A system for melting, sintering, or heat treating a material is provided. The system includes a cathode, an anode, and a focus coil assembly having a quadrupole magnet. The quadrupole magnet includes four poles and a yoke. The four poles are spaced apart and surround a beam cavity. Each of the four poles includes a pole face proximate the beam cavity and an end opposite the pole face. The first and third poles are aligned along an x-axis and configured to have a first magnetic polarity at their respective pole faces and a second magnetic polarity opposite the first magnetic polarity at their respective ends. The second and fourth poles are aligned along a y-axis and configured to have the second magnetic polarity at their respective pole faces and the first magnetic polarity at their respective ends. The yoke surrounds the poles and is coupled to the poles.

A system for melting, sintering, or heat treating a material is provided. The system includes a cathode, an anode, and a focus coil assembly having a quadrupole magnet. The quadrupole magnet includes four poles and a yoke. The four poles are spaced apart and surround a beam cavity. Each of the four poles includes a pole face proximate the beam cavity and an end opposite the pole face. The first and third poles are aligned along an x-axis and configured to have a first magnetic polarity at their respective pole faces and a second magnetic polarity opposite the first magnetic polarity at their respective ends. The second and fourth poles are aligned along a y-axis and configured to have the second magnetic polarity at their respective pole faces and the first magnetic polarity at their respective ends. The yoke surrounds the poles and is coupled to the poles.

A method for printing uses at least one bio-ink. The method also uses at least one laser print head to deposit at least one droplet of at least one bio-ink onto a depositing surface of a receiving substrate. The printing method uses at least one nozzle print head to deposit at least one droplet of at least one bio-ink onto a depositing surface of the same receiving substrate as the laser print head.

A method for printing uses at least one bio-ink. The method also uses at least one laser print head to deposit at least one droplet of at least one bio-ink onto a depositing surface of a receiving substrate. The printing method uses at least one nozzle print head to deposit at least one droplet of at least one bio-ink onto a depositing surface of the same receiving substrate as the laser print head.

A method and system for microscale 3D printing achieve high-fidelity fabrication through the control of the light exposure time. A single pulse of light is used to initiate polymerization of a pre-polymer solution to minimize scattering-induced resolution deterioration. The printed object is fabricated in a layer-by-layer construction where each layer is formed through exposure to a single light pulse.

A method and system for microscale 3D printing achieve high-fidelity fabrication through the control of the light exposure time. A single pulse of light is used to initiate polymerization of a pre-polymer solution to minimize scattering-induced resolution deterioration. The printed object is fabricated in a layer-by-layer construction where each layer is formed through exposure to a single light pulse.

A manufacturing system includes a printer chamber having a printer bed that supports manufacturing materials and an internal heating system supported by the printer chamber. The internal heating systems is configured to direct patterned heat energy onto the printer bed and supported manufacturing materials. An external heating system is supported by or positioned near the printer chamber and configured to direct patterned heat energy onto the printer bed and any supported manufacturing materials.

A manufacturing system includes a printer chamber having a printer bed that supports manufacturing materials and an internal heating system supported by the printer chamber. The internal heating systems is configured to direct patterned heat energy onto the printer bed and supported manufacturing materials. An external heating system is supported by or positioned near the printer chamber and configured to direct patterned heat energy onto the printer bed and any supported manufacturing materials.

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.

A testing apparatus for use with a laser processing system that includes a laser for generating a non-stationary laser beam and a work plane positioned at a working distance relative to the non-stationary laser beam, wherein the testing apparatus includes a support tube; a protective window mounted in the support tube for protecting components mounted within the support tube; a reimaging lens mounted in the support tube for enlarging the non-stationary laser beam for characterization thereof; a pin-hole defining structure mounted in the support tube for receiving laser light generated by the laser beam, wherein the pin-hole is located at a predetermined distance from the reimaging lens; a fiber optic cable disposed within the pin-hole defining structure that has a proximal end at which the laser light is received through the pin-hole and a distal end to which the laser light is delivered; and a photodetector located at the distal end of the fiber optic cable that converts the laser light delivered to the photodetector into electrical voltage output signals based on intensity of the laser light received through the pin-hole.