A system and method for controlling an additive manufacturing system to form a multi-material component. Operating parameter values may be determined for the additive manufacturing system based on a first material and a second material used to form the multi-material component to ensure a requisite level of bonding between particles of a gradient between the first and second materials. Data or models for the first and second materials, along with observed data from a plurality of sample multi-material components formed from the first and second materials may be utilized to determine the operating parameter values. In some cases, the operating parameter values may be tuned to form a multi-material component having predetermined values for parameter objectives along the gradient of the multi-material component. The additive manufacturing system may be a selective laser melting system.

Methods and apparatus to identify additively manufactured parts are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a body, formed of layers layered substantially parallel to a base layer, composed of a first material having a first density, a first indicium embedded internally in the body as a void, and a second indicium on an external surface of the body, the second indicium aligning with the first indicium.

Functionally graded materials can be prepared through additive manufacturing by determining the path that a head of 3D printer can follow while extruding a material mix of a required composition at required points of a layer of an FGM. Each point within the layer is evaluated regarding the directions within which the printing head can move into from that point while extruding the material mix of a required composition. Based on the evaluation, a multitude of polygons are defined within the polygonal shape that are guaranteed to be printable. A path can be designed for the printing head to follow to print all of the defined polygons, and consequently, to print the entire polygonal layer. Material extrusion commands are generated for the printing head.

An exemplary method for determining a set of additive manufacturing parameters includes, a) determining a nominal parameter of at least one surface of a component, b) determining at least a second order variation in the nominal parameter, c) predicting an actual resultant dimension based at least in part on the nominal parameter and the second order variation, and d) adjusting at least one additive manufacturing process parameter in response to the predicted actual resultant dimension.

A method for 3D printing a patient-specific bone implant having variable density, in various aspects, comprises: (1) providing a thermoplastic polymer composition comprising: (A) between about 20% and about 50% bioactive agent by weight; (B) between about 0.5% and about 10% chemical foaming agent by weight; and (C) balance structural polymer by weight; (2) receiving, by computing hardware, a scan of a bone, the scan comprising at least a 3D image of the bone and radiodensity data for the bone; and (3) causing, by the computing hardware, a 3D printer to form the patient-specific bone implant from the 3D image using the thermoplastic polymer by modifying a 3D printing temperature of the 3D printer during printing of the patient-specific bone implant such that each portion of the patient-specific bone implant is produced at a temperature that corresponds to a desired density defined by the radiodensity data for the bone.

A system, method, and computer-readable medium having machine instructions provides for predicting geometric shape accuracy of 3D printed products. Such a prediction may involve developing a model of an object and determining ways in which an actually-manufactured 3D object corresponding to the model differs in real life. These differences correspond to shape deviations. Shape deviations may be process dependent and/or path dependent, and different layers of the object as well as the manufacturing process to make the different layers may introduce shape deviations in layers of the object. By developing a transfer functions of the manufacturing process and associated interlayer effects of the layers and then appropriately offsetting inputs to the manufacturing process, the shape deviations may be ameliorated.

A method for 3D printing a patient-specific bone implant having variable density, in various aspects, comprises: (1) providing a thermoplastic polymer composition comprising: (A) between about 20% and about 50% bioactive agent by weight; (B) between about 0.5% and about 10% chemical foaming agent by weight; and (C) balance structural polymer by weight; (2) receiving, by computing hardware, a scan of a bone, the scan comprising at least a 3D image of the bone and radiodensity data for the bone; and (3) causing, by the computing hardware, a 3D printer to form the patient-specific bone implant from the 3D image using the thermoplastic polymer by modifying a 3D printing temperature of the 3D printer during printing of the patient-specific bone implant such that each portion of the patient-specific bone implant is produced at a temperature that corresponds to a desired density defined by the radiodensity data for the bone.

A device for 3D printing and a control method thereof are provided. The device includes: a feeding pipe, where an opening extending along an axial direction of the feeding pipe is disposed on an outer wall of the feeding pipe; and a sleeve sleeved on the feeding pipe, where a discharge port in communication with the opening is disposed on an outer wall of the sleeve. Compared with a conventional design, the above device utilizes a sleeve to provide a discharge port and sleeves the sleeve and the feeding pipe together, thereby making the structure of the entire device more compact.

A system and method for controlling an additive manufacturing system to form a multi-material component. Operating parameter values may be determined for the additive manufacturing system based on a first material and a second material used to form the multi-material component to ensure a requisite level of bonding between particles of a gradient between the first and second materials. Data or models for the first and second materials, along with observed data from a plurality of sample multi-material components formed from the first and second materials may be utilized to determine the operating parameter values. In some cases, the operating parameter values may be tuned to form a multi-material component having predetermined values for parameter objectives along the gradient of the multi-material component. The additive manufacturing system may be a selective laser melting system.

A device for 3D printing and a control method thereof are provided. The device includes: a feeding pipe, where an opening extending along an axial direction of the feeding pipe is disposed on an outer wall of the feeding pipe; and a sleeve sleeved on the feeding pipe, where a discharge port in communication with the opening is disposed on an outer wall of the sleeve. Compared with a conventional design, the above device utilizes a sleeve to provide a discharge port and sleeves the sleeve and the feeding pipe together, thereby making the structure of the entire device more compact.