Methods for fabricating Class-A components (CAC) include providing a molding precursor which includes a first and second skin layer each including a fiber reinforcing material embedded in a polymer matrix, a third layer between the first and second skin layers and including a third polymer matrix and a filler material interspersed therein. The fiber reinforcing materials include a plurality of substantially aligned carbon fibers having a plurality of low strength regions staggered with respect to the second axis. The method includes disposing a molding precursor within a die, compression molding the molding precursor in the die, wherein the die includes a punch configured to contact the second skin layer, opening the die to create a gap between the punch and an outer surface of the second skin layer, and injecting a Class-A finish coat precursor into the gap to create a class-A surface layer and form the CAC.

Methods for fabricating Class-A components (CAC) include providing a molding precursor which includes a first and second skin layer each including a fiber reinforcing material embedded in a polymer matrix, a third layer between the first and second skin layers and including a third polymer matrix and a filler material interspersed therein. The fiber reinforcing materials include a plurality of substantially aligned carbon fibers having a plurality of low strength regions staggered with respect to the second axis. The method includes disposing a molding precursor within a die, compression molding the molding precursor in the die, wherein the die includes a punch configured to contact the second skin layer, opening the die to create a gap between the punch and an outer surface of the second skin layer, and injecting a Class-A finish coat precursor into the gap to create a class-A surface layer and form the CAC.

3-D printers include an intermediate transfer surface that transfers a layer of material to a platen each time the platen contacts the intermediate transfer surface to successively form a freestanding stack of layers of the material on the platen. A sensor detects the thickness of the layer on the platen after a fusing station fuses the layer. A feedback loop is electrically connected to the sensor and a development station (that includes a photoreceptor, a charging station providing a static charge to the photoreceptor, a laser device exposing the photoreceptor, and a development device supplying the material to the photoreceptor). The development station adjusts the transfer bias of the development device, based on a layer thickness measurement from the sensor through the feedback loop, to control the thickness of subsequent ones of the layers transferred from the intermediate transfer surface to the freestanding stack on the platen.

3-D printers include an intermediate transfer surface that transfers a layer of material to a platen each time the platen contacts the intermediate transfer surface to successively form a freestanding stack of layers of the material on the platen. A sensor detects the thickness of the layer on the platen after a fusing station fuses the layer. A feedback loop is electrically connected to the sensor and a development station (that includes a photoreceptor, a charging station providing a static charge to the photoreceptor, a laser device exposing the photoreceptor, and a development device supplying the material to the photoreceptor). The development station adjusts the transfer bias of the development device, based on a layer thickness measurement from the sensor through the feedback loop, to control the thickness of subsequent ones of the layers transferred from the intermediate transfer surface to the freestanding stack on the platen.

A manufacturing method of a structure includes, in this order: providing a layer constituted by a support member and a modeling layer by bringing a regulating surface of a regulating member into contact with the modeling layer provided on a surface of an intermediate transfer member, pouring a material for the support member which becomes the support member to fill the periphery of the modeling layer while the regulating surface abutting the modeling layer, and solidifying the material for the support member; removing the regulating member from the layer constituted by the support member and the modeling layer.

A method for producing a molded body having the following steps: a) providing a foil ply; b) applying a plastic molding compound in a predefined three-dimensional shape onto the foil ply by means of a three-dimensional printing method.

In exemplary implementations of this invention, an actuated fabricator deposits structural elements (e.g., tensile structural elements) in a 3D pattern over large displacements. The fabricator is supported by at least three elongated support members. It includes onboard actuators that translate the fabricator relative to the ends of the support members. The fabricator is configured, by actuating different translations along different support members, to translate itself throughout a 3D volume. In some implementations, each of the actuators use fusible material to fuse metal tapes together, edge-to-edge, to form a hollow structure that can be shortened or lengthened.

A printer that includes a motor assembly for moving a print head relative to a medium, and a processor for receiving a data structure for a pixel to be printed on the medium. The data structure includes perception data and classification data for the pixel. The processor adjusts at least one printing parameter of the printer based upon the classification data.

An information processing apparatus includes a processor, and the processor is configured to acquire, in printing processing for modeling a three-dimensional modeled object by forming respective images on recording media and stacking the recording media, a print job including at least one of two-dimensional image data for forming a two-dimensional image and three-dimensional image data for modeling a three-dimensional modeled object, an instruction of a user for the print job, and attribute information of a plurality of printing apparatuses that are candidates to perform the print job, and select a printing apparatus to perform the acquired print job from the plurality of printing apparatuses based on whether the image data contained in the print job is two-dimensional image data or three-dimensional image data, the attribute information, and the instruction of the user.

A powder contains particles containing a water-soluble material and a water-insoluble material. When dependence on temperature of a storage elastic modulus and a loss elastic modulus of a cylindrical compact of the powder in a shear direction, the cylindrical compact having a diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 1 mm, is measured with a rotational rheometer at an angular frequency of 1 Hz and a rate of temperature increase of 2° C./min, letting a temperature at which the storage elastic modulus is 1 MPa be T° C., the storage elastic modulus is always higher than the loss elastic modulus in a temperature range of T° C. to (T+10)° C.