Disclosed is a novel 3D-printer system for printing elastically deformable rubber parts such as rubber seals where the uncured rubber source material is partially cured before printing each rubber layer of the rubber part. Furthermore, disclosed is a novel 3D printing method for 3D-printing an elastically deformable rubber body using the 3D-printer system.

Disclosed is a novel 3D-printer system for printing elastically deformable rubber parts such as rubber seals where the uncured rubber source material is partially cured before printing each rubber layer of the rubber part. Furthermore, disclosed is a novel 3D printing method for 3D-printing an elastically deformable rubber body using the 3D-printer system.

In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides a process for the conversion of certain polymers into diamond and diamond-like materials using laser pulse annealing. The process includes transforming the polymer to carbon, melting the carbon and quenching the carbon melt into to form Q-carbon, diamond, and/or graphene. The process can be applied to a polymer film such as a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape. An object can be coated with the polymer film which can then be converted to Q-carbon, diamond, and/or graphene using laser pulse annealing. A process is also provided for making a three-dimensional object using a combination of, for example, 3D printing the polymer and converting each layer of polymer into Q-carbon, diamond and/or graphene.

A method of forming a three-dimensional structure includes forming a layer of resin comprising liquid crystal oligomers and a photoinitiator, applying a magnetic field to the formed layer in a predefined alignment direction for substantially aligning the liquid crystal oligomers in a first orientation; and exposing the formed layer to radiation for curing a first portion of the layer during application of the magnetic field thereby resulting in the first portion having liquid crystal elastomers substantially aligned in the first orientation. The method includes applying a second magnetic field to the formed layer in a predefined second alignment direction for substantially aligning uncured liquid crystal oligomers in a second orientation, and exposing the layer to radiation for curing a second portion of the layer during application of the second magnetic field thereby resulting in the second portion having liquid crystal elastomers substantially aligned in the second orientation.

The present disclosure describes an apparatus for additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object. The apparatus includes a radiation source, a carrier on which the three-dimensional object is made, an applicator assembly configured to apply a polymerizable liquid, and a frame, with the applicator assembly and the radiation source connected to the frame. A first drive assembly interconnects the applicator assembly and the frame and a second drive assembly interconnects the carrier and the frame. The frame defines a build region between the applicator assembly and the carrier. The applicator assembly includes a polymerizable liquid supply chamber, an application roller, and a metering roller. The applicator assembly may optionally include a post-metering roller. An apparatus comprising a first and a second applicator assembly and a smaller scale version of the apparatus are also described.

A materials kit for three-dimensional (3D) printing can include a powder bed material comprising thermoplastic polyurethane particles and a fusing agent including a radiation absorber to selectively apply to the powder bed material. The thermoplastic polyurethane particles can have an average particle size from about 20 μm to about 120 μm and a melting temperature of from about 100° C. to about 250° C., wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane particles include polyurethane polymer strands having an average of about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % hard segments based on a total weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane particles. The hard segments can include a symmetrical aliphatic diisocyanate and a symmetrical aliphatic chain extender that are polymerized into the thermoplastic polyurethane particles.

A materials kit for three-dimensional (3D) printing can include a powder bed material comprising thermoplastic polyurethane particles and a fusing agent including a radiation absorber to selectively apply to the powder bed material. The thermoplastic polyurethane particles can have an average particle size from about 20 μm to about 120 μm and a melting temperature of from about 100° C. to about 250° C., wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane particles include polyurethane polymer strands having an average of about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % hard segments based on a total weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane particles. The hard segments can include a symmetrical aliphatic diisocyanate and a symmetrical aliphatic chain extender that are polymerized into the thermoplastic polyurethane particles.

Provided is a method of making a cured object having a surface coating bonded thereto, which may include: providing an intermediate object produced in an additive manufacturing process such as stereolithography by light polymerization of a dual cure resin, the resin comprising a mixture of (i) a light polymerizable first component, and (ii) a second component that is different from the first component; applying a first reactive coating composition to a surface portion of the object to form a first coating thereon; optionally, but in some embodiments preferably, applying a second reactive coating composition to the first coating to form a second coating thereon; and heating the object at (and for) a time and to a temperature sufficient to bond the first coating to the surface portion, and bond the second coating when present to the first coating, and form the cured object having a surface coating bonded thereto.

Provided is a method of making a cured object having a surface coating bonded thereto, which may include: providing an intermediate object produced in an additive manufacturing process such as stereolithography by light polymerization of a dual cure resin, the resin comprising a mixture of (i) a light polymerizable first component, and (ii) a second component that is different from the first component; applying a first reactive coating composition to a surface portion of the object to form a first coating thereon; optionally, but in some embodiments preferably, applying a second reactive coating composition to the first coating to form a second coating thereon; and heating the object at (and for) a time and to a temperature sufficient to bond the first coating to the surface portion, and bond the second coating when present to the first coating, and form the cured object having a surface coating bonded thereto.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing method includes applying a build material composition having a polymer particle and a radiation absorbing additive mixed with the polymer particle, the radiation absorbing additive being selected from the group consisting of inorganic near-infrared absorbers, organic near-infrared absorbers, and combinations thereof. The build material composition is preheated to a temperature below the melting temperature of the polymer particle by exposing the build material composition to radiation, the radiation absorbing additive increasing radiation absorption and accelerating the pre-heating of the build material composition. A fusing agent is selectively applied on at least a portion of the build material composition. The method further includes exposing the build material composition to radiation, whereby at least the polymer particle in the at least the portion of the build material composition in contact with the fusing agent at least partially fuses.