A system and method for manufacturing three-dimensional structures is provided. The system includes plurality of printing stations and a robotic unit configured to interact with the plurality of printing stations, each of the plurality of printing stations being arranged to be accessible by the robotic unit. Each printing station includes a station controller for controlling at least one deposition control parameter. The system further includes a system controller configured to operate the robotic unit, and wherein the system controller is communicatively coupled to the plurality of printing stations for controlling at least an execution of printing tasks being performed on the plurality of printing stations. The station controllers are at least partially controllable by means of the system controller, wherein the system controller is configured to adjust at least one deposition control parameter of each printing station independent of deposition control parameters of other printing stations of the plurality of printing stations.

A method of forming an innervated liquid crystal elastomer (iLCE) actuator comprises extruding a filament through a nozzle moving relative to a substrate, where the filament has a core-shell structure including a shell comprising a liquid crystal elastomer surrounding a core configured to induce a nematic-to-isotropic transition of the liquid crystal elastomer. The filament is subjected to UV curing as the filament is extruded, and the filament is deposited on the substrate as the nozzle moves. A director of the liquid crystal elastomer is aligned with a print path of the nozzle, and a 3D printed architecture configured for actuation is formed.

A three-dimensional object model is divided into slices that are targeted for an additive manufacturing process operable to deposit material at a variable deposition size ranging between minimum and maximum printable feature sizes. For each of the slices, a thinning algorithm is applied to contours of the slice to form a meso-skeleton. Topological features of the thinned slice are reduced over a number of passes such that a portion of the meso-skeleton is reduced to a single pixel wide line. Based on the number of passes, a slice-specific printable feature size within the range of the minimum and maximum printable feature sizes is determined. An adjusted slice is formed by sweeping the meso-skeleton with the slice-specific printable feature size. The adjusted slices are assembled into an object model which is used to create a manufactured object.

Energy chains, namely chain parts, in particular chain link plates, therefor and guiding parts of a guide trough for an energy chain. The chain part or guiding part comprises a formed part made from plastic, on which a functional electric circuit with a sensor function is arranged. The functional circuit comprises at least one trace conductor structure, which is formed on the formed part as the carrier of the trace conductor structure, e.g. is applied by an additive manufacturing method.

Energy chains, namely chain parts, in particular chain link plates, therefor and guiding parts of a guide trough for an energy chain. The chain part or guiding part comprises a formed part made from plastic, on which a functional electric circuit with a sensor function is arranged. The functional circuit comprises at least one trace conductor structure, which is formed on the formed part as the carrier of the trace conductor structure, e.g. is applied by an additive manufacturing method.

The invention relates to a method of additive manufacturing an object using a 3D printing apparatus, in which at least one layer or part of at least one layer is formed by an addition-crosslinking electro-conductive silicone composition comprising : (A) at least one organopolysiloxane compound A comprising, per molecule at least two C.sub.2- C.sub.6 alkenyl radicals bonded to silicon atoms, (B) at least one organohydrogenopolysiloxane compound B comprising, per molecule, at least two hydrogen atoms bonded to an identical or different silicon atom, (C) at least one catalyst C comprising at least one metal from the platinum group or the compound thereof, (D) at least one reinforcing silica filler D, (E) at least one thixotropic agent which is selected from compounds having epoxy group, (poly)ether group, and/or (poly)ester group, organopolysiloxane having an aryl group and mixtures thereof; (F) at least one electro-conductive filler F, which is selected from nickel coated carbon, preferably graphite, graphene or mixtures thereof; (G) optionally at least one crosslinking inhibitor G.

A retort for thermally processing sinterable objects including a retort body having an interior cavity configured to receive at least one part for sintering. The retort body includes a retort inlet, a fore volume, an inlet plenum, an outlet plenum and a retort outlet. The retort inlet is configured to be fluidly connected to a process gas inlet tube and receive a flow of process gas. The retort inlet is fluidly connected to the fore volume, the fore volume being configured to receive a cleansing object. The fore volume is fluidly connected to the inlet plenum, which is fluidly connected to the interior cavity, which is in turn fluidly connected to the outlet plenum. The outlet plenum is fluidly connected to the retort outlet which is configured to be fluidly connected to an effluent gas outlet tube via a Peclet sealing element.

A retort for thermally processing sinterable objects including a retort body having an interior cavity configured to receive at least one part for sintering. The retort body includes a retort inlet, a fore volume, an inlet plenum, an outlet plenum and a retort outlet. The retort inlet is configured to be fluidly connected to a process gas inlet tube and receive a flow of process gas. The retort inlet is fluidly connected to the fore volume, the fore volume being configured to receive a cleansing object. The fore volume is fluidly connected to the inlet plenum, which is fluidly connected to the interior cavity, which is in turn fluidly connected to the outlet plenum. The outlet plenum is fluidly connected to the retort outlet which is configured to be fluidly connected to an effluent gas outlet tube via a Peclet sealing element.

A method may include fused filament fabricating a fused filament fabricated component by delivering a softened filament to selected locations at or adjacent to a build surface. The softened filament may include a sacrificial binder and a powder including a shape memory alloy (SMA). The method also may include removing substantially all the sacrificial binder from the fused filament fabricated component to leave an unsintered component; and sintering the unsintered component to join particles of the SMA and form an SMA component.

A method may include fused filament fabricating a fused filament fabricated component by delivering a softened filament to selected locations at or adjacent to a build surface. The softened filament may include a sacrificial binder and a powder including a shape memory alloy (SMA). The method also may include removing substantially all the sacrificial binder from the fused filament fabricated component to leave an unsintered component; and sintering the unsintered component to join particles of the SMA and form an SMA component.