A method of additive manufacturing includes a) providing a component geometry with a hole and, b) selectively irradiating a powder bed with an energy beam according to the geometry in a layerwise manner, wherein in layers of the component including the hole, the respective regions which define the hole are irradiated with the energy beam such that a supporting structure is generated in the hole having a lower rigidity than a structure of the component. The supporting structure is used for counteracting stress or distortion during the additive buildup. A computer program product and apparatus correspond to the method.

A method of printing a 3D object comprising a plurality of discrete elements, the method comprising: receiving a 3D digital model of a shell group comprising one or more shells representing the plurality of discrete elements; defining, in the 3D digital model, a unifying shell to at least partly envelop one or more shells of the shell group to provide a unified digital model comprising the shell group and the unifying shell; assigning the unifying shell with at least one transparent building material that is transparent upon dispensing and solidifying thereof; assigning the one or more shells of the shell group with one or more building materials; and dispensing, in layers, the at least one transparent building material and the one or more building materials according to the unified digital model to form a 3D object comprising one or more discrete elements that are at least partly connected by a unifying element.

A system comprising a support member to support a three-dimensional printed job. The three-dimensional printed job has at least one printed part and associated excess build material. The system further includes a force generating arrangement to impart a force on a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member; and a build material outlet to allow removal of excess build material from a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member. The system further includes a sensor to sense a change in the support member, a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member or a combination thereof wherein the change is due to removal of excess build material from the three-dimensional printed job; and a controller to modify the force imparted on a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member, wherein the controller modifies the force in dependence upon the change sensed by the sensor.

A system comprising a support member to support a three-dimensional printed job. The three-dimensional printed job has at least one printed part and associated excess build material. The system further includes a force generating arrangement to impart a force on a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member; and a build material outlet to allow removal of excess build material from a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member. The system further includes a sensor to sense a change in the support member, a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member or a combination thereof wherein the change is due to removal of excess build material from the three-dimensional printed job; and a controller to modify the force imparted on a three-dimensional printed job supported by the support member, wherein the controller modifies the force in dependence upon the change sensed by the sensor.

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 computer-implemented string based force component creation method for a three-dimensional (3D) printer that interacts with a three-dimensional (3D) printer that is installed in a printing apparatus and that prints an object, the method including attaching a string mechanism to the 3D printer, and creating a force component to support the 3D printer and the object via the string mechanism that is attached to the 3D printer.

Described herein are bioprinters comprising: one or more printer heads, wherein a printer head comprises a means for receiving and holding at least one cartridge, and wherein said cartridge comprises contents selected from one or more of: bio-ink and support material; a means for calibrating the position of at least one cartridge; and a means for dispensing the contents of at least one cartridge. Further described herein are methods for fabricating a tissue construct, comprising: a computer module receiving input of a visual representation of a desired tissue construct; a computer module generating a series of commands, wherein the commands are based on the visual representation and are readable by a bioprinter; a computer module providing the series of commands to a bioprinter; and the bioprinter depositing bio-ink and support material according to the commands to form a construct with a defined geometry.

There is disclosed an ink composition for three dimensional (3D) printing. The ink composition comprises: a liquid dispersion of tungsten carbide (WC) particles and cobalt (Co) particles, and, a carrier vehicle for the dispersion of tungsten carbide particles and the dispersion of cobalt particles. The ink composition is of a viscosity usable with ink jet print heads for 3D printing.

There is disclosed an ink composition for three dimensional (3D) printing. The ink composition comprises: a liquid dispersion of tungsten carbide (WC) particles and cobalt (Co) particles, and, a carrier vehicle for the dispersion of tungsten carbide particles and the dispersion of cobalt particles. The ink composition is of a viscosity usable with ink jet print heads for 3D printing.

Described herein are bioprinters comprising: one or more printer heads, wherein a printer head comprises a means for receiving and holding at least one cartridge, and wherein said cartridge comprises contents selected from one or more of: bio-ink and support material; a means for calibrating the position of at least one cartridge; and a means for dispensing the contents of at least one cartridge. Further described herein are methods for fabricating a tissue construct, comprising: a computer module receiving input of a visual representation of a desired tissue construct; a computer module generating a series of commands, wherein the commands are based on the visual representation and are readable by a bioprinter; a computer module providing the series of commands to a bioprinter; and the bioprinter depositing bio-ink and support material according to the commands to form a construct with a defined geometry.