A method of fabricating an article by fused filament fabrication. The method comprises providing a filament (3) comprising a first set RF of reinforcement fibres (300), including a first reinforcement fibre (300A), surrounded, at least in part, with a first polymeric composition (30); forming a first discontinuity (310A) of a first set D1 of discontinuities (310) in the first reinforcement fibre (300A); and depositing the filament (3), including the first discontinuity (310A) of the first set D1 of discontinuities (310) formed in the first reinforcement fibre (300A), comprising softening, at least in part, the first polymeric composition (30) and solidifying the softened first polymeric composition (30); wherein depositing the filament (3), including the first discontinuity (310A) of the first set D1 of discontinuities (310) formed in the first reinforcement fibre 300A, comprises depositing the filament (30), including the first discontinuity (310A) of the first set D1 of discontinuities (310) formed in the first reinforcement fibre (300A), in a first arc (320) of a set of arcs A.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system is configured to manufacture a three-dimensional 3D article in a layer-by-layer manner. The 3D printing system includes a resin vessel, a tank agitation subsystem, a fabrication subsystem, and a controller. The resin vessel is configured to contain photocurable resin and has a lower region within a distance H of a bottom surface of the resin vessel. The agitation subsystem includes (a) a grating disposed within the lower region of the resin vessel and (b) an agitation movement mechanism coupled to the grating. The fabrication subsystem is configured to form the 3D article by a layer-by-layer selective curing of the photocurable resin. The controller is configured to operate the agitation movement mechanism to oscillate the grating along a lateral Y-axis to remix filler particulates within the photocurable resin.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system is configured to manufacture a three-dimensional 3D article in a layer-by-layer manner. The 3D printing system includes a resin vessel, a tank agitation subsystem, a fabrication subsystem, and a controller. The resin vessel is configured to contain photocurable resin and has a lower region within a distance H of a bottom surface of the resin vessel. The agitation subsystem includes (a) a grating disposed within the lower region of the resin vessel and (b) an agitation movement mechanism coupled to the grating. The fabrication subsystem is configured to form the 3D article by a layer-by-layer selective curing of the photocurable resin. The controller is configured to operate the agitation movement mechanism to oscillate the grating along a lateral Y-axis to remix filler particulates within the photocurable resin.

In one example, a process for loading a build material powder supply container for 3D printing includes, with a floor of the supply container at or near a top of the supply container, dispensing build material powder into a loading chamber surrounding the top of the supply container and on to the floor, compacting powder in the loading chamber, and lowering the floor with the compacted powder into the supply container.

A method of binder jetting additive manufacturing for veneer applications may include, but is not limited to, loading a mixture of material into one or more feed boxes of a binder jetting additive manufacturing device, depositing a layer of the mixture of material into a working chamber of the binder jetting additive manufacturing device, applying a coating to the layer of the mixture of material, and curing the coating applied to the layer of the mixture of material to form a portion of a veneer product, actuating a working surface of the working chamber, depositing an additional layer of the mixture of material into the working chamber, applying an additional coating to the additional layer of the mixture of material, and curing the additional coating applied to the additional layer of the mixture of material to form an additional portion of the veneer product.

A method of binder jetting additive manufacturing for veneer applications may include, but is not limited to, loading a mixture of material into one or more feed boxes of a binder jetting additive manufacturing device, depositing a layer of the mixture of material into a working chamber of the binder jetting additive manufacturing device, applying a coating to the layer of the mixture of material, and curing the coating applied to the layer of the mixture of material to form a portion of a veneer product, actuating a working surface of the working chamber, depositing an additional layer of the mixture of material into the working chamber, applying an additional coating to the additional layer of the mixture of material, and curing the additional coating applied to the additional layer of the mixture of material to form an additional portion of the veneer product.

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) article includes: (1) receiving a solid model defining a 3D article, (2) receiving information defining an information bearing image which can includes machine and/or human readable indicia, (3) defining a solid model of a 3D tag to be attached to the article, the 3D tag having thick sections and thin sections that define the information bearing image, (4) merging the solid model of the 3D article with the solid model of the 3D tag to provide a composite solid model defining the 3D article integral with the 3D tag, (5) sending the composite solid model to an additive manufacturing system, and (6) operating the additive manufacturing print engine to integrally fabricate the 3D article and 3D tag from a single material.

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) article includes: (1) receiving a solid model defining a 3D article, (2) receiving information defining an information bearing image which can includes machine and/or human readable indicia, (3) defining a solid model of a 3D tag to be attached to the article, the 3D tag having thick sections and thin sections that define the information bearing image, (4) merging the solid model of the 3D article with the solid model of the 3D tag to provide a composite solid model defining the 3D article integral with the 3D tag, (5) sending the composite solid model to an additive manufacturing system, and (6) operating the additive manufacturing print engine to integrally fabricate the 3D article and 3D tag from a single material.

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.