Abstract: Provided is a method and device for removing chemically dissolvable support material from objects created by a three-dimensional printing process. In one exemplary embodiment a tank for holding a cleaning solution has a cleaning section and a fluid handling section, and a full level below a top rim thereof. A generally box-shaped parts basket configured to be removeably installed within the cleaning section of the tank has four fluid impermeable walls, a bottom panel perforated throughout with an array of holes, and an openable top cover, wherein the openable top cover is below the full level of the tank and the bottom panel of the parts basket is supported above a floor of the tank when the parts basket is installed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unitary sliding-vane type compressor-expander comprising a housing with a compressor inlet and outlet, and an expander inlet and outlet. A single rotor is disposed therein defining in cooperation with the housing a compression chamber on one side and an expansion chamber on the opposite side. The rotor includes a plurality of regularly spaced vanes slidingly disposed in slots about the periphery of the rotor. The bottoms of the vane slots may be vented through a passage in the housing to the inlet air, or alternatively through a groove between the vane and vane slot to the compression or exhaust chambers. Permanent magnets are used in the vanes and housing to increase or decrease the contact force between the vane tip and housing. An integral condenser-humidifier is provided in the path of the expanded gas exhausting from the turbine outlet for condensing water out of the expanded gas and returning the condensed water to the compressor-expander.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very compact, lightweight, turbomolecular pump for evacuating a chamber at volumetric flowrates of less than 10 liters per second. In one embodiment a turbomolecular pump is provided having a bladed rotor disposed within a housing, and mounted for rotation at one end on a passive magnetic main bearing and at the other end on a ball bearing. The pump is configured such that the magnetic bearing carries a majority of the rotor unbalance load. The rotor may be beneficially tapered from a larger diameter at the high vacuum end to a smaller diameter at the low vacuum end. The invention also provides a method of machining the blades of the rotor from a rotor blank using a single point tool in a two-step numerical control lathe operation. In another method of the invention, the rotor blades are individually cut using a high speed circular slitting saw by plunging the saw radially into the rotor blank.