The present invention relates to a multichannel head assembly for a three-dimensional modeling apparatus which can improve productivity by simultaneously or synchronously modeling a plurality of three-dimensional shaped objects having the same shape or different shapes, and a three-dimensional modeling apparatus using the same, the present invention comprising: a modeling light source unit for allowing N modeling beams to be incident to a light guide unit; the light guide unit for receiving the N incident modeling beams and having a function of guiding each of the N modeling beams along a predetermined path so as to allow the N modeling beams to be incident to N modeling planes in one-to-one correspondence with each other; and a control unit for controlling driving of the modeling light source unit and driving of the light guide unit to be linked with each other.

A variety of techniques are used to manage temperature in and around an extruder for a three-dimensional printer.

Three-dimensional objects are formed by photo-curing a liquid polymer by exposure to a radiation in a space between a sheet transparent to the radiation and a supporting plate. On a side of the sheet facing towards the photo-curing liquid polymer, a membrane is arranged. The membrane is transparent to the radiation and covered by a layer of liquid lubricant. The membrane is displaceable with respect to an area in which said liquid polymer is undergoing curing by exposure to the radiation, which radiation (e.g., at 410 nm) may be provided by a collimated light source composed of an array of light emitting diode (LED) sources, an array of baffles, and an array of lenses. The baffles limit beam widths of each individual LED source in the array of LED, and the array of lenses is located one focal length from said array of LED sources.

A multi-extruder includes a passive height control mechanism that adjusts the relative height of its extruders without the use of additional, active components. Further, the height control mechanism may employ ramped control surfaces that mitigate noise and vibration by gradually transferring vertical loads while transferring from one active extruder to another.

The invention relates to a method for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of locations of a powder bed. The method comprising: providing a model of said three-dimensional article; applying a powder layer on a work table; determining a maximum scan length of an energy beam; directing said energy beam from a first energy beam source over said work table with constant energy causing said first powder layer to fuse in first selected locations according to said model to form a first cross section of said three-dimensional article, wherein locations with a shorter scan length than said maximum scan length is provided with a time sink before and/or after said scan line so that the time period between each two adjacent scan lines is constant throughout the manufacture of said three-dimensional article.

A method for forming at least one three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed, which parts correspond to successive cross sections of the three-dimensional article, the method comprising the steps of: providing a model of the at least one three-dimensional article; applying a first powder layer on a work table; directing a first energy beam from a first energy beam source over the work table causing the first powder layer to fuse in first selected locations according to corresponding models to form a first cross section of the three-dimensional article, where the first energy beam is fusing at least a first region of a first cross section with parallel scan lines in a first direction; varying a distance between two adjacent scan lines, which are used for fusing the powder layer, as a function of a mean length of the two adjacent scan lines.

The invention relates to a stereolithography apparatus comprising: a container for a fluid material curable by radiation, a substrate plate, an actuator means for generating a relative movement between the container and the substrate plate, and an irradiation device for selectively irradiating the material arranged in the container. According to the invention, the actuator means and the irradiation device are mounted on a frame assembly, and the container and the substrate plate are combined to form an assembly and the assembly consisting of the container and the substrate plate is jointly inserted into the frame assembly, detachably secured therein by means of an attachment means and to be jointly removed from the frame assembly.

A printing system may be provided. The printing system may include an agent distributor to selectively deliver at least one printing agent onto a substrate on a first type of supply module and a layer of build material on a second type of supply module. The printing system may include a controller to control the agent distributor to selectively deliver the at least one printing agent in patterns derived from data representing a slice of a three-dimensional object to be generated and representing an image to be generated on the substrate.

A system of manufacturing a plurality of components at a location in which the components are used includes a computing device having a software program configured to generate at least one data file for the components and a non-transient memory configured to store the data file. Additionally, the system includes a three-dimensional printing device electrically coupled to the computing device. The three-dimensional printing device is configured to receive the data file and form the components in at least one of an axial plane and a radial plane during a single operation of the printing device.

A platen assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a platen plate that is preferably secured to a gantry mechanism of the additive manufacturing system, and having a top surface, and one or more magnets secured to the platen plate and configured to generate one or more magnetic fields at the top surface of the platen plate. The platen gantry is configured to magnetically couple interchangeable and replaceable build sheets to the top surface of the platen plate due to the one or more generated magnetic fields, and where the magnetically-coupled build sheets are configured to receive the printed layers from the printing mechanism.