The invention aims to provide a contactless method to create small conductive tracks on a substrate. To this end a method is provided for selective material deposition, comprising depositing a first material on a substrate; followed by solidifying the first material selectively in a first solidified pattern by one or more energy beams; and followed by propelling non-solidified material away from the substrate by a large area photonic exposure, controlled in timing, energy and intensity to leave the solidified first pattern of the first material.

A powder bed fusion apparatus for building an object in a layer-by-layer manner includes a build platform movable within a build sleeve to define a build volume, a layer formation device for forming layers of powder across the build volume in a working plane and an irradiation device for irradiating powder in the working plane to selectively fuse the powder. The powder bed fusion apparatus further includes a mechanical manipulator arranged to engage with the object and/or a build substrate, to which the object is attached, to tilt the object in a raised position above the working plane such that powder is freed from the object and deposited at a location above the working plane and/or into the build volume.

The present invention relates to powder-layer three-dimensional printers (2) having a discrete supply hopper (340) and a recoater (20). The discrete supply hopper (340) is configured to transfer a build powder to the recoater (20) in a manner that enhances the uniformity of build powder layers that are dispensed from the recoater (20). In some embodiments, at least one of the discrete supply hopper and the powder hopper of the recoater is adapted to selectively contact the other, seal against the other, and/or have one partially inserted inside the other so as to diminish or prevent powder pluming during the transfer of build powder from the discrete supply hopper to the recoater.

The present invention relates to powder-layer three-dimensional printers (2) having a discrete supply hopper (340) and a recoater (20). The discrete supply hopper (340) is configured to transfer a build powder to the recoater (20) in a manner that enhances the uniformity of build powder layers that are dispensed from the recoater (20). In some embodiments, at least one of the discrete supply hopper and the powder hopper of the recoater is adapted to selectively contact the other, seal against the other, and/or have one partially inserted inside the other so as to diminish or prevent powder pluming during the transfer of build powder from the discrete supply hopper to the recoater.

Systems and methods in which a material or materials (e.g., a viscous material) are printed or otherwise transferred onto an intermediate substrate at a printing unit(s). The intermediate substrate having an image of material printed thereon is subsequently transferred to a sample building unit, and the image of material is transferred from the intermediate substrate to a sample at the sample building unit. Optionally, the printing unit(s) includes a coating system that creates a uniform layer of the material on a donor substrate, and the material is transferred from the donor substrate onto the intermediate substrate at the printing unit(s). Each of the printing units may employ a variety of printing or other transfer technologies. The system may also include material curing, heating, sintering, ablating, material filling, imaging and cleaning units to aid in the overall process.

Systems and methods in which a material or materials (e.g., a viscous material) are printed or otherwise transferred onto an intermediate substrate at a printing unit(s). The intermediate substrate having an image of material printed thereon is subsequently transferred to a sample building unit, and the image of material is transferred from the intermediate substrate to a sample at the sample building unit. Optionally, the printing unit(s) includes a coating system that creates a uniform layer of the material on a donor substrate, and the material is transferred from the donor substrate onto the intermediate substrate at the printing unit(s). Each of the printing units may employ a variety of printing or other transfer technologies. The system may also include material curing, heating, sintering, ablating, material filling, imaging and cleaning units to aid in the overall process.

A method of making an object by additive manufacturing includes: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a light source; (b) providing a carrier platform having a substantially planar object adhesion surface, the adhesion surface having a plurality of elongate wash channels formed therein; (c) producing the object on the carrier platform adhesion surface with the additive manufacturing apparatus from a light polymerizable resin, the object having at least one internal cavity formed therein; then (d) washing the object on the carrier platform with a wash liquid under conditions in which the wash liquid reaches the at least one internal cavity through the wash channels; then (e) optionally, at least partially drying the object on the carrier platform by separating the same from the wash liquid, and then agitating the object on the carrier platform to drain excess wash liquid from the object; (f) optionally, further curing the object.

A method of making an object by additive manufacturing includes: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a light source; (b) providing a carrier platform having a substantially planar object adhesion surface, the adhesion surface having a plurality of elongate wash channels formed therein; (c) producing the object on the carrier platform adhesion surface with the additive manufacturing apparatus from a light polymerizable resin, the object having at least one internal cavity formed therein; then (d) washing the object on the carrier platform with a wash liquid under conditions in which the wash liquid reaches the at least one internal cavity through the wash channels; then (e) optionally, at least partially drying the object on the carrier platform by separating the same from the wash liquid, and then agitating the object on the carrier platform to drain excess wash liquid from the object; (f) optionally, further curing the object.

The invention relates to an installation (1) for the three-dimensional printing of a medical device directly at a location where the medical device is to be used.

According to the invention, the installation comprises a container (2) comprising inside it: a production module (3) comprising a 3D printer (6); a clean room (4) comprising means (12) for washing and disinfection of the printed medical device, and a machine (13) for packaging the washed and disinfected medical device.

A method for producing a 3D-printed tissue substitute is disclosed, utilizing a 3D printing device including a tank including a yield stress fluid in which the material is printed, the printing material delivered by the cartridge includes polyvinyl alcohol and gelatin, the method including a step following which, after printing the material in the yield stress fluid, a printed intermediate device is solidified in the yield stress fluid by lowering the temperature of the tank. The intermediate device is removed from the tank, rinsed and dried in order to obtain the tissue substitute.