The present invention relates to a walking robotic cell for the manufacture of on-site printed buildings using a multi-axis 3D printing system, and a method for operating said walking robotic cell. The walking robotic cell comprises a quadruped mobile robotic system acting autonomously and remotely operated, a feeding device, and a multi-axis actuator, which is a reprogrammable electromechanical system, automatically controlled, and programmable offline or online in all its degrees of freedom from an external or remote computer.

A method of printing one or more three-dimensional objects comprises: providing a volume of a photopolymerizable liquid in a closed container including an entry port and an exit port, the entry port and the exit port being connected by a channel therebetween, the container including at least one printing zone comprising at least an optically transparent window to facilitate irradiating excitation light at a first wavelength into a printing zone through the at least an optically transparent window, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid displays non-Newtonian rheological behavior such that the object formed in the photopolymerizable liquid within the printing zone remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, directing the excitation light through the at least an optically transparent window into the printing zone to selectively photopolymerize the photopolymerizable liquid in the printing zone without support structures to form a printed object, wherein the printed object remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, and applying pressure to the contents of the closed container and/or pumping additional photopolymerizable liquid into the closed container through the entry port to at least transport the printed object out of the printing zone toward the exit port, thereby discharging at least a portion of contents of the closed container out of the closed container through the exit port. Systems for printing one or more three-dimensional objects are also disclosed.

A method of printing one or more three-dimensional objects comprises: providing a volume of a photopolymerizable liquid in a closed container including an entry port and an exit port, the entry port and the exit port being connected by a channel therebetween, the container including at least one printing zone comprising at least an optically transparent window to facilitate irradiating excitation light at a first wavelength into a printing zone through the at least an optically transparent window, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid displays non-Newtonian rheological behavior such that the object formed in the photopolymerizable liquid within the printing zone remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, directing the excitation light through the at least an optically transparent window into the printing zone to selectively photopolymerize the photopolymerizable liquid in the printing zone without support structures to form a printed object, wherein the printed object remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, and applying pressure to the contents of the closed container and/or pumping additional photopolymerizable liquid into the closed container through the entry port to at least transport the printed object out of the printing zone toward the exit port, thereby discharging at least a portion of contents of the closed container out of the closed container through the exit port. Systems for printing one or more three-dimensional objects are also disclosed.

A system for additive manufacturing includes a nozzle configured to translate along a first axis, a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes, wherein the nozzle is operably coupled to: an extruder having an outlet and including a screw disposed within a barrel, and a pump having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is coupled to the extruder, and the outlet is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The system also includes a controller configured to adjust a speed of the pump with respect to a speed of the screw to apply a target pressure at the outlet of the extruder.

A method of configuring robot fleets with additive manufacturing capabilities includes receiving a request for a robotic fleet to perform a job and determining a job definition data structure based on the request. The job definition data structure defines a set of tasks to be performed in furtherance of the job. The method includes determining a provisioning configuration for each additive manufacturing system based on the task to which the additive manufacturing system is assigned, the set of 3D printing requirements, the printing instructions, and the status of the additive manufacturing system. The method includes provisioning the additive manufacturing system based on the provisioning configuration and a set of additive manufacturing system provisioning rules that are accessible to an intelligence layer to ensure that provisioned systems comply with the provisioning rules. The method includes deploying the robotic fleet based on the robotic fleet configuration data structure to perform the job.

Network enabled 3D printing and automated processing techniques for oral devices are disclosed herein. An example technique includes receiving, via a network, a data file representative of a mouth of a user, and printing, by a 3D printer, a 3D oral device based on the data file. The example technique may further include automatically ejecting, from the 3D printer, the 3D oral device, and scanning the 3D oral device to generate a 3D scan file of the 3D oral device. The example technique may further include comparing the 3D scan file with the data file to determine at least one feature represented in the 3D scan file that exceeds a deviation threshold relative to a corresponding respective feature represented in the data file; and finishing, by a finishing module, the 3D oral device by smoothing the at least one feature on the 3D oral device.

Network enabled 3D printing and automated processing techniques for oral devices are disclosed herein. An example technique includes receiving, via a network, a data file representative of a mouth of a user, and printing, by a 3D printer, a 3D oral device based on the data file. The example technique may further include automatically ejecting, from the 3D printer, the 3D oral device, and scanning the 3D oral device to generate a 3D scan file of the 3D oral device. The example technique may further include comparing the 3D scan file with the data file to determine at least one feature represented in the 3D scan file that exceeds a deviation threshold relative to a corresponding respective feature represented in the data file; and finishing, by a finishing module, the 3D oral device by smoothing the at least one feature on the 3D oral device.

The extraction of a three-dimensional (3D) object is facilitated using a printed hint, which includes an additional shape that is printed along with the 3D object in a granular-based printer bed. In example implementations, the hint is indicative of a location of the 3D object. In one example, a hint has a dimension indicative of a depth to the object in the printer bed. In another example, a position of a hint is indicative that the object is below, and a size of the hint is based on a size of the object. Some hints can also protect the object. Examples include plate and shell-shaped hints. The object is located under a plate hint or within a shell hint. Further, an appearance of the object or indications of the sturdiness of different parts of the object can be printed on the hint to facilitate a safe extraction of the object.

The extraction of a three-dimensional (3D) object is facilitated using a printed hint, which includes an additional shape that is printed along with the 3D object in a granular-based printer bed. In example implementations, the hint is indicative of a location of the 3D object. In one example, a hint has a dimension indicative of a depth to the object in the printer bed. In another example, a position of a hint is indicative that the object is below, and a size of the hint is based on a size of the object. Some hints can also protect the object. Examples include plate and shell-shaped hints. The object is located under a plate hint or within a shell hint. Further, an appearance of the object or indications of the sturdiness of different parts of the object can be printed on the hint to facilitate a safe extraction of the object.

A post-processing device configured to be coupled to a three-dimensional printer. The post-processing device includes a head assembly that includes a release device and a collection device. A rail extends in a first direction, and the head assembly is configured to travel along the rail. The device also includes a pedestal assembly configured to be coupled to a base of the three-dimensional printer, and an opening device for opening a cover of the three-dimensional printer. At a parts collection location on the rail, the release device of the head assembly is configured to engage with a build platform of the three-dimensional printer to release printed parts on the build platform, and the collection device of the head assembly is below the build platform and is configured to collect the released printed parts.