A powder-based additive manufacturing installation (10) comprises a powder layering device (14) that can be displaced along a path linking a start zone (A) and an end zone (B). The layering device (14) comprises powder deposition means (18) for depositing powder in a powder deposition zone (D) situated between the start zone (A) and the end zone (B). The installation comprises a cleaning device (40) situated on the path of the layering device (14). The cleaning device (40) comprises a blowing device (42) configured to blow a gas flow onto at least one surface of the powder deposition means (18).

A nozzle check suitable for production of a three-dimensional shaped object is performed. A production method of a three-dimensional shaped object M configured to laminate unit layers (L1, L2, . . . ), in which a nozzle checking step inspects at least a part of nozzles (6) for ejecting ink for forming a particular unit layer, which is performed after having started production in a case where a timing of the nozzle check is before forming the particular unit layer and this unit layer is a lowermost layer (L1), and is performed after having formed a unit layer that is located directly under the particular unit layer in a case where the timing of the nozzle check is before forming the particular unit layer and this layer is not the lowermost layer (L1).

A nozzle check suitable for production of a three-dimensional shaped object is performed. A production method of a three-dimensional shaped object M configured to laminate unit layers (L1, L2, . . . ), in which a nozzle checking step inspects at least a part of nozzles (6) for ejecting ink for forming a particular unit layer, which is performed after having started production in a case where a timing of the nozzle check is before forming the particular unit layer and this unit layer is a lowermost layer (L1), and is performed after having formed a unit layer that is located directly under the particular unit layer in a case where the timing of the nozzle check is before forming the particular unit layer and this layer is not the lowermost layer (L1).

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, an additive manufacturing platform is described. The additive manufacturing platform includes a vibrating bed on which a volume of build material is to be disposed. The bed is to vibrate to remove excess build material and operates in at least two extraction modes during a build material extraction period. The additive manufacturing platform also includes a non-vibrating frame to support the vibrating bed.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, an additive manufacturing platform is described. The additive manufacturing platform includes a vibrating bed on which a volume of build material is to be disposed. The bed is to vibrate to remove excess build material and operates in at least two extraction modes during a build material extraction period. The additive manufacturing platform also includes a non-vibrating frame to support the vibrating bed.

An additive manufacturing system comprises an additive manufacturing apparatus forming a molded object by curing slurry which becomes a base material of the molded object and a removing apparatus removing slurry attached to the molded object, in which the removing apparatus comprises a container having an axis of rotation and a peripheral wall provided with a plurality of small holes, the container permitting the molded object to be fixed therein, and a drive unit driving the container to rotate around the axis of rotation.

An additive manufacturing system comprises an additive manufacturing apparatus forming a molded object by curing slurry which becomes a base material of the molded object and a removing apparatus removing slurry attached to the molded object, in which the removing apparatus comprises a container having an axis of rotation and a peripheral wall provided with a plurality of small holes, the container permitting the molded object to be fixed therein, and a drive unit driving the container to rotate around the axis of rotation.

An additive manufacturing system and method for improving the certainty of removing or etching excess substrate from a stack of printed substrate slices to arrive at a 3D object. The approach includes printing a pseudo image as a shell layer around a desired object slice with less polymer (e.g., thermoplastic) material than the 3D object solid layer slice. This slows the etching process when this pseudo image is reached. The pseudo image may be printed to surround the object polymer image on a printed substrate sheet as a shell that provides notice during the excess substrate removal/cleaning process that the desired polymer image is nearby and extra care must be taken to avoid removal of the desired polymer image. The pseudo image may have a 3D patterned surface that can be recognized by a person doing the sandblasting or recognized automatically by an automated 3D object finisher.

An additive manufacturing system and method for improving the certainty of removing or etching excess substrate from a stack of printed substrate slices to arrive at a 3D object. The approach includes printing a pseudo image as a shell layer around a desired object slice with less polymer (e.g., thermoplastic) material than the 3D object solid layer slice. This slows the etching process when this pseudo image is reached. The pseudo image may be printed to surround the object polymer image on a printed substrate sheet as a shell that provides notice during the excess substrate removal/cleaning process that the desired polymer image is nearby and extra care must be taken to avoid removal of the desired polymer image. The pseudo image may have a 3D patterned surface that can be recognized by a person doing the sandblasting or recognized automatically by an automated 3D object finisher.

According to one example, there is provided a method of cleaning a filter in a filter housing. The filter has a dirty side at which a dirty airflow is received, and a clean side through which a cleaned airflow flows. The method comprises generating a cleaning airflow at the dirty side of the filter, the cleaning airflow having a predetermined volume and pressure, and generating an extraction airflow to extract from the filter housing the same volume and pressure of air from the filter housing as that generated in the filter housing by the cleaning airflow.