An additive manufacturing apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of layers of a powder material, which parts correspond to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional article includes a process chamber housing enclosing a process chamber. A rotatable support conveyor is rotatably connected to a bottom of the process chamber housing by a rotatable shaft. The rotatable support conveyor includes an opening that extends therethrough for dispensing powder material from a powder storage vessel located on the rotatable support conveyor and a powder distributor that includes a rake portion that is located between the rotatable support conveyor and the bottom of the process chamber housing.

A system for manufacturing assembly units. The system includes a component platform that is movably situated in a conveying direction, at least one layering unit for applying a layer, and at least one irradiation unit, which is situated downstream from the layering unit in the conveying direction of the component platform for selectively irradiating the layer for generatively assembling the layer.

An additive manufacturing machine and associated method for making a part layerwise by firstly using additive manufacture to make a mold to define a space for the layer, and secondly filling the space with a paste to make a layer of the part. The machine comprises a first mold forming station with inkjet nozzles to form the mold using standard 3D printing, and a second paste dispensing station distanced from the first station, with a dispensing die slot for dispensing paste into the space to form a layer. The machine operates on multiple parts simultaneously, each being conveyed along a path through the stations.

A 3D screen-printing apparatus for producing a shaped article includes: a printing table; a printing screen with a printing mask having a layer geometry for producing the shaped article layer by layer; an application unit to apply a printing material to the printing screen and to work it into the printing masks to produce a shaped-article layer; and a first positioning unit configured to increase the distance between the printing table and the printing screen by way of a first relative movement after the production of each shaped-article layer. The printing screen has printing masks, and the 3D screen-printing apparatus has a second positioning unit configured to perform a second relative movement between the printing table and the printing screen so different printing masks of the one printing screen can be positioned one after the other at a shaped-article position where an individual shaped article is to be built.

A 3D screen-printing apparatus for producing a shaped article includes: a printing table; a printing screen with a printing mask having a layer geometry for producing the shaped article layer by layer; an application unit to apply a printing material to the printing screen and to work it into the printing masks to produce a shaped-article layer; and a first positioning unit configured to increase the distance between the printing table and the printing screen by way of a first relative movement after the production of each shaped-article layer. The printing screen has printing masks, and the 3D screen-printing apparatus has a second positioning unit configured to perform a second relative movement between the printing table and the printing screen so different printing masks of the one printing screen can be positioned one after the other at a shaped-article position where an individual shaped article is to be built.

A layer forming apparatus includes a loading unit including a stage onto which powder is supplied, a rotator that flattens the powder on the stage to form a powder layer, and circuitry. The circuitry causes the rotator to move in a first direction parallel to a surface of the stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the stage to form the powder layer. Further, the circuitry causes the rotator to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder not on the stage.

An additive manufacturing system comprises an additive manufacturing apparatus forming a molded object by curing slurry which becomes a base material of the molded object and a removing apparatus removing slurry attached to the molded object, in which the removing apparatus comprises a container having an axis of rotation and a peripheral wall provided with a plurality of small holes, the container permitting the molded object to be fixed therein, and a drive unit driving the container to rotate around the axis of rotation.

An additive manufacturing system comprises an additive manufacturing apparatus forming a molded object by curing slurry which becomes a base material of the molded object and a removing apparatus removing slurry attached to the molded object, in which the removing apparatus comprises a container having an axis of rotation and a peripheral wall provided with a plurality of small holes, the container permitting the molded object to be fixed therein, and a drive unit driving the container to rotate around the axis of rotation.

Raw material devices, systems that incorporate raw material delivery devices, and methods of supplying raw material using the raw material devices. A raw material delivery device includes a hollow body comprising a first end and a second end, the second end disposed above the first end in a system vertical direction, an inlet disposed at the first end of the hollow body, an outlet disposed at the second end of the hollow body, and a stepped passageway disposed within the hollow body between the inlet and the outlet. The stepped passageway is configured to deliver raw material via one or more steps from the inlet to the outlet.

A 3D printing module, a build unit and a method are disclosed herein. The 3D printing module comprises a build unit receiving interface to receive a build unit. The build unit comprises a build platform with a build platform drive interface. The 3D printing module further comprises a driving mechanism engageable with the build platform drive interface to controllably move the build platform.