Novel aromatic polyimides, both thermoplastic and thermosettable, are disclosed based on use of asymmetric diamines and symmetric dianhydrides with either a functional endcap for further thermosetting or a non-functional endcap for retention of thermoplastic properties. Both aromatic polyimides have sufficient physical properties to be useful in 3D printing.

According to one aspect there is provided an apparatus for generating a three-dimensional object. The apparatus may include a first agent distributor to selectively deliver a coalescing agent onto portions of a layer of build material, a second agent distributor to selectively deliver a coalescence modifier agent onto portions of the layer of build material, and a controller to control the first and second distributors to selectively deliver each of the agent and the coalescence modifier onto the layer of build material in respective patterns derived from data representing a slice of a three-dimensional object to be generated, in which when energy is applied to the layer of build material, the build material coalesces and solidifies to form a slice of the three-dimensional object in accordance the patterns and the three-dimensional object has mechanical object properties that are related to the patterns.

An additive manufacturing (AM) method includes using an AM tool to fabricate a plurality of workpiece products; measuring qualities of the first workpiece products respectively; performing a temperature measurement on each of the melt pools on the powder bed during a fabrication of each of the workpiece products; performing photography on each of the melt pools on the powder bed during the fabrication of each of the workpiece products; extracting a length and a width of each of the melt pools; performing a melt-pool feature processing operation; building a conjecture model by using a plurality of sets of first process data and the actual metrology values of the first workpiece products in accordance with a prediction algorithm; and predicting a virtual metrology value of the second workpiece product by using the conjecture model based on a set of second process data.

A three-dimensional (3-D) printer includes build and support material development stations positioned to transfer layers of build and support materials to an intermediate transfer surface. The intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of the build and support materials to a platen each time the platen contacts the intermediate transfer surface. A sensor detects the thickness of the layer on the platen, and a mechanical planer is positioned to contact and level the layer on the platen as the platen moves past the mechanical planer. Additionally, a feedback loop is electrically connected to the sensor and the mechanical planer. The mechanical planer adjusts the amount of the build material and the support material removed from the layer based on the thickness of the layer on the platen, as determined by the sensor.

A three-dimensional (3-D) printer includes build and support material development stations positioned to transfer layers of build and support materials to an intermediate transfer surface. A platen having a flat surface is positioned to contact the intermediate transfer surface. The intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of the build and support materials to the flat surface of the platen as the platen contacts one of the layers on the intermediate transfer surface. A dispenser is positioned to deposit a leveling material on the layer on the platen, and a mechanical planer is positioned to contact and level the leveling material on the layer on the platen to make the top of the leveling material parallel to the flat surface of the platen.

Disclosed are a gradient resin, a preparation method therefor and the use thereof. The gradient resin of the present application is formed by fusing different layers with color transition changes, wherein the color transition change between the two adjacent layers is in the range of 0.1% to 5 20%. The gradient resin is composed of, by mass percentage, 98%-99.99% of a resin powder and 0.01%-2% of a pigment.

Disclosed are a carbon nanomaterial pellet and a method for preparing same. More particularly, it relates to a carbon nanomaterial pellet having a specific size and a high apparent density prepared by a simple process using only a rotary tablet press without mixing a carbon nanomaterial powder with a solvent or an additive, which is capable of solving the powder dust problem occurring when preparing a polymer composite from a carbon nanomaterial in the form of powder, thus improving physical properties and remarkably reducing cost of packaging and transportation, and a method for preparing the carbon nanomaterial pellet from a carbon nanomaterial powder.

A process for producing a thermoplastic material for use as powder or slurry for further processing such as injection molding or coating, comprising the steps of mixing a biomass containing prolamins, such as a grain source or a water insoluble fraction of a grain, having prolamins and lipids, and an organic solvent to obtain undissolved components and dissolved components comprising dissolved prolamin, lipids and other dissolved components, extracting the dissolved components into a first liquid and extracting undissolved components in a first solid under the specific conditions. separating the first solid from the first liquid, recovering the thermoplastic material from the first liquid as powder by removing organic solvent under the conditions of maintaining temperature of the prolamins below 80° C., preferably below 75° C., maintaining a dielectric constant εr between 30 and 42 at 25° C., and maintaining a pressure level at below 2 bar.

There is provided a manufacturing method of the three-dimensional shaped object, the method being capable of reducing an undesirable phenomenon associated with the contamination of the light transmission window with the fume substance. The manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by alternate repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, wherein the irradiation with light beam for the solidified-layer forming is performed by directing the light beam into the chamber through a light transmission window of the chamber, and wherein a gas blow is supplied to the light transmission window by use of a movable gas supply device, the light transmission window having been contaminated with a fume generated upon the formation of the solidified layer.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for solid freeform fabrication, especially selective laser sintering, as well as various articles made using the same, where the systems and methods utilize certain thermoplastic polyurethanes which are particularly suited for such processing. The useful thermoplastic polyurethanes are derived from (a) a polyisocyanate component, (b) a polyol component, and (c) an optional chain extender component; wherein the resulting thermoplastic polyurethane has a melting enthalpy of at least 5.5J/g, a Tc (crystallization temperature) of more than 70° C., a Δ(Tm:Tc) of from 20 to 75 degrees, where Δ(Tm:Tc) is the difference between the Tm (melting temperature) and Tc.