Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the additive manufacturing methods comprise increasing the temperature of a plurality of foam particles with actinic radiation under conditions effective to fuse a portion of the plurality of foam particles comprising one or more thermoplastic elastomers. Increasing the temperature of the foam particles can be carried out for one or multiple iterations. The disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that exhibit differing degrees of fusion between the foam particles, thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A prosthetic orthopaedic component includes a porous three dimensional structure. The porous three dimensional structure includes post-manufacture residual particles that are to be removed. Methods are therefore disclosed for removing the residual particles and analyzing the particles.

Porous and microporous parts prepared by additive manufacturing as disclosed herein are useful in medical and non-medical applications. The parts are prepared from a composition containing both a solvent soluble component and a solvent insoluble component. After a part is printed by an additive manufacturing process it is exposed to solvent to extract solvent soluble component away from the printed part, resulting in a part having surface cavities.

A sponge type cleaning device includes a sponge type cleaning tank, a sponge capable of retaining a cleaning agent (a liquid substance), a sample retaining structure retaining a model material (a sample), a movement mechanism capable of moving the sample retaining structure freely forward and backward with respect to the sponge, a cleaning agent supply mechanism supplying the cleaning agent to the sponge type cleaning tank, a rinsing liquid supply mechanism supplying a rinsing liquid to the sponge type cleaning tank, a waste liquid containing tank containing water discharged from the sponge type cleaning tank, a liquid level sensor provided in the sponge type cleaning tank, and a control mechanism controlling each of the mechanisms.

Provided herein according to aspects of the present invention are resins that: (a) are suitable for use in additive manufacturing techniques such as bottom-up and top-down stereolithography, (b) produce objects that are bioresorbable, and (c) produce objects that are flexible or elastic (preferably at at least typical room temperatures of 25° C., and in some embodiments at typical human body temperatures of 37° C.). Such resins may include: (a) a bioresorbable polyester oligomer having reactive end groups; (b) non-reactive diluent; (c) optionally reactive diluent; and (d) a photoinitiator.

A method of forming a bathtub includes forming a core from a core material, coupling the core to a bathtub shell, applying a reinforcing material to the bathtub shell over the core to form a reinforcement structure, forming one or more openings in the bathtub shell, and substantially removing the core from between the bathtub shell and the reinforcement structure to define one or more fluid channels of the bathtub.

A 3D printing device for building up a three-dimensional workpiece layer-by-layer includes a first side having a removal area in which a workpiece is built up by the printing device, wherein the removal area provides manual removability of the workpiece therefrom; a second side having a workpiece output from which the workpiece is removable; and a conveying device configured to remove the workpiece from the removal area in an automated way.

A method of manufacturing an implant, including mixing a first quantity of biocompatible polymer particles, a second quantity of bioactive ceramic particles, and a third quantity of fugitive material particles to define an admixture, forming the admixture to define a composite body having an inferior portion, a superior portion and a central portion disposed between the inferior and superior portions, heating the admixture to fuse the first quantity of bioactive polymer particles to define a composite implant body, and infiltrating the composite implant body with a solvent to remove fugitive material particles to yield a network of interconnected pores and to define a porous implant body. The fugitive material particles are hollow spheres partially filled with a material selected from the group comprising air, bioactive agents, biological growth enhancers, drugs, and biocompatible polymer material, combinations thereof.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the additive manufacturing methods comprise increasing the temperature of a plurality of foam particles with actinic radiation under conditions effective to fuse a portion of the plurality of foam particles comprising one or more thermoplastic elastomers. Increasing the temperature of the foam particles can be carried out for one or multiple iterations. The disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that exhibit differing degrees of fusion between the foam particles, thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

The present invention is directed to a method for post processing a 3D printed part, to a three-dimensional part fabricated in a method according to the present invention, and further to the use of a liquid in the post processing of a three-dimensional part fabricated in a 3D printing method.