Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer and method are provided, including a substrate, a liquid deposition device configured to deposit a liquid dispersion including a suspension of a particulate material in a liquid vehicle, the liquid vehicle including a solvent but devoid of a binder material, onto the substrate to form a non-patterned layer on the substrate, a solvent removal device configured to remove at least a portion of the solvent from the liquid vehicle from the non-patterned layer to form a dried non-patterned layer, and a liquid binder print head configured to deposit a liquid binder onto the dried non-patterned layer to form a printed pattern on the dried non-patterned layer.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method are provided to remove powder from a web, for example, in a 3D printing apparatus. A flexible blade is provided to contact and move across a first portion of the web located between adjacent portions of the web to scrape powder from the first portion without removing powder deposited on the adjacent portions. A pair of edge vacuum nozzles and a central vacuum nozzle are also provided to move with the flexible blade to remove powder from both edges of the first portion and a central region of the first portion.

Abstract: Improved carrier plates and methods of use thereof are provided to secure and transport individual layers of a multilayer structure during manufacture of the multilayer structure. In one implementation a carrier plate is provided including a lower portion and a raised portion to support a flexible substrate holding an individual layer laid on an upper surface of the raised portion. Clamping mechanisms, such as rollers, are formed on extended regions adjacent to side walls of the raised portion. The clamping mechanisms are configured to move from open positions, where the clamping mechanisms are spaced apart from the sidewalls of the raised portion, to closed positions, where the clamping mechanisms secure opposite edge portions of the flexible substrate between the clamping mechanisms and the first and sidewalls of the raised portion.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (“3D”) printing system for printing on a substrate, the printing system including a powder distribution device dispensing powder on the substrate and including a blade-shaped end, the blade-shaped end disposed at a height above the substrate; a powder uniformization device located at a distance from the powder distribution device along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the substrate; one or more sensors disposed upstream from the powder uniformization device and configured to determine one or more parameters of a thickness of the dispensed powder at one or more locations; and a control apparatus configured to determine whether the one or more parameters of the thickness is above a predetermined threshold value, and if the one or more parameters is determined to be above the predetermined threshold value, to adjust the powder distribution device.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (“3D”) printing system for printing on a substrate, the printing system including a plurality of powder feeders, the plurality of powder feeders dispensing a powder on the substrate in a first direction and in a second direction; and a powder uniformization device located adjacent to the plurality of powder feeders, the powder uniformization device rotatable along the substrate in directions opposing the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: Examples relate to a print station of a three-dimensional (“3D”) printing apparatus, and method of 3D printing, the print station including a substrate configured to hold a printed object, the substrate having a longitudinal axis, and a print system over the substrate, the print system including a powder distribution device including a blade-shaped end, and a powder uniformization device located at a distance from the powder distribution device along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method and system for 3D printing for creating at least two discrete sections of powder on a substrate, segmenting the substrate to isolate the at least two discrete sections of powder, compacting the powder on a segment of the substrate, removing loose/non-compacted powder from the segment of the substrate, create a printed/processed layer by performing one or more of a printing process or a processing operation on the segment of substrate, and transferring the printed/processed layers from the segment of substrate to a build platform.

Abstract: A battery cell with a polymer based current collector is disclosed. The battery cell includes a battery electrode and a conductive polymer based current collector located on the battery electrode comprised of a conductive polymer layer. The polymer is conductive in the thickness direction between an outer surface of the polymer based current collector and the battery electrode during normal battery operation of the battery cell. The polymer can be an inherently conductive polymer or a polymer composite formed from an insulating polymer material and conductive particles. The conductive polymer based current collector is configured to become less conductive at least in the thickness direction when at least one of heated beyond a melting point associated with the polymer based current collector or stretched beyond a yield point of the conductive polymer based current collector.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes a receiver device, a plurality of material deposition units for depositing a material including a particulate material and a liquid vehicle onto the receiver device to form a printed layer on the receiver device, and a material removing system that includes a plurality of extraction units for gradually removing the liquid vehicle from the printed layer. A delivery system of the 3D printer may transport the printed layer from the receiver device to a build platform for stacking a plurality of printed layers and a plurality of post-deposition processing stations may be positioned along the delivery system for performing post-deposition operations on the printed layer.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method are provided to remove powder from a web, for example, in a 3D printing apparatus. A flexible blade is provided to contact and move across a first portion of the web located between adjacent portions of the web to scrape powder from the first portion without removing powder deposited on the adjacent portions. A pair of edge vacuum nozzles and a central vacuum nozzle are also provided to move with the flexible blade to remove powder from both edges of the first portion and a central region of the first portion.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for adding a new layer to a stack of previously processed layers. In an example, a method is provided for mounting the previously processed layer on a build platform, mounting the new layer on a substrate, aligning the new layer with the previously processed layer, moving the new layer and the previously processed into contact with one another, and applying energy to the new layer from an energy source through the substrate to simultaneously process the new layer and bond the new layer to the previously processed layer to form a bonded processed multilayer stack on the build platform. A flexible compliant pressure conveyance media is moved into contact with the substrate to apply pressure to the new layer while the energy is being applied.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided, which includes a cathode comprising a three dimensional (3D) porous cathode structure, an anode, an electrolyte separator, comprised of a ceramic material, located between the cathode and the anode, and a cathode current collector, wherein the cathode is located between the cathode current collector and the electrolyte separator. The 3D porous cathode structure includes ionically conducting electrolyte strands extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, pores extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, and an electronically conducting network extending on sidewall surfaces of the pores from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for adding a new layer to a stack of previously processed layers. In an example, a method is provided for mounting the previously processed layer on a build platform, mounting the new layer on a substrate, aligning the new layer with the previously processed layer, moving the new layer and the previously processed into contact with one another, and applying energy to the new layer from an energy source through the substrate to simultaneously process the new layer and bond the new layer to the previously processed layer to form a bonded processed multilayer stack on the build platform. A flexible compliant pressure conveyance media is moved into contact with the substrate to apply pressure to the new layer while the energy is being applied.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided, which includes a cathode comprising a three dimensional (3D) porous cathode structure, an anode, an electrolyte separator, comprised of a ceramic material, located between the cathode and the anode, and a cathode current collector, wherein the cathode is located between the cathode current collector and the electrolyte separator. The 3D porous cathode structure includes ionically conducting electrolyte strands extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, pores extending through the cathode from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator, and an electronically conducting network extending on sidewall surfaces of the pores from the cathode current collector to the electrolyte separator.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a battery electrode includes mixing particles of active electrode materials, conductive additives, and binder to form a dry powder electrode material. The dry powder is then deposited onto a moving electrode current collector using a dry powder dispensing device. The dry powder is a loose powder continuously poured from the dispensing device onto a moving current collector in a roll-to-roll system where the powder remains loose on the current collector as it travels towards a compaction stage. After being poured onto the current collector, the loose dry powder is uniformly spread across the width of the moving current collector web by one or more spreading devices, such as smoothing rollers and conditioning rollers. Finally, the dry powder is compacted using a calender configured to apply pressure and/or heat to the dry powder electrode material to activate the binder and form a battery electrode.

Abstract: A solvent-free powder bed printing process includes depositing a binder-coated powder on a substrate. The binder-coated powder includes a binder that is either thermally curable or a photocurable composition. Optionally, the deposited layer may be densified by a compaction mechanism. A printed pattern is then formed by defined binder curing. This includes selectively curing the binder-coated powder to form a predetermined printed pattern using at least one of heat or light to cure the thermally curable or photocurable composition, respectively. Accordingly, the printed pattern is transferred to a build station or platform. Thus, binder deposition and subsequent drying and solvent recovery in the conventional binder jetting 3D printing have been eliminated. In some embodiments, further processing may occur on the printed pattern layer prior to transferring.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes a receiver device, a plurality of material deposition units for depositing a material including a particulate material and a liquid vehicle onto the receiver device to form a printed layer on the receiver device, and a material removing system that includes a plurality of extraction units for gradually removing the liquid vehicle from the printed layer. A delivery system of the 3D printer may transport the printed layer from the receiver device to a build platform for stacking a plurality of printed layers and a plurality of post-deposition processing stations may be positioned along the delivery system for performing post-deposition operations on the printed layer.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method are provided to remove powder from a web, for example, in a 3D printing apparatus. A flexible blade is provided to contact and move across a first portion of the web located between adjacent portions of the web to scrape powder from the first portion without removing powder deposited on the adjacent portions. A pair of edge vacuum nozzles and a central vacuum nozzle are also provided to move with the flexible blade to remove powder from both edges of the first portion and a central region of the first portion.

Abstract: A wetness sensor, and a method and system using such a sensor, for detecting amounts of a wetting agent in a wetting agent absorbing material, including a sensor device located in contact with the wetting agent absorbing material and configured to monitor a parameter of the wetting agent absorbing material which varies in dependence on an amount of the wetting agent in the wetting agent absorbing material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a calendered cathode structure for a hybrid lithium metal cell includes depositing a first cathode coating layer without ionic liquid onto a cathode current collector, depositing a second cathode coating layer with ionic liquid onto the first coating layer, and depositing a third cathode coating layer without ionic liquid onto the second coating layer. A calendaring process is then performed on the cathode structure comprising the cathode current collector with the first, second, and third coating layers thereon such that a predetermined thickness and porosity for the cathode structure is achieved while at the same time the ionic liquid is spread throughout the cathode electrode without reaching the cathode current collector.