A 3D printing apparatus is disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a container, a build material extraction module, an energy source and a controller. The container is to receive a build volume comprising portions in which an un-cured thermally curable binder has been applied to define a 3D object to be generated and portions on which no binder has been applied. The build material extraction module is to remove part of the build material on which no binder has been applied. The energy source to heat the contents of the container. And the controller is to control the build material extraction module to remove part of the build material on which no binder has been applied; and control the energy source to heat the build material to thermally cure any binder in the container.

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.

A method and an apparatus for collecting powder samples in real-time in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involves an ingester system for in-process collection and characterizations of powder samples. The collection may be performed periodically and uses the results of characterizations for adjustments in the powder bed fusion process. The ingester system of the present disclosure is capable of packaging powder samples collected in real-time into storage containers serving a multitude purposes of audit, process adjustments or actions.

A waste management system for an AM device includes a waste container, an air cleaning device installed within an enclosure of the AM device, a first conduit and at least one second conduit. The air cleaning device condense vapors formed within an enclosure of the AM device during operation of the AM device. The first conduit directs the condensed vapors in a liquid state from the air cleaning device to the waste container and the at least one second conduit directs waste accumulated during operation of the AM device to the waste container. The waste container stores waste accumulated by the AM device during operation of the AM device.

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.

Systems and a method determine an amount of printing material powder for 3D printing an object a multi-object printing job. Data on the following is received: a 3D-model of the object, a volume and a surface of the object, data on a thickness of a powder, on characteristics of the build chamber, a volume of a no build zone and a volume of a net build zone, an estimation of a volume of recyclable interstitial powder, on a powder density and on a solid density of the printing material and on a recycling ratio. The following quantities are determined: a volume of the powder layer around the object, a dilated object contribution, the amount of used powder due the dilated object, the amount of lost powder in the no build zone, the amount of lost powder in the net build zone and the amount of printing material required.

A powder sieving system that is configured as part of a powder reclamation system is provided. The powder sieving system includes a support structure; and a filter housing movable relative to the support structure, the filter housing defining an inlet and an outlet and comprising a broad frequency filter disposed between the inlet and the outlet, the broad frequency filter including: a first filter fixed relative to the filter housing, the first filter being substantially rigid; and a second filter coupled within the filter housing adjacent to the first filter, the second filter being substantially flexible such that the second filter is movable relative to the first filter within the filter housing when the filter housing moves relative to the support structure, the first filter and the second filter configured to restrict a first portion of a powder larger than a predetermined threshold from reaching the outlet.

A three-dimensional printing system may include a build platform, the build platform including at least one hole defined through the build platform, a diffuser plate placed below the at least one hole to maintain an amount of build material between a lower surface of the build platform and an upper surface of the diffuser plate, and a flow channel defined around the diffuser plate and sealing the diffuser plate from atmosphere.