In some embodiments, a method of determining the fill level of a resin pool in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window (12), the build platform (15) and the window (12) defining a build region therebetween, with the window (12) carrying a resin pool, the pool having a resin top surface portion; (b) advancing the build platform (15) and the window (12) towards one another until the build platform (15) contacts the resin top surface portion; (c) detecting the impact of the build platform (15) with the resin top surface portion; and (d) determining the fill level of the resin pool from the detected impact.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a build material volume transportation device is described. The build material volume transportation device includes a shuttle to transport a build material volume. The shuttle includes an opening therethrough to receive the build material volume. The build material volume transportation device also includes a build tray to raise the build volume into the opening in the shuttle. The build material volume transportation device further includes a latch assembly to releasably secure the build tray to the shuttle. A tip of the latch assembly extends to interface with the aperture to secure the build tray to the shuttle. The tip rotates independently of the piston.

A method, system, and apparatus for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial is provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial includes determining at least one tuned physical property for each of a plurality of micro-resonators according to a desired acoustic property of the acoustic metamaterial. For a particular physical property, a value of the tuned physical property for at least one of the plurality of micro-resonators is different from a value of the tuned physical property for at least one other of the plurality of micro-resonators. The method also includes additively forming the acoustic metamaterial such that the acoustic metamaterial comprises a first structure and the plurality of micro-resonators embedded within the first structure. Forming the acoustic metamaterial is performed such that an actual physical property of each of the plurality of micro-resonators is equal to a corresponding tuned physical property for each of the plurality of micro-resonators.

A method, system, and apparatus for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial is provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial includes determining at least one tuned physical property for each of a plurality of micro-resonators according to a desired acoustic property of the acoustic metamaterial. For a particular physical property, a value of the tuned physical property for at least one of the plurality of micro-resonators is different from a value of the tuned physical property for at least one other of the plurality of micro-resonators. The method also includes additively forming the acoustic metamaterial such that the acoustic metamaterial comprises a first structure and the plurality of micro-resonators embedded within the first structure. Forming the acoustic metamaterial is performed such that an actual physical property of each of the plurality of micro-resonators is equal to a corresponding tuned physical property for each of the plurality of micro-resonators.

The invention is directed to a powder supply system (1) for use in an apparatus (100) for producing a three-dimensional work piece by irradiating layers of a raw material powder (4) with electromagnetic or particle radiation. The powder supply system (1) comprises a circuit line (7) configured to conduct a gas stream (9), a conveying device (19) configured to convey the gas stream (9) through the circuit line (7), a powder doser (8) configured to introduce a desired dose of raw material powder (4) into the gas stream (9) flowing through the circuit line (7), a measuring unit (15) configured to measure at least one of a pressure and a volume flow in the circuit line (7) at a position downstream of the powder doser (8), and a control unit (40) configured to control the powder doser (8) based on at least one of a pressure value and a volume flow value measured by the measuring unit (15) in such a manner that the at least one of the pressure value and the volume flow value measured by the measuring unit (15) is within a predetermined range.

A method of making a foamed article comprises (a) injection molding a molten thermoplastic elastomer to form an precursor; (b) crosslinking the thermoplastic elastomer; (c) heating the thermoplastic elastomer to a first temperature to soften the thermoplastic elastomer; (d) infusing the thermoplastic elastomer with at least one inert gas at a first pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened thermoplastic elastomer; and (e) while the article is softened, reducing the pressure to a second pressure below the first pressure to at least partially foam the precursor into a foamed article, wherein the foamed article is substantially the same shape as the precursor.

A method of making a foamed article comprises (a) injection molding a molten thermoplastic elastomer to form an precursor; (b) crosslinking the thermoplastic elastomer; (c) heating the thermoplastic elastomer to a first temperature to soften the thermoplastic elastomer; (d) infusing the thermoplastic elastomer with at least one inert gas at a first pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened thermoplastic elastomer; and (e) while the article is softened, reducing the pressure to a second pressure below the first pressure to at least partially foam the precursor into a foamed article, wherein the foamed article is substantially the same shape as the precursor.

A method for 3D printing of a robot element, more particularly a finger for use in robotics. At least one sensor is concomitantly printed by means of multi-material printing during the printing of the robot element. A gripping element produced by a method of this kind includes a number of printed layers of robot element material and a concomitantly printed sensor.

The disclosure features lifting apparatuses for building cylinders in machines for producing 3D components. The apparatuses include a first bracket that receives the building cylinder, a first guide body that controls the first bracket movably and moves the building cylinder into a working plane in a process chamber, and a main drive that controls a piston that can be coupled to a substrate plate of the building cylinder with a stroke movement. At least one further guide body is associated with the first guide body, and both guide bodies are movable on at least one guide. The additional guide body has a bracket on which the main drive is provided, and the first and additional guide bodies have at least one driving apparatus to move them successively along the guide.

An injection molding device includes: a material storage unit storing a material; a drive motor; a plasticization unit including a rotor that rotates by rotation of the drive motor, a barrel facing the rotor, and a heater, and configured to plasticize and flow out the material supplied from the material storage unit; a nozzle through which the material after plasticization is injected toward a mold from the plasticization unit; and a material drying unit configured to collect waste heat of the drive motor and dry the material in the material storage unit.