Apparatuses for dynamically sensing infrared (IR) radiation in an electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) printer are provided. A radiation collector receives radiation from a surface of the powder bed. An IR-transparent material rejects one or more non-IR wavelengths, and a lens focuses the IR radiation onto an optical fiber. The IR radiation is carried from the vacuum chamber of the printer to a sensor, where IR information is determined based on the received IR radiation. The IR information may be received from the sensor and used by the print controller to modify one or more parameters, such as beam intensity or scanning rate, on the fly or during the next print cycle. An occlusion member can be used to selectively block or expose the radiation collector to protect the radiation collector from condensation of vapor from vaporization of particles at high temperatures.

Additive-manufacturing systems, surface-processing apparatuses, and methods of forming products using an additive-manufacturing head are provided. In one aspect, an additive-manufacturing system includes an additive-manufacturing head and a surface-processing device coupled to the additive-manufacturing head. In another aspect, a surface-processing apparatus for an additive-manufacturing head includes a housing configured to be coupled to the additive-manufacturing head and a surface-processing device coupled to the housing. In a further aspect, a method of forming a product using an additive-manufacturing head includes forming one or more layers of the product with the additive-manufacturing head and processing at least one of the one or more layers of the product with a surface-processing device coupled to the additive-manufacturing head.

A removable build module to connect to a host apparatus, may include a build platform to support an object-to-be-built, a drive unit to move the build platform, a memory to receive and store build parameters, and an interface circuit to communicate the build parameters to the host apparatus.

A method for producing an object by melting a polymer powder in a powder sintering device. For example, a method for producing an object by melting a polymer powder in a powder sintering device under a laser beam, implementing a rheological analysis of the polymers, in order to determine the conditions for producing the object by melting polymer powders.

A method for producing an object by melting a polymer powder in a powder sintering device. For example, a method for producing an object by melting a polymer powder in a powder sintering device under a laser beam, implementing a rheological analysis of the polymers, in order to determine the conditions for producing the object by melting polymer powders.

This invention relates to a method for manufacturing an individualized immobilization element for the non-invasive immobilization and/or mobilization of at least a segment of a body part of a patient in a predetermined position relative to a reference and/or in a pre-certain configuration. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a data set that comprises a three-dimensional image of an outer contour of at least a part of the segment of the body part to be immobilized and/or mobilized and (ii) the manufacture of at least a part of the immobilization element by rapid manufacturing of a shape on the basis of said data set using a polymeric material containing a thermoplastic polymer having a melting point less than or equal to 100° C., wherein the polymer material contains a nucleating agent for enhancing the of the crystallization of the thermoplastic polymer.

This invention relates to a method for manufacturing an individualized immobilization element for the non-invasive immobilization and/or mobilization of at least a segment of a body part of a patient in a predetermined position relative to a reference and/or in a pre-certain configuration. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a data set that comprises a three-dimensional image of an outer contour of at least a part of the segment of the body part to be immobilized and/or mobilized and (ii) the manufacture of at least a part of the immobilization element by rapid manufacturing of a shape on the basis of said data set using a polymeric material containing a thermoplastic polymer having a melting point less than or equal to 100° C., wherein the polymer material contains a nucleating agent for enhancing the of the crystallization of the thermoplastic polymer.

A method for illuminating a three-dimensional area (1), the three-dimensional area being divided into at least two successive layers (2), which are illuminated temporally sequentially, each layer (2) being divided into at least two illumination fields (3) with at least one first subarea (4), one second subarea (4′), if appropriate a third subarea (4″) and if appropriate further subareas, wherein adjacent illumination fields (3) overlap in individual subareas (4′, 4″) to avoid defectively illuminated regions.

The manufacturing rate of selective production methods is increased by using thicker powder layers.

The present invention provides methods, processes, and systems for the manufacture of three-dimensional articles made of polymers using 3D printing. A layer of prepolymer is deposited on a build plate to form a powder bed. The deposited powder bed is heated to about 50° C. to about 170° C. Then, a solution of activating agent is printed on the powder bed in a predetermined pattern, and a stimulus is applied converting the prepolymer to the final polymer. After a predetermined period of time, sequential layers are printed to provide the three-dimensional article. The three-dimensional object can be cured to produce the three-dimensional article composed of the final polymers.