A multi-material 3-D printing system and method including at least two printing heads each with a transparent window circumscribed by an ejection nozzle. Each ejection nozzle is coupled to a respective pump that pumps resin from a respective vat onto a respective window. The resin is cured from below the window by exposure to a digital image displayed by a micro display chip. To switch resins, the sample is moved across a plurality of suction nozzles towards a second printing head. A respective one of the suction heads is coupled to a vacuum that effectuates the intake of residual resin from the underside of the sample.

A multi-material 3-D printing system and method including at least two printing heads each with a transparent window circumscribed by an ejection nozzle. Each ejection nozzle is coupled to a respective pump that pumps resin from a respective vat onto a respective window. The resin is cured from below the window by exposure to a digital image displayed by a micro display chip. To switch resins, the sample is moved across a plurality of suction nozzles towards a second printing head. A respective one of the suction heads is coupled to a vacuum that effectuates the intake of residual resin from the underside of the sample.

An additive manufacturing system has a light permeable base, a build carrier for holding a workpiece and a light source which is arranged to emit light through the light permeable base. The light permeable base and the build carrier are positionable relative to each other in a build dimension in which the workpiece is built up. The system further has a resin vat in which the light permeable base forms a wall portion thereof. The system further comprises a plurality of resin supplies for supplying different light hardenable resins in direct contact with each other in said vat. The system facilitates the rapid manufacturing of a dental restoration having a color gradation.

An additive manufacturing system has a light permeable base, a build carrier for holding a workpiece and a light source which is arranged to emit light through the light permeable base. The light permeable base and the build carrier are positionable relative to each other in a build dimension in which the workpiece is built up. The system further has a resin vat in which the light permeable base forms a wall portion thereof. The system further comprises a plurality of resin supplies for supplying different light hardenable resins in direct contact with each other in said vat. The system facilitates the rapid manufacturing of a dental restoration having a color gradation.

Methods and systems for 3D printing use a 3D printing device defined by a polar coordinate frame including an r-axis, a z-axis, and a rotational theta axis. The device includes a base, a rotatably attached printing stage is rotatably attached, a z-axis aligned pair of towers, an r-axis aligned rail slidably coupled to the towers, a print head slidably disposed on the rail, a printing tool coupling component (“master”) joined to the print head, and a rotatable tool carousel with bays housing printing tools, each including a printing tool body (“slave”). The slave may be coupled with and locked to or unlocked from the master to form a coupled tool assembly through a mechanical actuation assembly. With the coupled tool assembly, a printing tool is removable from a respective bay when the coupled tool assembly moves along the r-axis in a direction opposite from the rotatable tool carousel.

Methods and systems for 3D printing use a 3D printing device defined by a polar coordinate frame including an r-axis, a z-axis, and a rotational theta axis. The device includes a base, a rotatably attached printing stage is rotatably attached, a z-axis aligned pair of towers, an r-axis aligned rail slidably coupled to the towers, a print head slidably disposed on the rail, a printing tool coupling component (“master”) joined to the print head, and a rotatable tool carousel with bays housing printing tools, each including a printing tool body (“slave”). The slave may be coupled with and locked to or unlocked from the master to form a coupled tool assembly through a mechanical actuation assembly. With the coupled tool assembly, a printing tool is removable from a respective bay when the coupled tool assembly moves along the r-axis in a direction opposite from the rotatable tool carousel.

Herein disclosed is a method of treating a component of a fuel cell, which includes the step of exposing the component of the fuel cell to a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The component comprises a first material. The EMR has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 1500 nm and the EMR has a minimum energy density of 0.1 Joule/cm2. Preferably, the treatment process has one or more of the following effects: heating, drying, curing, sintering, annealing, sealing, alloying, evaporating, restructuring, foaming. In an embodiment, the substrate is a component in a fuel cell. Such component comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, a catalyst, a barrier layer, a interconnect, a reformer, or reformer catalyst. In an embodiment, the substrate is a layer in a fuel cell or a portion of a layer in a fuel cell or a combination of layers in a fuel cell or a combination of partial layers in a fuel cell.

A system and a method for levelling a powder bed is disclosed. The system comprises a cutting device comprising a cutting line and a support surface. The powder bed is cut by the cutting line which moves in a first direction such that the cut powder ends up in contact with the support surface, where it is drawn towards an outlet by a powder entrainment system.

A system and a method for levelling a powder bed is disclosed. The system comprises a cutting device comprising a cutting line and a support surface. The powder bed is cut by the cutting line which moves in a first direction such that the cut powder ends up in contact with the support surface, where it is drawn towards an outlet by a powder entrainment system.

Various implementations include a three-dimensional printing device. The device includes a primary extruder, a secondary extruder, and a build plate. The primary extruder has a hollow primary body for accepting a printing material. An end of the primary body defines a primary extruder opening shaped to extrude a primary extrusion of melted printing material. The secondary extruder has a hollow secondary body for accepting a printing material. An end of the secondary body defines a secondary extruder opening shaped to extrude a secondary extrusion of melted printing material. A first primary extrusion extruded from the primary extruder disposed side by side with a second primary extrusion extruded from the primary extruder adjacent the build plate in a first layer defines a gap between adjacent edges of the first and second primary extrusions. A first secondary extrusion extruded from the secondary extruder is disposable in a second layer in the gap.