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.

Disclosed is a coater assembly 1 for a 3D printer, comprising a coater 3 having a container 5 which defines an inner cavity for receiving particulate construction material which opens into a container opening 7 for outputting the particulate construction material from the container 5, and an output region 9 which defines a coater output opening 11 for outputting the particulate construction material from the coater 3 onto a construction field. The container 5 is movable relative to the coater output opening 11 so that by moving the container 5 relative to the coater output opening a discharge of particulate construction material from the inner cavity through the container opening 7 and the coater output opening 11 onto the construction field is variable.

A fiber material is filled into a cavity of a tool to produce a product from the fiber material. The tool comprises a mold which defines the cavity therein and a holder which supports the mold. The holder is displaced to move the mold to at least one thermal treatment station The fiber material is thermally treated in the mold at the at least one thermal treatment station.

The present invention provides methods, processes, and systems for the manufacture of three-dimensional articles made of polymers using 3D printing. A layer of prepolymer is deposited on a build plate to form a powder bed. The deposited powder bed is heated to about 50° C. to about 170° C. Then, a solution of activating agent is printed on the powder bed in a predetermined pattern, and a stimulus is applied converting the prepolymer to the final polymer. After a predetermined period of time, sequential layers are printed to provide the three-dimensional article. The three-dimensional object can be cured to produce the three-dimensional article composed of the final polymers.

In one example, a print head drop detector (202) is described. The print head drop detector (202) comprises a sampling volume and a fan (208) to cause an airflow though the sampling volume (206). Detection apparatus to detect the presence of non-gaseous material within the sampling volume is also provided.

A method for forming at least one three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed, which parts correspond to successive cross sections of the three-dimensional article, the method comprising the steps of: providing a model of the at least one three-dimensional article; applying a first powder layer on a work table; directing a first energy beam from a first energy beam source over the work table causing the first powder layer to fuse in first selected locations according to corresponding models to form a first cross section of the three-dimensional article, where the first energy beam is fusing at least a first region of a first cross section with parallel scan lines in a first direction; varying a distance between two adjacent scan lines, which are used for fusing the powder layer, as a function of a mean length of the two adjacent scan lines.

A dissimilar material joined three-dimensional laminated and shaped object is shaped using a three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus. The three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus includes a material supplier that supplies materials of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object to a shaping surface, an irradiator that irradiates the materials with a light beam, and a controller that controls the material supplier. The three-dimensional laminated and shaped object is a joined member obtained by joining dissimilar materials. The controller controls the material supplier to form a graded composition of the materials in a boundary region between the dissimilar materials of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object.

In example implementations, an apparatus includes a storage unit, an auger screw, a housing enclosing the auger screw and at least one heater coupled to the housing. The auger screw receives a build material from the storage unit and delivers the build material to a build platform via movement of the auger screw. The build material is heated by the at least one heater as the build material is being moved by the auger screw.

A method of forming a three-dimensional object, wherein said three-dimensional object is an insert for use between a helmet and a human body, is described. The method may use a polymerizable liquid, or resin, useful for the production by additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object, comprising a mixture of (i) a light polymerizable liquid first component, and (ii) a second solidifiable component that is different from said first component.

A method of forming a three-dimensional object is carried out by: (a) providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, the carrier and the build surface defining a build region therebetween; (b) filling the build region with a polymerizable liquid, the polymerizable liquid including a mixture of (i) a light polymerizable liquid first component, and (ii) a second solidifiable component that is different from the first component; (c) irradiating the build region with light through the optically transparent member to form a solid polymer scaffold from the first component and also advancing the carrier away from the build surface to form a three-dimensional intermediate having the same shape as, or a shape to be imparted to, the three-dimensional object, and containing the second solidifiable component carried in the scaffold in unsolidified and/or uncured form; and (d) concurrently with or subsequent to the irradiating step, solidifying and/or curing the second solidifiable component in the three-dimensional intermediate to form the three-dimensional object.