An improved additive manufacturing system for manufacturing metal parts by magnetohydrodynamic printing liquid metal. A monitoring system including at least one camera capturing light reflected from a strobe light source. Images of the droplets are captured during their jetting and analyzed to determine whether the jetting performance is meeting specifications. A nozzle of the system has a nozzle bottom and a nozzle stem extending outward therefrom on which a meniscus of liquid metal can form. The nozzle is cleaned by bringing a ceramic rod in the vicinity of the nozzle and jetting a bead of metal which is rotated against the nozzle to remove an amount of dross.

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 aa 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.

The present disclosure describes an apparatus (10) for additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object. The apparatus (10) includes a radiation source (13), a carrier (1) on which the three-dimensional object is made, an applicator assembly (3) configured to apply a polymerizable liquid, and a frame (8), with the applicator assembly and the radiation source connected to the frame. A first drive assembly (4) interconnects the applicator assembly and the frame and a second drive assembly (2) interconnects the carrier and the frame. The frame defines a build region (6) between the applicator assembly and the carrier. The applicator assembly includes a polymerizable liquid supply chamber, an application roller (11), and a metering roller (12). The applicator assembly may optionally include a post-metering roller (14). An apparatus comprising a first and a second applicator assembly and a smaller scale version of the apparatus are also described.

A method for additive manufacturing a part using fused deposition modeling 3D printing technology includes projecting a laser image from one or more laser emitters onto a previously printed bead or beads of thermoplastic material forming a portion of the part, along a tool path for a next bead in a subsequent part layer. The laser image has a width of between about 50% to 75% of a commanded beadwidth of the next bead, and is moved along a tool path that is generally transverse to the width thereof, to thereby selectively irradiate and heat the previously printed thermoplastic material to at least a bonding temperature thereof but below a degradation temperature. A bead of thermoplastic material is extruded from an extrusion head and deposited along the tool path while at least a top surface portion of the irradiated material remains at or above its bonding temperature, so that strong adhesion occurs between part layers.

A method for additive manufacturing a part using fused deposition modeling 3D printing technology includes projecting a laser image from one or more laser emitters onto a previously printed bead or beads of thermoplastic material forming a portion of the part, along a tool path for a next bead in a subsequent part layer. The laser image has a width of between about 50% to 75% of a commanded beadwidth of the next bead, and is moved along a tool path that is generally transverse to the width thereof, to thereby selectively irradiate and heat the previously printed thermoplastic material to at least a bonding temperature thereof but below a degradation temperature. A bead of thermoplastic material is extruded from an extrusion head and deposited along the tool path while at least a top surface portion of the irradiated material remains at or above its bonding temperature, so that strong adhesion occurs between part layers.

There is disclosed an ink composition for three dimensional (3D) printing. The ink composition comprises: a liquid dispersion of tungsten carbide (WC) particles and cobalt (Co) particles, and, a carrier vehicle for the dispersion of tungsten carbide particles and the dispersion of cobalt particles. The ink composition is of a viscosity usable with ink jet print heads for 3D printing.

A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a head configured to discharge a continuous reinforcement at least partially coated with a matrix. The head may have a matrix reservoir, and a nozzle connected to an end of the matrix reservoir. The system may further include a support configured to move the head during discharging, and a supply of matrix. The system may also include at least one sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a matrix characteristic inside of the head, and a controller configured to selectively affect the supply of matrix based on the signal.

A method for additively manufacturing a textile sheet product and a three-dimensionally printed textile sheet product (1) are disclosed. The method includes the steps of creating a three-dimensional model of the pre-product and additively manufacturing the pre-product according to the three-dimensional model of the pre-product. In additive manufacturing, a production material is applied layer by layer in this case. At at least one predetermined crossover position of at least two fibrous structures (2a, 2b) and a separation layer material is applied which can be removed from the pre-product and/or inactivated.

A method for additively manufacturing a textile sheet product and a three-dimensionally printed textile sheet product (1) are disclosed. The method includes the steps of creating a three-dimensional model of the pre-product and additively manufacturing the pre-product according to the three-dimensional model of the pre-product. In additive manufacturing, a production material is applied layer by layer in this case. At at least one predetermined crossover position of at least two fibrous structures (2a, 2b) and a separation layer material is applied which can be removed from the pre-product and/or inactivated.

A responsive material having an elastomeric matrix in which ferromagnetic particles are dispersed so as to have a predetermined magnetization pattern which, when exposed to an external magnetic field, changes the shape of the responsive material from an initial shape to a predetermined transformed shape dictated by the magnetization pattern. An initial shape of the responsive material is formed by direct ink printing while applying magnetic fields to a dispensing nozzle to align the particles and gives rise to the desired magnetization pattern.