Abstract: An additive manufacturing system including a base assembly and a tray assembly. The base assembly includes a build window, substantially transparent to electromagnetic radiation; a projection system configured to project electromagnetic radiation toward an upper surface of the build window; and a tray seat arranged around a perimeter of the build window. The tray assembly is configured to engage with the base assembly in an engaged configuration and includes: a tray structure defining a registration feature configured to engage the tray seat to locate an aperture proximal to the upper surface of the build window in the engaged configuration; and a separation membrane that is configured to laminate across the upper surface of the build window in response to an evacuation of gas from an interstitial region and configured to separate from the build window in response to injection of gas into the interstitial region.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to pulverulent thermoplastic polymer blends comminuted to a particle size of less than 300 ?m. The pulverulent thermoplastic polymer blends can include a first thermoplastic polyurethane and a second thermoplastic polyurethane at a weight ratio of from about 90:10 to about 30:70 first thermoplastic polyurethane to second thermoplastic polyurethane. The first thermoplastic polyurethane can include a reaction product of a first reaction mixture consisting of or consisting essentially of an aliphatic diisocyanate having a number average molecular weight of from 140 g/mol to 170 g/mol and an aliphatic diol having a number average molecular weight of from 62 g/mol to 120 g/mol.

Abstract: A method for producing an object comprises the step of producing the object by means of an additive manufacturing process from a construction material. The construction material comprises a first polyurethane polymer which has: a weight percentage ratio of O to N of ?2 to ?2.5, determined by elementary analysis; a weight percentage ratio of N to C of ?0.1 to ?0.25, determined by elementary analysis; a full-width at half maximum of the melting peak of ?20 K, determined by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry DSC (2nd heating at heating rate 20 k/min); and a difference between the melting temperature and the recrystallisation temperature of ?5 K and ?100 K, determined by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry DSC (2nd heating) at a heating and cooling rate of 20 K/min.

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object comprises the steps of forming a layer of a particulate composition, selectively depositing a liquid composition onto the layer of the particulate composition in accordance with computer data corresponding to the shape of at least a portion of a three-dimensional object, and repeating the steps a plurality of times to form a three-dimensional object. The particulate composition comprises a plurality of first particles that comprise a resin component comprising a first resin, the first resin comprising a first resin polymerizable group. Either or both of the particulate composition and the liquid composition comprise an initiator capable of initiating polymerization of at least the first resin. At least the first resin undergoes melting and polymerization in a plurality of the locations where the liquid composition has been selectively deposited.

Abstract: A layer-by layer method for additive manufacturing that includes: photocuring a first volume of resin to form a layer of a build at an upper surface of a separation membrane laminated over a build window; injecting a fluid into an interstitial region between the separation membrane and the build window; retracting the build from the build window; evacuating the fluid from the interstitial region; and photocuring a second volume of liquid resin to form a subsequent layer of the build between an upper surface of a separation membrane and the previous layer of the build.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a 3D printer includes the steps of providing information obtained in a factory calibration indicating a center of an inner diameter of a tip orifice in a metal extrusion nozzle and a center of a tip surface for the nozzle and inductively sensing the nozzle with an eddy current sensor when secured to a print head on a gantry or robotic arm of the 3D printer to identify a sensed location of the center of the tip surface of the nozzle. The method includes determining a location of the center of the inner diameter of the tip orifice on the nozzle on the print head and utilizing the provided information to locate the center of the inner diameter of the tip orifice.

Abstract: A consumable assembly for a 3D printer includes a spool carrying wound filament. The spool is configured to be installed into a spool cabinet to maintain the filament in a controlled environment. A filament key fob that carries a spool chip programmed with identification data for the consumable assembly is tethered to the spool. The filament key fob is configured to be received in a dock of the 3D printer outside of a controlled environment of a chamber of the spool cabinet while remaining tethered to the spool installed in the chamber of the spool cabinet.

Abstract: A method includes: accessing a first selection of a first test variable; based on the selection, photocuring a first test build by varying a value of the first test variable over a first set of test regions; accessing a first set of measurements of the first test build; calculating a target range of the first test variable based on the first set of measurements; accessing a second selection of a second test variable; based on the second selection, photocuring a second test build by varying a value of the second test variable over a second set of test regions while maintaining a target value of the first test variable within the target range of the first test variable; accessing a second set of measurements of the second test build; and calculating a second target range of the second test variable based on the second set of measurements.

Abstract: A method of processing a water-dispersible, polymer-based material in a bath of a water-based solution includes providing a molten water-dispersible polymer material having monovalent cations. The water-dispersible polymer is introduced into a water bath comprising multivalent salt dissociated in the water bath into multivalent cations and anions. The water-dispersible polymer is retained within the water bath with the dissociated multivalent cations to quench the water-dispersible, polymer-based material while the monovalent cations proximate a surface of the water-dispersible polymer are exchanged with multivalent cations to form a barrier that temporarily resists dispersion of the water-dispersible, polymer-based material within the water bath. The method includes removing the water-dispersible polymer from water bath after the exchange step.

Abstract: A method for printing a 3D part in a layer-wise manner includes providing a pool of polymerizable liquid in a vessel over a build window and positioning a downward-facing build platform in the pool, thereby defining a build region above the build window. The method includes selectively curing a volume of polymerizable liquid in the build region by imparting electromagnetic radiation through the build window to form a printed layer of the part adhered to the build platform and actively cooling the build window to remove energy imparted by the electromagnetic radiation and the polymerization reaction of the polymerizable liquid such that the printed layer is between about 1° C. and about 30° C. below an average part temperature prior to raising the print layer and printing the next layer.

Abstract: A method for 3D printing a part with an additive manufacturing system includes printing a first portion of a part in a layerwise manner and analyzing a topology of the first portion of the part. The method includes determining a tool path for printing a second portion of the part on a surface of the first portion of the part, and pre-heating the first portion of the part along the tool path as a function of the topological analysis of the first portion of the part. The method includes printing the second portion of the part along the tool path.

Abstract: Three-dimensional fabrication resources are improved by adding networking capabilities to three-dimensional printers and providing a variety of tools for networked use of three-dimensional printers. Web-based servers or the like can provide a single point of access for remote users to manage access to distributed content on one hand, and to manage use of distributed fabrication resources on the other.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to certain biodegradable and/or compostable biobased particulate compositions for additive manufacturing, such as those including a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) powder, wherein the particulate composition and/or the PHA powder possesses (a) a free bulk density, as determined by ASTM D1895-96, of greater than 0.30 g/mL, and (b) a sinterability region of greater than 15 degrees Celsius. Also, the invention is directed to certain methods of manufacturing such biodegradable and/or compostable biobased particulate compositions useful as powdered build material for additive manufacturing processes. In addition, the present invention is directed to additive manufacturing processes utilizing the biodegradable and/or compostable biobased particulate compositions elsewhere described, along with the articles printed therefrom.

Abstract: Provided is a photopolymerizable composition comprising a blend of: a) from 40 wt. % to 70 wt. % of at least one urethane component; b) from 25 wt. % to 70 wt % of at least one monofunctional reactive diluent; c) from 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % of at least one initiator; and d) from 2 wt. % to 10 wt % of an amine-functional (meth)acrylate monomer of formula (I), C?C—CO—O—R1—NR2R3 (I); e) optionally, at least one multiple-functional reactive diluent; f) optionally, from 0.001 wt. % to 1 wt. % of an inhibitor, wherein the wt. % in all instances is based on total weight of the photopolymerizable composition, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is an alkyl group, and wherein the amine-functional (meth)acrylate monomer is not an amide. Also provided is a process of producing a photopolymerizable composition, the process comprising blending the ingredients of the prior sentence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an orthodontic splint made of a crosslinked polymer, wherein the crosslinked polymer has a glass transition temperature Tg, determined by means of dynamic-mechanical analysis at a frequency of 1/s DMA as peak tan ?, of ?25° C. and ?60° C., a modulus of elasticity, determined by means of dynamic-mechanical analysis as the storage modulus E? at a frequency of 1/s at 35° C., of ?500 MPa and ?4000 MPa, and a loss factor tan ?, determined by means of dynamic-mechanical analysis at a frequency of 1/s at 35° C., of ?0.08. The invention further relates to a process for producing such splints.

Abstract: Radiation curable compositions for additive fabrication are described and claimed. Such compositions are particularly suited for investment casting applications, and include a cationically polymerizable component, a radically polymerizable component, a certain type of prescribed antimony-free, sulfonium salt-based cationic photoinitiator, and a free-radical photoinitiator. In other embodiments, the composition may also include a photosensitizer and/or a UV/absorber. Also described and claimed is a method for using a liquid radiation curable resin for additive fabrication with a certain type of prescribed antimony-free, sulfonium salt-based cationic photoinitiator and a certain type of prescribed photosensitizer in an investment casting process.

Abstract: A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, which includes providing a part material that compositionally has one or more semi-crystalline polymers and one or more secondary materials that are configured to retard crystallization of the one or more semi-crystalline polymers, where the one or more secondary materials are substantially miscible with the one or more semi-crystalline polymers. The method also includes melting the part material in the additive manufacturing system, forming at least a portion of a layer of the three-dimensional part from the melted part material in a build environment, and maintaining the build environment at an annealing temperature that is between a glass transition temperature of the part material and a cold crystallization temperature of the part material.

Abstract: A resin comprises: A) a (meth)acrylate-functional compound; B) a polyisocyanate; C) a radical starter and D) a catalyst. The compound A) has an equivalent molecular weight with respect to (meth)acrylate C?C double bonds of ?500 g/mol and an average number of (meth)acrylate groups per molecule of ?1.8 to ?2.2, the polyisocyanate B) has an average NCO group functionality of ?2 and an equivalent molecular weight with respect to NCO groups of ?300 g/mol, the catalyst D) is an isocyanate trimerization catalyst and the resin is free from NCO-reactive compounds or, if NCO-reactive compounds are present in the resin, the molar ratio of NCO groups to NCO-reactive groups is ?5:1. Such resins may form hybrid polymer networks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for functionalizing a workpiece surface, comprising the following steps: a) providing a workpiece; b) providing a film; c) functionalizing at least one film side by the location-selective application of a functionalization composition comprising a polymer material onto part of the film side in one or more layers by means of a 3D printing process; d) creating an integrally bonded or interlocking connection between the workpiece surface and the film functionalized in step c) by bringing the film into contact with at least part of the workpiece surface, wherein the integrally bonded or interlocking connection to the workpiece surface is achieved with a functionalized film side. The invention further relates to workpieces having a surface functionalized according to the invention.

Abstract: A method for generating print images for additive manufacturing includes: accessing a part model; accessing a set of dimensional tolerances for the part model; and segmenting the part model into a set of model layers. The method also includes, and, for each model layer: detecting an edge in the model layer; assigning a dimensional tolerance to the edge; defining an outer exposure shell inset from the edge by an erosion distance inversely proportional to a width of the dimensional tolerance; defining an inner exposure shell inset from the outer exposure shell and scheduled for exposure separately from the outer exposure shell; defining an a outer exposure energy proportional to the width of the dimensional tolerance and assigned to the outer exposure shell; and defining an inner exposure energy greater than the outer exposure energy and assigned to the inner exposure shell.