Abstract: The present invention generally relates to manufacturing apparatus for forming an integral three-dimensional object from individually contoured laminations of the same or gradually varying shape, successive laminae of that object being produced out of thin sheet or powder based materials through the cutting, fusing or physicochemical property changing action generated by a computer directed beam of concentrated energy or matter, successive substantially planar laminations of that object being automatically stacked together for step-wise laminar buildup of the desired three-dimensional object.