In one example, a powdered build material supply system for additive manufacturing includes a supply deck, a dispenser to dispense a ribbon of powdered build material on to the supply deck, and a spreader to spread powdered build material from the ribbon over a work area adjacent to the supply deck.

In one example, a powdered build material supply system for additive manufacturing includes a supply deck, a dispenser to dispense a ribbon of powdered build material on to the supply deck, and a spreader to spread powdered build material from the ribbon over a work area adjacent to the supply deck.

A 3D printing machine includes a first spinning part moving in directions of three axes, i.e., X-, Y-, and Z-axes, to melt and spin a base material; and a second spinning part moving along a moving direction of the first spinning part to spin reinforcing fiber onto an upper surface of the spun base material, and moving clockwise or counterclockwise so that the reinforcing fiber is spun onto the upper surface of the base material at a moment when the first spinning part changes a moving direction thereof to the X- or Y-axis direction.

A 3D printing machine includes a first spinning part moving in directions of three axes, i.e., X-, Y-, and Z-axes, to melt and spin a base material; and a second spinning part moving along a moving direction of the first spinning part to spin reinforcing fiber onto an upper surface of the spun base material, and moving clockwise or counterclockwise so that the reinforcing fiber is spun onto the upper surface of the base material at a moment when the first spinning part changes a moving direction thereof to the X- or Y-axis direction.

A method of operating a direct-to-object printer adjusts a pixel density of a portion of contone image data for an image to be printed on a surface of a tapered object. The contone image data is also filtered with a stochastic halftone filer to produce binary image data for the image to be printed on the tapered object. The adjustment in the pixel density for the portion of the image to be printed on the portion of the object having a circumference that is different than another portion of the surface at the uppermost portion of the image produces a more uniform appearance in the resulting printed image.

A method of operating a direct-to-object printer adjusts a pixel density of a portion of contone image data for an image to be printed on a surface of a tapered object. The contone image data is also filtered with a stochastic halftone filer to produce binary image data for the image to be printed on the tapered object. The adjustment in the pixel density for the portion of the image to be printed on the portion of the object having a circumference that is different than another portion of the surface at the uppermost portion of the image produces a more uniform appearance in the resulting printed image.

An embodiment fused deposition modeling (FDM) type 3D printing apparatus includes a printing bed having a space for printing out an output on an upper surface thereof and a nozzle unit provided on the printing bed and configured to extrude a molten output material and print the molten output material out to the printing bed, the nozzle unit including a primary nozzle tip configured to primarily extrude the molten output material and a secondary nozzle tip selectively coupled to the primary nozzle tip and configured to secondarily extrude the molten output material.

An embodiment fused deposition modeling (FDM) type 3D printing apparatus includes a printing bed having a space for printing out an output on an upper surface thereof and a nozzle unit provided on the printing bed and configured to extrude a molten output material and print the molten output material out to the printing bed, the nozzle unit including a primary nozzle tip configured to primarily extrude the molten output material and a secondary nozzle tip selectively coupled to the primary nozzle tip and configured to secondarily extrude the molten output material.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a first vertically-extending support leg, a second vertically-extending support leg, and a gantry supported on the first and second support legs. The additive manufacturing apparatus also includes a work table movably supported beneath the gantry, a print head supported on the gantry, and a trim head supported on the gantry with the print head.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a first vertically-extending support leg, a second vertically-extending support leg, and a gantry supported on the first and second support legs. The additive manufacturing apparatus also includes a work table movably supported beneath the gantry, a print head supported on the gantry, and a trim head supported on the gantry with the print head.