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.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium is encoded with instructions executable by a processor. The machine-readable storage medium includes instructions to modify data representing a three-dimensional object model, the three-dimensional object model for use in generating a three-dimensional object in a build chamber. The data is modified to include a container to substantially encapsulate contents of the build chamber comprising the three-dimensional object and non-solidified build material. A wall of the container comprises heat transfer control elements to control dissipation of heat from the contents of the container.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium is encoded with instructions executable by a processor. The machine-readable storage medium includes instructions to modify data representing a three-dimensional object model, the three-dimensional object model for use in generating a three-dimensional object in a build chamber. The data is modified to include a container to substantially encapsulate contents of the build chamber comprising the three-dimensional object and non-solidified build material. A wall of the container comprises heat transfer control elements to control dissipation of heat from the contents of the container.

Described is a method for making an object using an additive manufacturing device comprising actuators which act in conjunction to make the object. The method includes: receiving a design of the object, the design including at least one three-dimensional representation of the object, receiving at least one construction parameter indicating a physical characteristic of the object to be made, extracting from a memory at least one value associated with said at least one construction parameter and/or associated with the three-dimensional representation of the object, said at least one value indicating a command which can be set for the actuators of the additive manufacturing device, modifying the design of the object as a function of said at least one extracted value, generating a set of commands as a function of said design, and controlling said actuators by means of said set of commands.

Described is a method for making an object using an additive manufacturing device comprising actuators which act in conjunction to make the object. The method includes: receiving a design of the object, the design including at least one three-dimensional representation of the object, receiving at least one construction parameter indicating a physical characteristic of the object to be made, extracting from a memory at least one value associated with said at least one construction parameter and/or associated with the three-dimensional representation of the object, said at least one value indicating a command which can be set for the actuators of the additive manufacturing device, modifying the design of the object as a function of said at least one extracted value, generating a set of commands as a function of said design, and controlling said actuators by means of said set of commands.

A three-dimensional device is fabricated in a layer-by-layer approach using a support material. The support material is deposited in a liquid form on a surface, hardened by cooling or ultraviolet (UV) curing, and selectively ablated to create an area within which the desired structure of the device will be formed. Active material is deposited into this area, and the layer-by-layer process repeated until the three-dimensional device has been completed. Thereafter, any remaining support material is removed by water or other solvent.

A three-dimensional device is fabricated in a layer-by-layer approach using a support material. The support material is deposited in a liquid form on a surface, hardened by cooling or ultraviolet (UV) curing, and selectively ablated to create an area within which the desired structure of the device will be formed. Active material is deposited into this area, and the layer-by-layer process repeated until the three-dimensional device has been completed. Thereafter, any remaining support material is removed by water or other solvent.

A system and method for autonomously creating subsequent physical objects using a 3-dimensional printer. The system includes a build platform which is ejected with a printed object adhered to it, with a replenishing mechanism to place a blank build platform into the expected build area such that printing a subsequent object may occur autonomously. The replenishing mechanism may draw from a plurality of stored blank build platforms which may be reusable in some embodiments and disposable in others.

A printing apparatus for printing a three-dimensional object. The printing apparatus includes an operative surface and a plurality of supply hoppers configured for dispensing a powder. The powder is configured to be melted by an energy beam. The supply hoppers are configured to form a plurality of vertically-aligned powder beds adjacent to one another on the operative surface simultaneously. An energy source is configured to emit an energy beam onto each powder bed simultaneously to melt or fuse a topmost layer of the powder bed onto an underlying powder bed layer or substrate.

In one example, a lighting device for an additive manufacturing machine includes an array of light sources each to emit monochromatic light within a band of wavelengths that includes a peak light absorption of a liquid coalescing agent to be dispensed on to a build material.