A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes a stage, a first material supply unit that supplies a first material, a second material supply unit that supplies a second material having a sintering temperature higher than a melting point of the first material, a laser irradiation unit, and a control unit that controls the laser irradiation unit by selecting a first laser irradiation mode and a second laser irradiation mode in which heat diffusion to an adjacent region is smaller than in the first laser irradiation mode, wherein when a first material region and a second material region are adjacently disposed in the shaped layer for one layer, and the second material region is irradiated with a laser from the laser irradiation unit, the control unit controls the laser irradiation unit by selecting the second laser irradiation mode for a region adjacent to the first material region.

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes a stage, a first material supply unit that supplies a first material, a second material supply unit that supplies a second material having a sintering temperature higher than a melting point of the first material, a laser irradiation unit, and a control unit that controls the laser irradiation unit by selecting a first laser irradiation mode and a second laser irradiation mode in which heat diffusion to an adjacent region is smaller than in the first laser irradiation mode, wherein when a first material region and a second material region are adjacently disposed in the shaped layer for one layer, and the second material region is irradiated with a laser from the laser irradiation unit, the control unit controls the laser irradiation unit by selecting the second laser irradiation mode for a region adjacent to the first material region.

An additive manufacturing system configured to additively build an article can include an energy applicator, a build platform, and a powder nozzle configured to eject powder toward the build platform to be acted on by the energy applicator. The system can include a control module configured to control the energy applicator to create an amorphous structure forming at least a portion of the article.

An additive manufacturing system configured to additively build an article can include an energy applicator, a build platform, and a powder nozzle configured to eject powder toward the build platform to be acted on by the energy applicator. The system can include a control module configured to control the energy applicator to create an amorphous structure forming at least a portion of the article.

A three-dimensional printing system for fabricating a three-dimensional article includes a motorized build platform, a dispensing module, a pulsed light source, an imaging module, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The imaging module receives radiation from the pulsed light source and includes a two-dimensional mirror array. The movement mechanism imparts lateral motion between the imaging module and the build platform. The controller is configured to operate the motorized build platform and the dispensing module to form a layer of build material at a build plane, operate the movement mechanism to laterally scan the imaging module over the build plane, operate the pulsed light source to generate a sequence of radiation pulses that illuminate the mirror array, and operate the mirror array to selectively image the build material.

A three-dimensional printing system for fabricating a three-dimensional article includes a motorized build platform, a dispensing module, a pulsed light source, an imaging module, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The imaging module receives radiation from the pulsed light source and includes a two-dimensional mirror array. The movement mechanism imparts lateral motion between the imaging module and the build platform. The controller is configured to operate the motorized build platform and the dispensing module to form a layer of build material at a build plane, operate the movement mechanism to laterally scan the imaging module over the build plane, operate the pulsed light source to generate a sequence of radiation pulses that illuminate the mirror array, and operate the mirror array to selectively image the build material.

An apparatus is disclosed for performing an additive manufacturing operation to form a structure by processing a photopolymer resist material. The apparatus may incorporate a laser for generating a laser beam, and a tunable mask for receiving the laser beam which has an optically dispersive element. The mask splits the laser beam into a plurality of emergent beams each having a subplurality of beamlets of varying or identical intensity, with each beamlet emerging from a unique subsection of illuminated regions of the mask. A collimator collimates at least one of the emergent beams to form a collimated beam. One or more focusing elements focuses the collimated beam into a focused beam which is projected as a focused image plane on or within the resist material. The focused beam simultaneously illuminates a layer of the resist material to process an entire layer in a parallel fashion.

An apparatus is disclosed for performing an additive manufacturing operation to form a structure by processing a photopolymer resist material. The apparatus may incorporate a laser for generating a laser beam, and a tunable mask for receiving the laser beam which has an optically dispersive element. The mask splits the laser beam into a plurality of emergent beams each having a subplurality of beamlets of varying or identical intensity, with each beamlet emerging from a unique subsection of illuminated regions of the mask. A collimator collimates at least one of the emergent beams to form a collimated beam. One or more focusing elements focuses the collimated beam into a focused beam which is projected as a focused image plane on or within the resist material. The focused beam simultaneously illuminates a layer of the resist material to process an entire layer in a parallel fashion.

A system may include a printhead for ejecting a first fluid including a polymer, the ejected first fluid forming a substrate with a thermal conductivity of less than 0.5 W/(m-K); a spreader to spread a layer of metal particulate on the substrate, wherein the printhead further ejects a second fluid, the ejected second fluid masking a portion of the layer of metal particulate on the substrate; and a pulse irradiation light source to fuse an unmasked portion of the layer of metal particulate.

A system may include a printhead for ejecting a first fluid including a polymer, the ejected first fluid forming a substrate with a thermal conductivity of less than 0.5 W/(m-K); a spreader to spread a layer of metal particulate on the substrate, wherein the printhead further ejects a second fluid, the ejected second fluid masking a portion of the layer of metal particulate on the substrate; and a pulse irradiation light source to fuse an unmasked portion of the layer of metal particulate.