A sublimation device includes a first heater and a second heater. The first heater includes a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner surface. The distal end is disposed opposite the proximal end. The inner surface extends between the proximal end and the distal end and at least partially forms a cavity. The second heater is disposed proximate the distal end of the first heater.

Disclosed is a powder build material handling system for a three-dimensional printer. The system comprises a delivery system. The delivery system is to carry powder build material in a flow of gas from a powder build material supply. The delivery system is to filter the flow of gas to separate the powder build material from the flow of gas. The delivery system is to direct the filtered flow of gas to the powder build material supply to form a closed system.

Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material from a transfer component onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some embodiments, the method may utilize a printer such as an inkjet printer. In some cases, the transfer material may be a UV curable ink and/or adhesive. When the transfer material is UV curable, the transfer component may be permeable to UV radiation to allow curing of the ink and/or adhesive therethrough. UV curable adhesives including thiol-acrylate and thiol-ene acrylate inkjet-able adhesives are disclosed. The UV curable adhesive may be colored (such as with white pigment) in lieu of providing a base (white) ink layer so that more UV radiation will be able to pass through the ink layer(s) in order to reach the adhesive.

Engraver configured to be coupled to a heater piece of a hot foil stamping machine for decorating sides of plastic cards wherein the engraver is made of silicone and capable of being heated up and comprising a recess on its external face opposite to a foil of the hot foil stamping machine, in such a way that a cross-section of said engraver is a negative shape and size of a side of plastic cards, including rounded corners formed by said side and adjacent side, wherein engraver size is dependent on number of plastic cards and the engraver is capable of being heated up and is suitable for being coupled to the heater head piece of the hot foil stamping machine.

A system arranged to transfer graphical images on objects (8) wrapped into transfer supports (2) by sublimation. The system comprises an oven (12) comprising an inlet mouth (21) and an outlet mouth (23), at least one suction unit (14) located along at least one side of the oven (12), a plurality of hooking/unhooking components (50) located along at least one side of the oven (12) and arranged to hook/unhook the objects (8) wrapped by the transfer supports (2), at least one catenary (18) located along at least one side of the oven (12) and arranged to transport the objects (8) wrapped into transfer supports (2) from the inlet mouth (21) to the outlet mouth (23) of the oven (12) by way of the hooking/unhooking components (50). The system further comprises at least one separation wall (71), configured to keep separate a hot zone, in which the oven (12) is active and the hooking/unhooking components (50) are provided, from a cold zone in which the oven (12) is not working and the at least one the catenary (18) and the at least one suction unit (14) are provided. Moreover, the system comprises a handling device (25) configured to move transversely to the inlet mouth (21) and to the outlet mouth (23) of the oven (12) the at least one suction unit (14), the at least one catenary (18) and the plurality of hooking/unhooking components (50) so that the separation wall (71) keeps separate the hot zone from the cold zone according to the dimensions of objects (8) wrapped by the transfer supports (2). The invention also concerns a method for realizing the system.

A thermal transfer light pen and a thermal transfer apparatus favorably perform thermal transfer even using light as a heat source to a thermal transfer sheet and performing thermal transfer to a transfer object with an uneven surface. A thermal transfer light pen includes a hollow pen body including a front end portion, a pressing body in the front end portion of the pen body and including a curved surface projecting toward a front end, a light guide including a first end and a second end, at least a portion of the light guide inside the pen body, and a light source connected to the first end of the light guide. The second end of the light guide is disposed in the front end portion of the pen body and faces the pressing body in the pen body. The pressing body is made of a material transparent to light emitted from the light source.

A process for printing on to a 3-dimensional article is described. An image is printed on to a first side of a stretchable carrier membrane having a first side and a second side. The membrane is mounted in a plane within a frame between a heating chamber defined on one side of the membrane, and an article receiving chamber defined on the other side of the membrane. A 3-dimensional article to be printed is placed on to a generally flat platen positioned generally parallel to the said plane, optionally with a nest for the article thereon, within the article receiving chamber. A thermo- and vacuum-forming step is performed in which there is relative movement of the platen with respect to the membrane in a direction perpendicularly to the said plane to bring the article into register with the image printed on the membrane and to carry the article into intimate contact with the membrane through the said plane into the heating chamber. A source of vacuum is applied to the membrane from the said other side, and heat is applied to the membrane from the said one side at a first temperature sufficient to soften the membrane, whereby the membrane is thermo- and vacuum-wrapped at least partially about the article with the membrane in intimate contact with surface details of the article. A dye-diffusion step is performed in which infra-red radiation is applied to the article with the membrane wrapped therearound using at least two infra-red sources to heat the membrane and underlying surface of the article over substantially a half-spherical solid angle uniformly to a temperature in excess of the first temperature and for a time sufficient to cause the printed image to diffuse into the surface of the article but insufficient to damage the article.

The invention relates to a die (10) for printing through a print carrier onto an object in a hot stamping machine, characterized in that the die comprises a first layer (11) of a first material, hereinafter referred to as the base layer, the hardness of which is less than 50 shore A measured according to ISO 868 or DIN 53505, and the thickness of which is greater than 20 mm, and a second layer (12) of a second material, hereinafter referred to as the printing layer, the hardness of which is greater than 50 shore A measured according to ISO 868 or DIN 53505, and the thickness of which is less than 5 mm, the second layer being intended to be in contact with the print carrier.

A cap logo applicator, and method of fabricating, includes a first mandrel having a front and a back, the first mandrel having a curved, non-cylindrical surface, and a relief space in the back such that when a cap is positioned on the first mandrel, a front of the cap is in contact with the non-cylindrical surface and a top of the cap extends over the relief space, and a second mandrel opposing the first mandrel and configured to apply pressure to the first mandrel. At least one of the first mandrel and the second mandrel includes a heater.

Mass transfer tools and methods for high density transfer of arrays of micro devices are described. In an embodiment, a mass transfer tool includes a micro pick up array with an array of transfer heads arranged in clusters. The clusters of transfer heads can be used to pick up a high density group of micro devices followed by sequential placement onto a receiving substrate.