Abstract: A 3D production apparatus and method that receives a 3D production file, the 3D production file containing at least one positional command defined based on an implicit representation, the at least one positional command including at least one parameter of the implicit representation. At least one tool command is generated based on the parameters of the implicit representation. A position of a tool is controlled based on the generated at least one tool command, to produce at least a portion of a 3D part corresponding to the 3D production file.

Abstract: A system is provided for securely performing 3D printing. The system includes: (a) computing equipment configured to: (1) display a list of items available for 3D printing to a user; (2) receive a selection from the user of a particular item; (3) authenticate an acquisition of the particular item by the user; and (4) send, to a 3D printer of the user, a secure 3D print file that includes a description of 3D geometry of the particular item, a description of access restrictions for 3D printing of the particular item, and secure access controls preventing unauthorized access to 3D printing of the particular item; and (b) the 3D printer configured to: (1) authenticate that the user has acquired the particular item and validate that the access restrictions for 3D printing of the particular item do not restrict 3D printing of the particular item by the 3D printer; and (2) in response to authenticating and validating, construct the particular item using the description of 3D geometry of the particular item.

Abstract: Metal composites, tooling and methods of additively manufacturing these are disclosed. Metal objects and structures as provided herein are additively manufactured from metal having an infill pattern infiltrated with a metal powder. Also provided herein are methods of forming such objects and structures. Methods include additively manufacturing a metal structure having an interior printed using an infill. Steps can further include infiltrating the printed infill of the structure with a powder metal thereby forming a composite.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a part formed of metal, a method of determining a ceramic support structure for the metal part, and an un-sintered metal part including the ceramic support. The method of manufacturing the part includes forming a metal part and forming a ceramic support by depositing a ceramic composite material in a pattern to form ceramic print layers. The ceramic support supports a supportable portion of the metal part. The method of determining the ceramic support structure for the metal part includes determining, (i) a composition of a ceramic filament used to produce the ceramic support or (ii) a geometry of an infill of the ceramic support such that the ceramic support has a strength sufficient to support the supportable portion prior to sintering and is deformable to allow the supportable portion to undergo geometric changes during sintering.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for debinding articles. The apparatus and methods may transform binder from furnace exhaust before the exhaust is discharged to the atmosphere. The apparatus may include a furnace retort and a reactor. The furnace retort may be configured to: exclude ambient air; and receive a carrier gas. The reactor may be configured to: receive from the retort (a) the carrier gas and (b) material removed in the retort from the article; and combust, at a temperature no greater than 750° C., the material. The material may be decomposed binder. The material may be hydrocarbon from binder that is pyrolyzed in the retort. The carrier gas may include gas that is nonflammable gas.

Abstract: Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into a conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to drag the filament from the conduit nozzle.

Abstract: A method for generating a more accurate mesh that represents a 3D printed part based on a model includes slicing the model into layers and identifying an infill-wall boundary and an exterior-interior boundary of each layer of the model. Layers of the model may be identified as critical by iterative comparison with adjacent layers. An interior voxel mesh may be constructed based on common two-dimensional reference grids imposed on the critical layers. The interior voxel mesh may be augmented to an augmented mesh and then extended to a protomesh. The protomesh may be extruded to construct the final mesh, which may be analyzed by finite element analysis. The part may be 3D printed based on the layers output by the slicing operation.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a furnace for debinding and sintering additively manufactured parts comprising a unitarily formed retort having at least one open side, a heater for heating a sintering volume within the retort to a debinding temperature and to a sintering temperature, an end cap sealing the at least one open side, a forming gas line penetrating the end cap for supplying forming gas at a flowrate, and a heat exchanger within the retort, outside the sintering volume, and adjacent a heated wall of the retort, the heat exchanger having an inlet connected to the forming gas line and an outlet to the sintering volume, wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat exchange tube length sufficient to heat the forming gas to within 20 degrees Celsius of the sintering temperature before the forming gas exits the outlet.

Abstract: A flexible 3D printing feedstock material is disclosed. The flexible 3D printing feedstock material includes 45-80 vol % of a powder having at least one of a metal powder and a ceramic powder, 0-5 vol % of a compatibilizer, 10-35 vol % of a soluble flexibilizer, and 5-35 vol % of a non-soluble binder component. Methods of forming the flexible 3D printing feedstock material by melt mixing the components are disclosed. Methods of producing a 3D printed part by operating a fused deposition modeling 3D printer loaded with a filament formed of the 3D printing feedstock material are also disclosed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional geometry is received, and sliced into layers. A first anisotropic fill tool path for controlling a three dimensional printer to deposit a substantially anisotropic fill material is generated defining at least part of an interior of a first layer. A second anisotropic fill tool path for controlling a three dimensional printer to deposit the substantially anisotropic fill material defines at least part of an interior of a second layer. A generated isotropic fill material tool path defines at least part of a perimeter and at least part of an interior of a third layer intervening between the first and second layers.

Abstract: Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an extrusion nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to extruding the filament from the extrusion nozzle.

Abstract: A material for producing a three-dimensionally printed part including a metal material and at least one sintering aid in an amount effective to give the three-dimensionally printed part a density of between about 90% and about 100% after sintering is disclosed. A method of printing a three-dimensional part including selecting a metal material, incorporating at least one sintering aid into the metal material to form a print material, and printing the three-dimensional part is also disclosed. A method of producing a sintered metal part including providing a metal material for the sintered metal part incorporating boron as a first sintering aid, incorporating phosphorus as a second sintering aid, forming the metal part in a predetermined form the metal material, and heating the formed metal part to a sintering temperature is also disclosed. Three-dimensionally printed parts are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods of additively manufacturing objects are disclosed. Specifically, provided herein are methods of heating objects having a particle-based support at least partially surrounding the object during portions of stages of the heating. Additionally, systems, apparatus, and methods for removing the particle-based support during heating, such that the object can continue heating to form a final part. Systems, apparatus, and methods for distributing the particle-based support to shore the objects through heating are disclosed. Systems, apparatus, and methods for removing the particle-based support are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: In in-process inspection or calibration of a print bed or 3D printed part with a 3D printer, toolpaths defining printing material shells for deposition by a 3D printer are compared to surface profile scans from a range scanner to identify differences between the print bed, instructed deposition and the measured result, permitting pausing or alteration of the toolpaths or printing process.

Abstract: Techniques for manufacturing optimization using a multi-tenant machine learning platform are disclosed. A method for manufacturing optimization includes: obtaining physical sensor data, by a manufacturing device associated with a tenant of a multi-tenant machine learning platform; determining, by a machine learning spoke system associated with the tenant, a machine learning parameter based on at least the physical sensor data; preventing exposure of the first physical sensor data of the first manufacturing device to any other tenant of the multi-tenant machine learning platform; transmitting the machine learning parameter from the machine learning spoke system to a machine learning hub system of the multi-tenant machine learning platform; and updating, by the machine learning hub system, a multi-tenant machine learning model based at least on the machine learning parameter.

Abstract: Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to drag the filament from the conduit nozzle.

Abstract: Methods for additive manufacturing using a three-dimensional printer including at least one linear feed mechanism and a print head positioned proximate a build platen are disclosed. The methods include a step of providing and/or feeding an unmelted fiber reinforced composite filament at a feed rate by the at least one linear feed mechanism. The methods include heating the filament to a temperature at which a matrix material therein flows within at least one rounded outlet of the print head. The methods include moving the print head and the build platen relative to one another at a printing rate. The methods include applying a spreading force to the filament between the at least one rounded outlet of the print head and the build platen. The methods include a step of controlling a differential in the feed rate and printing rate using the at least one linear feed mechanism so that the feed rate and the printing rate are substantially the same.

Abstract: A method of 3D printing an object includes receiving design information corresponding to an object for which a printed object is to be generated by a 3D printing operation according to a first set of print instructions, generating a plurality of measurement locations, printing successive layers which form the object, measuring the object at the measurement locations to form measurement data, comparing the measurement data with expected measurements of the measurement locations based on the design information, and generating, based on the comparing, deviation information. The measurement locations represent locations of the object to be measured by a measurement device. The deviation information represents deviations between the printed object following completion of the printing, and the object represented by the design information.

Abstract: In a method for additive manufacturing, a multi-strand core reinforced filament including a flowable matrix material and substantially continuous reinforcing strands extending in a direction parallel to a length of the filament is supplied. A first consolidated composite swath of a height less than ½ the width of the filament is deposited in a first reinforcement formation including at least one straight path and at least one curved path against a deposition surface, and a second consolidated composite swath of a height less than ½ the width of the filament is deposited in a second reinforcement formation against the first consolidated composite swath. Each deposition flows the matrix material and applies an ironing force to spread the reinforcing strands within the filament against the underlying surface and/or previously deposited swath.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a method of reducing distortion in an additively manufactured part comprising forming a shrinking platform from a composite including metal particles embedded in a first matrix, forming shrinking supports from the composite, forming a part from the composite upon the shrinking platform and shrinking supports, forming an interior structure in at least one of the shrinking platform, the shrinking supports, and the part having a plurality of chambers with interconnections therebetween, forming from the shrinking platform, the sintering supports, and the part a portable assembly, and debinding the first matrix in the portable assembly to form a portable assembly in a brown state, wherein debinding the first matrix includes penetrating a fluid debinder into the interior structure of the at least one of the shrinking platform, the shrinking supports, and the part to debind the first matrix from within the interior structure.