthening feature within a 3D printed article of manufacture for improving mechanical performance in the Z-direction. Fill material is deposited in voids vertically crossing multiple layers during the build of 3D printing. The device includes a penetrating extension that fits within the void to create a vertical strengthening feature via heat and/or extruded fill material. The size and/or movement of the heated extension can impact the void side walls to reflow the build material and blend the layers together within the void side walls.

An apparatus and device for creating a vertical strengthening feature within a 3D printed article of manufacture for improving mechanical performance in the Z-direction. Fill material is deposited in voids vertically crossing multiple layers during the build of 3D printing. The device includes a penetrating extension that fits within the void to create a vertical strengthening feature via heat and/or extruded fill material. The size and/or movement of the heated extension can impact the void side walls to reflow the build material and blend the layers together within the void side walls.

A three-dimensional printing system for fabricating a three-dimensional article includes a motorized build platform, a dispensing module, a pulsed light source, an imaging module, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The imaging module receives radiation from the pulsed light source and includes a two-dimensional mirror array. The movement mechanism imparts lateral motion between the imaging module and the build platform. The controller is configured to operate the motorized build platform and the dispensing module to form a layer of build material at a build plane, operate the movement mechanism to laterally scan the imaging module over the build plane, operate the pulsed light source to generate a sequence of radiation pulses that illuminate the mirror array, and operate the mirror array to selectively image the build material.

A three-dimensional printing system for fabricating a three-dimensional article includes a motorized build platform, a dispensing module, a pulsed light source, an imaging module, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The imaging module receives radiation from the pulsed light source and includes a two-dimensional mirror array. The movement mechanism imparts lateral motion between the imaging module and the build platform. The controller is configured to operate the motorized build platform and the dispensing module to form a layer of build material at a build plane, operate the movement mechanism to laterally scan the imaging module over the build plane, operate the pulsed light source to generate a sequence of radiation pulses that illuminate the mirror array, and operate the mirror array to selectively image the build material.

A manufacturing apparatus includes: a table having a surface; a delivery unit including a heating unit that heats a filament, the delivery unit that delivers the filament toward the surface; a pressurizing unit disposed downstream of the delivery unit in a delivery direction of the filament, the pressuring unit that pressurizes the filament delivered to the surface against the surface; and a cutting unit that cuts the filament between the pressurizing unit and the heating unit in the delivery direction.

A manufacturing apparatus includes: a table having a surface; a delivery unit including a heating unit that heats a filament, the delivery unit that delivers the filament toward the surface; a pressurizing unit disposed downstream of the delivery unit in a delivery direction of the filament, the pressuring unit that pressurizes the filament delivered to the surface against the surface; and a cutting unit that cuts the filament between the pressurizing unit and the heating unit in the delivery direction.

A method for generating a more accurate mesh that represents a 3D printed part based on a model includes slicing the model into layers and identifying an infill-wall boundary and an exterior-interior boundary of each layer of the model. Layers of the model may be identified as critical by iterative comparison with adjacent layers. An interior voxel mesh may be constructed based on common two-dimensional reference grids imposed on the critical layers. The interior voxel mesh may be augmented to an augmented mesh and then extended to a protomesh. The protomesh may be extruded to construct the final mesh, which may be analyzed by finite element analysis. The part may be 3D printed based on the layers output by the slicing operation.