Systems and methods for additive manufacturing, and, in particular, such methods and apparatus as employ pulsed lasers or other heating arrangements to create metal droplets from donor metal micro wires, which droplets, when solidified in the aggregate, form 3D structures. A supply of metal micro wire is arranged so as to be fed towards a nozzle area by a piezo translator. Near the nozzle, an end portion of the metal micro wire is heated (e.g., by a laser pulse or an electric heater element), thereby causing the end portion of the metal micro wire near the nozzle area to form a droplet of metal. A receiving substrate is positioned to receive the droplet of metal jetted from the nozzle area.

Systems and techniques for depositing organic material on a substrate are provided, in which one or more shield gas flows prevents contamination of the substrate by the chamber ambient. Thus, multiple layers of the same or different materials may be deposited in a single deposition chamber, without the need for movement between different deposition chambers, and with reduced chance of cross-contamination between layers.

An ink bottle is mounted in a DOD printer with the ink bottle acting as an ink supply reservoir that supplies ink to a DOD print head. A unique cap is provided that is configured to be affixed to an end of the ink bottle via threads or the like. The cap can be provided with one or more mechanical keying features used to limit mounting of the cap and the bottle assembly to a correct receiver in the DOD printer. The cap can also be provided with a valve controlled ink passage that allows ink to flow out of the bottle through the cap and a valve controlled vent passage that allows air to enter the bottle through the cap.

An ink bottle is mounted in a DOD printer with the ink bottle acting as an ink supply reservoir that supplies ink to a DOD print head. A unique cap is provided that is configured to be affixed to an end of the ink bottle via threads or the like. The cap can be provided with one or more mechanical keying features used to limit mounting of the cap and the bottle assembly to a correct receiver in the DOD printer. The cap can also be provided with a valve controlled ink passage that allows ink to flow out of the bottle through the cap and a valve controlled vent passage that allows air to enter the bottle through the cap.

An ink jet head, comprising: a dispensing unit (2), provided with: a main circulation conduit (21) for circulating a ceramic enamel; two or more nozzles (3), placed in communication with the main conduit (21) and distributed along a main direction (X); at least one shutter (4), activatable to close or free said nozzles (3); at least one actuator (5), arranged to activate the shutter (4); wherein the shutter (4) is movable between at least one closing configuration, in which it is capable of closing all the nozzles (3), and at least one opening configuration, in which it frees at least one nozzle (3) to allow the emission of ceramic enamel.

An ink jet head, comprising: a dispensing unit (2), provided with: a main circulation conduit (21) for circulating a ceramic enamel; two or more nozzles (3), placed in communication with the main conduit (21) and distributed along a main direction (X); at least one shutter (4), activatable to close or free said nozzles (3); at least one actuator (5), arranged to activate the shutter (4); wherein the shutter (4) is movable between at least one closing configuration, in which it is capable of closing all the nozzles (3), and at least one opening configuration, in which it frees at least one nozzle (3) to allow the emission of ceramic enamel.

Additive manufacturing devices and methods for the same are provided. The additive manufacturing device may include a stage configured to support a substrate, a printhead disposed above the stage, and a targeted heating system disposed proximal the printhead. The printhead may be configured to heat a build material to a molten build material and deposit the molten build material on the substrate in the form of droplets to fabricate the article. The targeted heating system may be configured to control a temperature or temperature gradient of the droplets in a flight path interposed between the printhead and the substrate.

A bioprinter comprises one or more dispensing units. Each dispensing unit may include (i) a syringe including a hollow body and a plunger dimensioned to translate in the body wherein the body has an exit orifice; (ii) an actuator in contact with a proximal end of the plunger; (iii) a controller for moving the actuator; and (iv) a nozzle having a wall defining a fluid path extending from an inlet of the nozzle to an outlet of the nozzle. The inlet of the nozzle is in fluid communication with the exit orifice of the syringe body. The nozzle includes a fluid passageway in fluid communication with a source of fluid and the fluid path. The bioprinter can be used in a method of preparing microtissue comprising dispensing a bioink from one or more dispensing units of the bioprinter on a plate. The microtissue may comprise cartilage cells or tumor cells or liver cells.

A bioprinter comprises one or more dispensing units. Each dispensing unit may include (i) a syringe including a hollow body and a plunger dimensioned to translate in the body wherein the body has an exit orifice; (ii) an actuator in contact with a proximal end of the plunger; (iii) a controller for moving the actuator; and (iv) a nozzle having a wall defining a fluid path extending from an inlet of the nozzle to an outlet of the nozzle. The inlet of the nozzle is in fluid communication with the exit orifice of the syringe body. The nozzle includes a fluid passageway in fluid communication with a source of fluid and the fluid path. The bioprinter can be used in a method of preparing microtissue comprising dispensing a bioink from one or more dispensing units of the bioprinter on a plate. The microtissue may comprise cartilage cells or tumor cells or liver cells.

A method for operating a printer can include draining a print material from a printer, placing a sacrificial metal into the printer, ejecting the sacrificial metal from a nozzle of the printer, and cooling to printer to a temperature that is below a melting point of the print material and the sacrificial metal. The print material can be or include aluminum and the sacrificial metal can be or include tin. The print material can be drained from the printer when the print material is in molten form, for example, from about 600° C. to about 2000° C. The sacrificial metal can be ejected from the nozzle at a temperature above the melting point of the sacrificial metal but below the melting point of the print material, for example, below about 300° C. The method can reduce or eliminate cracking of various printer structures such as the nozzle during a shutdown or cooling of the printer.