Abstract: A carriageless print head assembly, for use in extrusion-based additive construction is disclosed. The carriageless print head features a cold end equipped with one or more timing belt attachment slots and bores for receiving bearings to achieve linear motion. The carriageless print head may be optionally equipped with some combination of an air conduit for cooling the top layer of the constructed product, a fluid channel for aiding in the regulation of the temperature of the print head cold end, and a thermal monitor for monitoring the temperature of the cold end of the print head. A computer-mediated method of monitoring the cold end of the print head to limit jams due to overheating is also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of forming a three-dimensional object in which the polymerizable liquid includes a mixture of (i) a light polymerizable first component, and (ii) a heat polymerizable second component; the heat polymerizable second component comprising (i) a first blocked reactive constituent that is blocked with a volatile blocking group, and optionally (ii) a curative. Upon heating a formed three-dimensional intermediate sufficiently, the volatile blocking group is cleaved and vaporizes out of the three-dimensional intermediate, to form the three-dimensional object. Also provided is a three-dimensional object produced by the method. Further provided is a polymerizable liquid composition useful for carrying out the method, and prepolymers and monomers useful for the polymerizable liquid composition.

Abstract: An assembly includes a first mold component defining a first portion of a mold cavity and a first slot. The first slot corresponds to a first portion of a retention channel. The assembly also includes a second mold component defining a second portion of the mold cavity and a second slot. The second slot corresponds to a second portion of the retention channel. The assembly also includes a connector having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the retention channel. The connector has thermal expansion characteristics that are different from thermal expansion characteristics of the first and second mold components such that when the first and second mold components are in contact and the connector is inserted into the retention channel, heating the assembly causes differential thermal expansion of the connector and the mold components resulting in a clamping force between the mold components.

Abstract: A production method of a composite material includes placing a fiber base material on a mold. The fiber base material includes a first fiber base material portion and a second fiber base material portion. The method further includes disposing a mold release member in part of a region where the first fiber base material portion and the second fiber base material portion are in contact with each other, and curing a resin with which the first fiber base material portion and the second fiber base material portion are impregnated, so as to mold the composite material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for producing objects from a solidifying molding compound, comprising: a feed region (12) with at least one sprue point (32) for supplying the molding compound, and a mold insert (18), which at least in part bounds a cavity (36) in which the molding compound supplied through the sprue point (32) can be received, wherein the cavity (36) has at least one object molding region (38), which molds the object to be produced, and at least one distribution region (40), which is designed to guide the supplied molding compound to the object is molding region (38).

Abstract: This disclosure provides new methods to characterize and relate residual stress and orientation imparted to the injection molded polymeric preform with orientation and residual stress in the resulting blow molded bottle. The method developed allows one to define and map the coupled thermal stress histories of both processes to define applicable preferred mutual processing windows for both preform and bottle molding processes. Stretch blow-molding parameters are developed using the disclosed method.

Abstract: Elastomer-based soft-robotic micro-tentacles capable of winding around and holding microscale objects and methods of fabricating same are provided. To realize the thin, highly deformable microtubes, a fabrication technique based on in situ thermal solidification of PDMS dip-coated around a cylindrical template and direct peeling of the cured structure is presented. This process is capable to asymmetrize the microtube's cross-sectional shape and enable the microtube to bend up to a single turn. To amplify the bending into a life-like, multi-turn spiraling motion, a semi-analytical model to shape-engineer the microtube and turn it into a micro-tentacle was produced. As a result, a hump is added to the microtube to enable the multi-turn spiraling motion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a template for imprint patterning processes comprises a template substrate having a first surface and a pedestal on the first surface of the template substrate, the pedestal having a second surface spaced from the first surface in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. A pattern is disposed on the second surface. The pedestal has a sidewall between the first surface and the second surface that is at an angle of less than 90° to the second surface.

Abstract: A method or apparatus for three-dimensionally printing. The method may comprise causing a phase change in a region of the first material by applying focused energy to the region using a focused energy source, and displacing the first material with a second material. The apparatus may comprise a container configured to hold a first material, a focused energy source configured to cause a phase change in a region of the first material by applying focused energy to the region, and an injector configured to displace the first material with a second material. The first material may comprise a yield stress material, which is a material exhibiting Herschel-Bulkley behavior. The yield stress material may comprise a soft granular gel. The second material may comprise one or more cells.

Abstract: A method for forming at least one three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed on a support structure, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least one model of the three-dimensional article, lowering the support structure a predetermined distance and rotating the support structure a predetermined angle in a first direction before applying a first powder layer covering the lowered and rotated support structure, rotating the support structure the predetermined angle in a second direction opposite to the first direction before directing the at least one first energy beam from the at least one first energy beam source at selected locations of the first powder layer, the at least one first energy beam source causing the first powder layer on the stationary support structure which is stationary to fuse in the selected locations according to the model to form first portions of the three-dimensional article.

Abstract: A method and a device for producing fibre-reinforced plastic mouldings, using coated fibre strands. For the coating of the fibre strands, an air flow of ionised air is produced and guided through a Venturi nozzle. Powder from a storage container is taken by means of a screw conveyor and supplied to the Venturi nozzle, a flow of a powder-air mixture being present or forming behind the Venturi nozzle in the direction of flow. This stream is introduced into a chamber and fibre strands that are earthed or ionised unlike the powder are passed through the chamber and through the powder-air mixture flowing through the chamber, powder particles being deposited on the fibre strands. The fibre strands guided out of the chamber therefore have a coating, and the fibre strands coated in this way are supplied to a plasticising device of an injection moulding machine or an extrusion machine.

Abstract: A stereolithography system includes a tank provided with a bottom and a stereolithography machine provided with a supporting frame and with a supporting structure operatively associated with the supporting frame and defining a housing configured to accommodate the tank. The tank includes a duct made of a deformable material and having a first mouth and a second mouth in fluid-dynamic communication with the tank; the supporting structure is configured in such a way as to assume, with respect to the supporting frame, a first position and a second position in which the tank is in an inclined position with respect to the bearing plane of the supporting frame, and the stereolithography machine includes a counteracting mechanism configured to be placed into contact with the duct in that second position.

Abstract: Fabrication of functional polymer-based particles by crosslinking UV-curable polymer drops in mid-air and collecting crosslinked particles in a solid container, a liquid suspension, or an air flow. The particles can contain different phases in the form or layered structures that contain one to multiple cores, or structures that are blended with dissolved or emulsified smaller domains. A curing system produces ultraviolet rays that are directed onto the particles in the jet stream from one side. A reflector positioned on other side of the jet stream reflects the ultraviolet rays back onto the particles in the jet stream.

Abstract: A molded product production system includes a powdery material mixing and feeding device configured to feed mixed powdery materials including at least two types of powdery materials, a filler configured to fill, with the mixed powdery materials fed by the powdery material mixing and feeding device, a die bore of a compression-molding machine, a sensor configured to measure a mixing degree of the mixed powdery materials fed by the powdery material mixing and feeding device, and a molded product removal mechanism configured to distinguish a molded product obtained by compression molding mixed powdery materials having a mixing degree measured by the sensor out of a predetermined range from a molded product obtained by compression molding mixed powdery materials having a mixing degree within the predetermined range.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a container is provided for use in an additive fabrication device configured to fabricate parts by curing a liquid photopolymer to form layers of cured photopolymer. The container may comprise a laminated multi-material layer having an elastic first layer that aids in separation of cured photopolymer from the container in addition to a barrier layer on an upper surface that protects the first layer from exposure to substances in the liquid photopolymer that may not be compatible with the material of the first layer.

Abstract: A method of and fixture for molding a product with an embedded ring. A system for molding a ring into a product including a rotational molding mold with an opening formed in the rotational molding mold sized to fit a ring. A fixture is removably couplable to the ring, wherein the ring and the fixture when coupled are removably couplable in the opening. The fixture is removed from the ring after the ring is molded into a product. A method of manufacturing a product with an embedded ring includes: coupling a ring to a fixture; clamping the fixture and the ring in an opening in a mold top; clamping the mold top to a mold bottom; rotomolding a product; unclamping the fixture from the mold top; uncoupling the fixture from the ring; unclamping the mold top and the mold bottom; and removing the product from the mold.

Abstract: Multi-film containers for use in additive fabrication devices are provided. According to some aspects, a container may include multiple films that are at least partially detached from one another. In some embodiments, the multiple films may include films formed from different materials. As one example, an upper film may be formed so as to be relatively impermeable to substances within a source material of an additive fabrication device, whereas a lower film may be formed so as to provide desirable mechanical properties. In some cases, the multiple films may be commonly tensioned while being unattached to one another.

Abstract: Method for determining an amount of build material (3) which is to be applied in a build plane (BP) of an apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of build material (3) applied in the build plane (BP) of the apparatus (1) by means of at least one energy beam (4), the method comprising the steps of: subdividing at least a part of the build plane (BP), particularly the complete build plane (BP), of the apparatus (1), in which build plane (BP) build material (3), which is to be selectively irradiated and consolidated during an additive manufacturing process of at least one three-dimensional object (2) by means of the apparatus (1), is to be applied, into a plurality of build plane elements (BPE), categorizing the build plane elements (BPE) in a first category.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for printing a three-dimensional object. The system may comprise an open platform configured to hold a film of a viscous liquid comprising a photoactive resin. The open platform may comprise a print window. The system may comprise a deposition head comprising a nozzle in fluid communication with a source of the viscous liquid. The deposition head may be configured to move across the platform and deposit the film over the print window. The system may use multiple viscous liquids. The system may comprise an optical source that provides light through the print window for curing at least a portion of the film of the viscous liquid. The system may comprise a controller operatively coupled to direct movement of the deposition head and projection of the light, thereby printing at least a portion of the 3D object.

Abstract: A sensing module includes a hollow body, a first photo sensor, and a second photo sensor. The hollow body includes a cavity portion and an insertion portion connected to each other. The insertion portion has a first channel and a second channel. The first photo sensor is disposed in the cavity portion of the hollow body and corresponds to the first channel to sense an ambient temperature and a test object temperature. The second photo sensor is disposed in the cavity portion of the hollow body and corresponds to the second channel to sense the ambient temperature.