Abstract: Parts made by additive manufacturing are often structural in nature, rather than having functional properties conveyed by a polymer or other component present therein. Printed parts having piezoelectric properties may be formed using compositions comprising a plurality of piezoelectric particles and a polymer material comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer and at least one photocurable polymer precursor. The at least one photocurable polymer precursor may undergo a reaction in the presence of electromagnetic radiation, optionally undergoing a reaction with the piezoelectric particles, in the course of forming the printed part. The piezoelectric particles may be mixed with the polymer material and remain substantially non-agglomerated when combined with the polymer material.

Abstract: A marker transport system and a method of operating the marker transport system. A group of print bars is located with respect to a marker transport platen and a marker transport belt. A vacuum source and a pneumatic solenoid block are associated with the marker transport platen. The marker transport platen includes airflow sections divided into process-direction slots and cross-section direction slots. The cross-section direction slots are located beneath the print bars and are connected to the vacuum source via the pneumatic solenoid block, which facilitates an individual control of each of the cross-process direction slots. Pneumatic valves are associated with the pneumatic solenoid block, which supplies a flow of vacuum to the cross-process direction vacuum slots. The pneumatic vales can be timed to allow the vacuum to be present when a sheet is present over a corresponding vacuum slot among the process-direction slots and the cross-section direction slots.

Abstract: A system and method are provided which enable overriding a custom color callout in a print job. Provision is made for a user to associate a unique ID with a custom color callout in a print job, e.g., during generation of the print job or at the printer. The custom color callout provides for a part of the print job to be rendered with a specific custom colorant, e.g., by identifying the name of the custom colorant. The unique ID is associated, in memory, with a custom colorant station of a print engine, independent of any custom colorant that may be housed in the custom colorant station. The method further includes identifying the custom colorant station of the print engine associated with the unique ID and sending the print job in a format for printing to the print engine for printing the part of the print job with a first custom colorant housed in the identified custom colorant station.

Abstract: A process including providing a three-dimensional printing powder dispersion comprising a three-dimensional printing powder, an optional dispersing agent, and water; providing an emulsion of an organic polymeric additive; combining the three-dimensional printing powder dispersion and the emulsion of organic polymeric additive to form a mixture comprising the three-dimensional printing powder dispersion and the emulsion of organic polymeric additive; and drying the mixture of the three-dimensional printing powder dispersion and the emulsion of organic polymeric additive.

Abstract: Thermoplastic polymer particles suitable for use in additive manufacturing and related methods may comprise lignin. For example, said polymer particles may comprise a thermoplastic polymer, a lignin, optionally an emulsion stabilizer, and optionally a compatibilizer. Said polymer particles may be produced by melt emulsification methods and be highly spherical and, consequently, suited for selective laser sintering methods of additive manufacturing.

Abstract: Parts made by additive manufacturing are often structural in nature, rather than having functional properties conveyed by a polymer or other component present therein. Printed parts having piezoelectric properties may be formed using compositions comprising a plurality of piezoelectric particles located in a polymer matrix comprising a first polymer material and a sacrificial material that are immiscible with each other. The sacrificial material, which may comprise a second polymer material, may be removable from the first polymer material under specified conditions. The piezoelectric particles may remain substantially non-agglomerated when combined with the polymer matrix. The polymer matrix may be treated to remove the sacrificial material to introduce a plurality of pores. The compositions may have a form factor such as a composite filament, a composite pellet, a composite powder, or a composite paste.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that automatically generates a set of recommended printer settings 300 for a print job 100 submitted to a printer 10.

Abstract: A composition including a three-dimensional metal printing powder; an organic polymeric additive on at least a portion of an external surface of the three-dimensional metal printing powder; and optionally, an inorganic additive on at least a portion of an external surface of the three-dimensional metal printing powder. A process for preparing a three-dimensional metal printing powder having an organic polymeric additive disposed thereon. A process for employing the three-dimensional metal printing powder including selective laser sintering.

Abstract: A method for direct transfer printing is disclosed. The method for direct transfer printing includes applying a fountain solution to an imaging blanket in a negative imagewise manner using an inkjet printhead, contacting the imaging blanket with a printing substrate, transferring the fountain solution from the imaging blanket to the printing substrate, contacting the printing substrate with an inking station, and depositing an ink film from the inking station to the printing substrate in one or more locations on the printing substrate where there is no fountain solution. A module for a direct transfer marking process and a direct transfer printing system are also disclosed.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing processes, such as fused filament fabrication, may be employed to form printed objects in a range of shapes. It is sometimes desirable to form conductive traces upon the surface of a printed object. Conductive traces and similar features may be introduced in conjunction with fused filament fabrication processes by incorporating a metal precursor in a polymer filament having a filament body comprising a thermoplastic polymer, and forming a printed object from the polymer filament through layer-by-layer deposition, in which the metal precursor remains substantially unconverted to metal while forming the printed object. Suitable polymer filaments compatible with fused filament fabrication may comprise a thermoplastic polymer defining a filament body, and a metal precursor contacting the filament body, in which the metal precursor is activatable to form metal islands upon laser irradiation.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a print fluid deposition assembly, a media transport device, and an air flow control system. The print fluid deposition assembly comprises a printhead to eject a print fluid through an opening of a carrier plate to a deposition region. The media transport device holds a print medium against the movable support surface by vacuum suction and transports the print medium through the deposition region. The air flow control system is to flow air through the carrier plate to the movable support surface via a port through the carrier plate on an inboard side the carrier plate and to control a flow rate of the air flowed through the port based on a size of a print medium transported by the media transport device.

Abstract: An implementation of the present teachings includes inner shell for a printer, such as a liquid metal printer, that mitigates problems associated with the formation of dross. The inner shell can be installed in a reservoir of the printer during a printing process where, during the printing process, a dross can form on an interior sidewall of the inner shell. Subsequently, the inner shell can be removed and either cleaned or replaced. During printing, the inner shell can be raised and/or lowered, or otherwise repositioned, so that the dross forms over a larger surface area of the inner shell, and at a decreased thickness, compared to an inner shell that is not repositioned.

Abstract: Printing methods and devices identify distortable ink colors in a print job. These distortable ink colors interact with one another when printed in the same printing pass on the same area of a sheet. These methods and devices control printheads and sheet feeders to separately print the distortable ink colors in different print passes.

Abstract: Polymer particles that comprise a thermoplastic polymer and a nucleating agent may be useful in additive manufacturing methods where warping may be mitigated. For example, a method of producing sais polymer particles may comprise: a thermoplastic polymer, a nucleating agent, a carrier fluid, and optionally an emulsion stabilizer at a temperature at or greater than a melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer to emulsify a thermoplastic polymer melt in the carrier fluid; cooling the mixture to form polymer particles; and separating the polymer particles from the carrier fluid, wherein the polymer particles comprise the thermoplastic polymer, the nucleating agent, the emulsion stabilizer, if included, and wherein the polymer particles have a crystallization temperature that is substantially the same as a crystallization temperature of the thermoplastic polymer prior to mixing.

Abstract: A system for jetting metal is also disclosed, which includes a nozzle orifice in connection with the inner cavity and configured to eject one or more droplets of liquid metal, a source of printing material located external to the ejector, and an alloying system located between the source of printing material and the ejector. A method for metal jetting is disclosed, which includes introducing a printing material from a feed source into an alloying system. The method for metal jetting also includes depositing an alloying material within the alloying system onto the printing material to produce an alloyed printing material, introducing the alloyed printing material into an ejector defining a cavity which can retain a printing material, melting the alloyed printing material in the cavity of the ejector, ejecting the alloyed printing material from the ejector.

Abstract: An extruder has a valve assembly configured to move pins to open and close the nozzles in a multi-nozzle extruder head independently. The pins of the valve assembly that are driven by actuators into and out of engagement with nozzles in the extruder head are positioned within sleeves that extend between the valve assembly and the extruder head. A gap is provided between the extruder head and the end of the sleeves proximate the extruder head to enable thermoplastic material leaking from the extruder that contacts the pins to remain in a melted or plastic state so the thermoplastic material does not interfere with the movement of the pins.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object operates components in an additive manufacturing system with reference to quantifications identified for properties of different materials in a same layer. The method enables the layer to be formed with compensation for the differences in the quantifications of the properties of the two materials.

Abstract: A method of operating a printer distributes inkjet operations from frequently used inkjets to lesser used inkjets. The redistribution of the inkjet operations helps reduce the number of inkjets exhibiting cross-process direction error so printhead maintenance operations, such as purging, occur less frequently.

Abstract: A multi-function device (MFD) is disclosed. For example, the MFD includes a communication interface to establish a communication path with an authentication server, a user interface to receive document control information for a document to be generated, a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions. The instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to generate a machine readable code that contains the document control information for the document and print the machine readable code onto the document that is printed by the MFD.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a print fluid deposition assembly, a media transport device, and an air flow control system. The print fluid deposition assembly comprises a carrier plate and a printhead to eject a print fluid through an opening of the carrier plate to a deposition region. The media transport device holds a print medium against the movable support surface by vacuum suction and transports the print medium through the deposition region. The air flow control system comprises an air supply unit comprising an airflow guide structure extending into the opening of the carrier plate, the airflow guide structure configured to flow air at a direction aimed under the printhead and at an oblique angle relative to the movable support surface. The air flow control system controls the air supply unit to selectively flow the air based on a location of a print medium relative to the printhead.