Full-automatic microelectronic printer comprising a printing platform, a control component, a feeding component, a camera component, a machine vision device, an ink droplet observation device, and a CAD/CAM system. The printing platform comprises a four-axis linkage system, a printing worktable, a base, a protective housing, an automatic ink cartridge turning device, and an automatic cleaning device; the feeding component comprises a switching control device, an ink cartridge, and an auxiliary processing component; the control component comprises a core control integrated circuit board, a plurality of drive control circuit boards, and a control module interface. The feeding component switches the ink cartridges and the auxiliary processing components to the printing platform in response to the control component which drives the ink cartridges and auxiliary processing components to print, and the protective housing removes fine particles and gas odors. CAD/CAM system assists in designing, generating, and sending instruction to the control component, printing platform, and feeding component to operate and realize full-automatic multi-layer printing.

A removable build module to connect to a host apparatus, may include a build platform to support an object-to-be-built, a drive unit to move the build platform, a memory to receive and store build parameters, and an interface circuit to communicate the build parameters to the host apparatus.

A 3D printer includes a gantry configured to move in a plane substantially parallel to a x-y build plane and a print head configured to extrude molten material to print a 3D part in a layer-by-layer process. The 3D printer includes a platen configured to support the part being printed in the layer by layer process and positionable with a primary Z positioner along a z-axis substantially normal to the x-y build plane. The 3D printer includes a local Z positioner moved by the gantry, the local Z positioner comprising a linear motor configured to move the print head in the z-direction and having an operable range of motion extending from a nominal build position at which a nozzle of the print head is positioned in the x-y build plane to a raised position above the x-y build plane.

An interchangeable chamber is provided for a 3D printing device, wherein the interchangeable chamber includes a building space for receiving a building platform on which a three-dimensional object can be produced, which building space is designed to be temporarily open in the direction of a top of the interchangeable chamber, as well as optionally a storage container for storing building material and wherein the interchangeable chamber comprises a side wall and a cover, wherein the cover is adapted to close the interchangeable chamber at the top such that building material cannot get through the cover out of nor into the interchangeable chamber and the cover is coupled with the side wall.

A method of printing one or more three-dimensional objects comprises: providing a volume of a photopolymerizable liquid in a closed container including an entry port and an exit port, the entry port and the exit port being connected by a channel therebetween, the container including at least one printing zone comprising at least an optically transparent window to facilitate irradiating excitation light at a first wavelength into a printing zone through the at least an optically transparent window, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid displays non-Newtonian rheological behavior such that the object formed in the photopolymerizable liquid within the printing zone remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, directing the excitation light through the at least an optically transparent window into the printing zone to selectively photopolymerize the photopolymerizable liquid in the printing zone without support structures to form a printed object, wherein the printed object remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, and applying pressure to the contents of the closed container and/or pumping additional photopolymerizable liquid into the closed container through the entry port to at least transport the printed object out of the printing zone toward the exit port, thereby discharging at least a portion of contents of the closed container out of the closed container through the exit port. Systems for printing one or more three-dimensional objects are also disclosed.

A method of printing one or more three-dimensional objects comprises: providing a volume of a photopolymerizable liquid in a closed container including an entry port and an exit port, the entry port and the exit port being connected by a channel therebetween, the container including at least one printing zone comprising at least an optically transparent window to facilitate irradiating excitation light at a first wavelength into a printing zone through the at least an optically transparent window, wherein the photopolymerizable liquid displays non-Newtonian rheological behavior such that the object formed in the photopolymerizable liquid within the printing zone remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, directing the excitation light through the at least an optically transparent window into the printing zone to selectively photopolymerize the photopolymerizable liquid in the printing zone without support structures to form a printed object, wherein the printed object remains at a fixed position or is minimally displaced in the unpolymerized photopolymerizable liquid during formation, and applying pressure to the contents of the closed container and/or pumping additional photopolymerizable liquid into the closed container through the entry port to at least transport the printed object out of the printing zone toward the exit port, thereby discharging at least a portion of contents of the closed container out of the closed container through the exit port. Systems for printing one or more three-dimensional objects are also disclosed.

A 3D printing tool and assembly for dispensing multiple materials includes a barrel holder assembly having at least two barrel orifices extending from a top end of the barrel holder assembly through to a bottom end of the barrel holder assembly, where at least one of the at least two barrel orifices is oriented at an angle from the vertical. A method for operating the 3D printing tool includes positioning a first material distribution barrel within a first barrel orifice, where a first barrel tip is disposed at a first end of the first material distribution barrel. The method further includes dispensing building material from the first material distribution barrel when the first material distribution barrel is substantially vertically oriented and a second material distribution barrel is oriented at an angle from the vertical.

In one example, a process for loading a build material powder supply container for 3D printing includes, with a floor of the supply container at or near a top of the supply container, dispensing build material powder into a loading chamber surrounding the top of the supply container and on to the floor, compacting powder in the loading chamber, and lowering the floor with the compacted powder into the supply container.

Method and plant for recovery of a processed, powdered structural material in a plant for manufacturing a three-dimensional component by selective solidification of the structural material by a beam directed onto the structural material, in which, in a construction station which includes a process chamber, the component is manufactured on a substrate plate in a construction module by layered hardening of the structural material and/or in which, in an unpacking station which includes an unpacking chamber, the component manufactured in the construction module is removed from the construction module, and the processed, non-hardened structural material is removed from the component, in which the processed structural material is collected in a collecting device by a recovery device and provided for further feeding into the process chamber for manufacturing further components, wherein the recovery device includes at least one cartridge filled with the processed structural material collected in the application device.

A bottom-up stereolithography apparatus (SLA) (150) comprises a support surface (152) and a vat assembly (100) comprises a first frame part (110) having a first upper surface (112) and a circumferential first inner side surface (113) defining a recess (114) within the first frame part. The apparatus comprises an air channel (115) opening to the recess (114) through the first inner side surface (113). A receptacle (130) comprising a bowl is placeable in the vat assembly with the bowl in the recess so that, with the thereby formed vat (101) placed on the support surface (152), air can be evacuated from the recess (114) via the air channel (115) to stretch the bowl (131) against the support surface and the first inner side surface (113).