There are disclosed methods and devices for build temperature control. In some examples, a method comprises applying a temperature controllable top cover over a top of the build volume. The method may further comprise controlling the temperature controllable top cover to maintain a temperature substantially equal to a build temperature for a predetermined period of time. The method may further comprise applying a thermally conductive bottom cover to a bottom of the build volume.

The present disclosure relates to an air-diffusion system, a computer-implemented method of designing an air-diffusion system, an apparatus for additive manufacturing an air-diffusion system, and a method of additive manufacturing an air-diffusion system.

A metal laminating/shaping device includes a base, a head unit including a base material injection device, and drive devices that change a positional relationship between the base and the head unit in a spatial coordinate system. The base material injection device includes a base material heating unit that heats a base material that is a metal piece having a fixed shape such that a temperature of an interior of the base material is raised to a temperature below a melting point and a temperature of a surface of the base material is raised to the melting point, and a base material injection unit that injects the heated base material toward the base. The metal laminating/shaping device can form a metal shaped article having a complicated structure at a low cost.

A metal laminating/shaping device includes a base, a head unit including a base material injection device, and drive devices that change a positional relationship between the base and the head unit in a spatial coordinate system. The base material injection device includes a base material heating unit that heats a base material that is a metal piece having a fixed shape such that a temperature of an interior of the base material is raised to a temperature below a melting point and a temperature of a surface of the base material is raised to the melting point, and a base material injection unit that injects the heated base material toward the base. The metal laminating/shaping device can form a metal shaped article having a complicated structure at a low cost.

A molding device includes a movement processing unit configured to move a liquid column sandwiched between two substrates and a molding unit configured to perform a molding process by partially changing the liquid column to a solid within a prescribed molding region.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for producing three-dimensional objects and auxiliary systems used in conjunction with the aforementioned apparatus and methods. An apparatus that extrudes melted material through an elongated nozzle which may or may not have divided sections within the elongated nozzle allowing independent extrusion of each. An FDM 3D printer comprising an elongated nozzle and hot end, the extruder assembly and the elongated filament or the use of traditional filament with many divided sections in the elongated nozzle.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for producing three-dimensional objects and auxiliary systems used in conjunction with the aforementioned apparatus and methods. An apparatus that extrudes melted material through an elongated nozzle which may or may not have divided sections within the elongated nozzle allowing independent extrusion of each. An FDM 3D printer comprising an elongated nozzle and hot end, the extruder assembly and the elongated filament or the use of traditional filament with many divided sections in the elongated nozzle.

A method of fabricating a shaped object includes: preparing a formation sheet including a base and a thermally expansive layer stacked on a first main surface of the base, the thermally expansive layer including a binder and thermally expandable material; heating the base of the formation sheet to a temperature lower than an expansion initiation temperature at which the thermally expandable material starts to expand; and heating the thermally expansive layer of the formation sheet after heating of the base, to a temperature higher than or equal to the expansion initiation temperature at which the thermally expandable material starts to expand, thereby causing expansion of the thermally expansive layer.

A method of fabricating a shaped object includes: preparing a formation sheet including a base and a thermally expansive layer stacked on a first main surface of the base, the thermally expansive layer including a binder and thermally expandable material; heating the base of the formation sheet to a temperature lower than an expansion initiation temperature at which the thermally expandable material starts to expand; and heating the thermally expansive layer of the formation sheet after heating of the base, to a temperature higher than or equal to the expansion initiation temperature at which the thermally expandable material starts to expand, thereby causing expansion of the thermally expansive layer.

A spacecraft includes an additive manufacturing (A/M) subsystem and one or both of a thermal control arrangement and a contamination control arrangement. The A/M subsystem includes an A/M tool, feedstock and a workpiece and is configured to additively manufacture the workpiece using material from the feedstock. The thermal control arrangement is operable, in an on-orbit space environment characterized by near vacuum pressure and near zero-g force, to maintain temperature of at least one of the A/M tool, the feedstock, and the workpiece within respective specified ranges. The contamination control arrangement is operable, in the on-orbit space environment, to control outgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).