Abstract: In one example, an additive manufacturing system. An unsealed air supply enclosure for clean air is maintained at a first pressure above an ambient air pressure to inhibit unfiltered ambient air from leaking into the enclosure. An unsealed processing chamber is maintained at a second pressure below the ambient air pressure to inhibit processing chamber air from leaking out of the processing chamber. An air pathway is disposed between the air supply enclosure and the processing chamber to provide clean air from the air supply enclosure to the processing chamber.

Abstract: A plasticizing apparatus includes a drive motor, a rotor rotated by the drive motor and having a groove-forming surface provided with a groove, a barrel facing the groove-forming surface and having a communication hole, an enclosure that accommodates the rotor, a heating section that heats a material, and a wear suppressor provided in at least one of the portion between the rotor and the barrel and the portion between the rotor and the enclosure. When the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the barrel, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the barrel and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the barrel, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed, whereas when the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the enclosure, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the enclosure and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the enclosure, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes a base plate and a nozzle connectable to a source of molten material and operable to eject the molten material onto the base plate that are movable in orthogonal directions to form a 3D object on the base plate. An error detection system detects a dislocation of the 3D object on the base plate during the 3D printing operation, which can lead to stopping the 3D printing process. The error detection system includes a beam emitter and a detector that work in conjunction with a tag formed on the 3D object to determine whether the object has dislocated.

Abstract: A sliding window is used in a projection-based stereolithographic process to more quickly deliver uncured resin after each curing pass. The sliding window may be configured in different patterns, and includes features for delivering resin and exposing resin to curing radiation. The window screen divides the stereolithographic building area divided into two portions, a light exposure portion for resin curing and a liquid resin refilling portion. The light exposure portion is used to selectively solidify liquid resin, while the liquid resin refilling portion is used to quickly refill liquid resin in order to build additional layers. During the layer fabrication process, a mask image is projected to the tank; however, the projection light only passes through the light exposure portion of the window screen.

Abstract: A method of processing data for additive manufacturing of a 3D object comprises: receiving graphic elements defining a surface of the object, and an input color texture to be visible over a surface of the object; transforming the elements to voxelized computer object data; constructing a 3D color map having a plurality of pixels, each being associated with a voxel and being categorized as either a topmost pixel or an internal pixel. Each topmost pixel is associated with a group of internal pixels forming a receptive field for the topmost pixel. A color-value is assigned to each topmost pixel and each internal pixel of a receptive field associated with the topmost pixel, based on the color texture and according to a subtractive color mixing. A material to be used during the additive manufacturing is designated based on the color-value.

Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object in which a three-dimensional shaped object is manufactured by discharging a shaping material from a discharge unit. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object includes: (A) a step of generating first shaping data including information on a first discharge path for forming an outer shell shape of the three-dimensional shaped object, and information for specifying a line width of the first discharge path; (B) a step of generating second shaping data including information on a second discharge path for filling an infill area that is an inner side portion of the outer shell shape, and information for specifying a line width of the second discharge path; and (C) a step of shaping the three-dimensional shaped object according to the first shaping data and the second shaping data.

Abstract: Provided is an insulation product, optionally in a tubular form, that includes a coated foam insulation layer, where the foam insulation layer has a closed-cell structure. The coating can comprise a thermoplastic elastomer that seamlessly covers and is bonded to an outer surface of the elastomeric foam layer in the absence of an adhesive bonding material to protect the foam insulation layer, e.g., during outdoor insulation applications. A pipe where the insulation product is installed is also provided, as is a method of installing the insulation product, and a method of producing the insulation product.

Abstract: A manufacturing process is provided during which a thrust reverser cascade is formed for an aircraft propulsion system. During the formation of the thrust reverser cascade, a first panel of material is stamped into a first corrugated body. A second panel of material is stamped into a second corrugated body. The first corrugated body is bonded to the second corrugated body.

Abstract: In an example, a method is described that includes generating a model for fabricating an object via an additive manufacturing process. The model includes a first region defining the object and a second region defining a sacrificial artifact. The object is fabricated via the additive manufacturing process, using a fusing printing fluid. The sacrificial artifact is fabricated simultaneously with fabricating the object, via the additive manufacturing process, using a non-fusing printing fluid.

Abstract: A device includes a material dispenser and a fluid dispenser. The material dispenser is to dispense a build material layer-by-layer, to at least partially additively form a first 3D object. The fluid dispenser is to dispense at least one fluid agent at selectable exterior voxel locations of the respective layers to at least partially define an external surface of the first 3D object as a first color to represent a first non-color material property of at least a first portion of the first 3D object. The selection of the first color is independent of characteristics of the first non-color material property.

Abstract: A dosage device for extruding a bicomponent or a monocomponent sealant, particularly for an automatic machine for sealing a perimetric edge of an insulating glazing unit constituted by at least two glass sheets and by at least one spacer frame, having a finite width, is arranged proximate to the perimeter at a finite distance from the margin of the glass sheets, includes a first dosage assembly and a separate second dosage assembly for the dosage and feeding of the sealant, which can be activated alternately, in a first feeding step and in a third feeding step, so that one of them provides flow continuity to an extrusion nozzle while the other one is in the reloading step.

Abstract: A variety of techniques are used to manage temperature in and around an extruder for a three-dimensional printer.

Abstract: A method of forming a nipple for a baby bottle, comprises: forming a lower conical wall section; forming a higher conical wall section molded above the lower conical wall section; preventing deformation of the higher conical wall section; and cutting an opening through the higher conical wall section into an interior section of the nipple.

Abstract: A method for the production of an elastic laminate, comprising the following steps in a same production line: to coextrude a first web of elastic film (F) with at least three layers (F1, F2, F1), comprising at least two different polymer materials, to feed contemporaneously said coextruded first elastic film (F) web and two second nonwoven webs (T1, T2) to a thermal, binding calender (14), wherein the first elastic film web is arranged between said two second nonwoven webs when entering the calender; wherein said first elastic film web, during the movement from the coextrusion step to the thermal binding step, passes from a melted state, in the coextrusion step, to a solidified and cold state when entering the calender, to join, through spot welding in said calender, said second nonwoven webs with respective opposite outer layers of said first elastic film web, thus producing an intermediate web (P1), to stretch mechanically said intermediate web according to a direction transverse to the same web.

Abstract: A molding machine places strips of a tape material side by side and molds the tape material into a molded shape having a web portion and a flange portion, the tape material including a continuous fiber bundle extending in a longitudinal direction. The molding machine includes spreading unit able to increase a width of the tape material by spreading the tape material, and a laying roller that places the tape material which has passed through the spreading unit onto a surface of a molding tool. The spreading unit continuously changes the width of the tape material to avoid generation of a gap between adjacent strips of the tape material, the adjacent strips being adjacent to each other when the tape material is placed on the surface of the molding tool, and the laying roller places the strips of the tape material side by side in a plurality of rows.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for cutting material used in fused deposition modeling systems are provided, which comprise a ribbon including one or more perforations. Material is passed through at least one perforation and movement of the ribbon cuts the material. A further embodiment comprises a disk including one or more blade structures, each forming at least one cavity. Material is passed through at least one cavity and a rotational movement of the disk cuts the material. A further embodiment comprises a slider-crank mechanism including a slider coupled to a set of parallel rails of a guide shaft. The slider moves along a length of the rails to cut the material. Yet another embodiment comprises one or more rotatable blade structures coupled to at least one rod. The rotation of the blade structures causes the blade structures to intersect and cut extruded material during each rotation.

Abstract: An approach is provided for a three-dimensional (3D) printing method for forming a 3D object. The approach provides for printing a structure of the 3D object by depositing a thermoplastic material, in which the thermoplastic material is radiolucent. The approach provides for printing one or more radio-opaque markers by depositing another material, which includes at least a radio-opaque material. The approach integrates the one or more radio-opaque markers with the structure of the 3D object.

Abstract: A method for managing the temperature of three-dimensional object during additive manufacturing includes depositing material on a partial fabrication of the three-dimensional object, determining thermal properties of the three-dimensional object after depositing the material, and controlling cooling of the object according to said thermal properties. In some examples, the determining of the thermal properties includes determining a temperature variation across the object and controlling position-dependent cooling of the object in a feedback arrangement. Resulting uniform temperature of the object under fabrication can improve dimensional accuracy and material properties of the object.

Abstract: A device includes a carriage movable relative to a build pad along a bi-directional travel path and supporting at least a radiation source and an applicator to selectively apply a plurality of fluid agents, including first fluid agents to affect a first material property. A timing and order of operation of the radiation source and the applicator, with the carriage, is to maintain first and second portions of a 3D object under formation within at least one selectable temperature range despite a first total volume of the first fluid agents for application onto the first portion of the 3D object being substantially greater than a second total volume of second fluid agents for application onto the second portion of the 3D object.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage media for controlling a fast-moving path of a printer nozzle. In some embodiments, a method for controlling fast movement of a printer nozzle includes the following steps. (1) Obtaining a start position and an end position. The start position is a position of a fast-moving start point of the printer nozzle, and the end position is a position of a fast-moving end point of the printer nozzle. (2) Determining an optimal fast-moving path on a horizontal plane corresponding to a slice of a print target according to the start position and the end position, so that a length of the fast-moving path outside a polygon in the slice is the shortest. (3) Controlling the printer nozzle to move relative to a base of the printer according to the optimal fast-moving path on the horizontal plane.