Abstract: A three-dimensional shaping device includes: a dispensing unit having a nozzle and configured to dispense a material toward a stage; a cleaning mechanism configured to clean the nozzle; a moving unit configured to move the dispensing unit and the cleaning mechanism relative to the stage; and a control unit configured to control an operation of the moving unit. The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning unit including a purge unit in which the material is purged from the nozzle and a brush unit to come into contact with the nozzle, and a recovery unit configured to recover the material accumulated in the purge unit. The control unit is configured to move the cleaning unit relative to the stage in conjunction with movement of the dispensing unit relative to the stage.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a method of direct ink writing (DIW). In general, the method includes extruding a resin from a print head, applying radio frequency (RF) heating to the resin, and inducing partial curing of the extruded resin layer-by-layer to thereby form a self-supporting structure. In an additional embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a system for DIW. In some embodiments, the system includes a print head operable to extrude a resin from a nozzle and an RF applicator.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a polypropylene resin exhibiting excellent processability and capable of producing fine fibers, a polypropylene fiber including the same, and a method for preparing the same.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a custom headwear for a subject is described. The method comprises generating a three-dimensional head data file for the subject and determining contour lines on the head; automatically generating a headwear data file. The method further comprises juxtaposing the headwear represented by the headwear data file with the head represented by the three-dimensional head data file having the contour lines thereon. The method yet further comprises utilizing the headwear data file to generate a shape for a desired headwear, the shape having an interior surface to contact the head and an outer surface. Still further, the method comprises projecting lines outward from the contour lines to the outer surface; and utilizing the projected lines to establish headwear contour lines for the custom headwear.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a custom cranial remodeling device for correction of cranial deformities in a subject is described. The method comprises generating a three-dimensional head data file for the subject and determining contour lines on the head. The method further comprises automatically generating a modified head shape data file and juxtaposing the modified head shape with the head represented by the three-dimensional head data file having the contour lines thereon. Still further the method includes utilizing the modified head shape data file to generate a shape for a desired custom cranial remodeling device, the shape having an interior surface to contact the head and an outer surface. The method also includes projecting lines outward from the contour lines to the outer surface and utilizing the projected lines to establish cranial remodeling device contour lines for the custom cranial remodeling device.

Abstract: A nylon tube automatic thermoforming apparatus includes a main body, a conveying assembly, a heating assembly and a tube bending assembly. The heating assembly includes an oven communicated with the conveying assembly and an electrically heated cylinder arranged between the oven and the tube bending assembly. A heating coil is arranged in the electrically heated cylinder. A nylon tube is conveyed from the conveying assembly and enters the tube bending assembly via the oven and the heating coil. The electrically heated cylinder and the tube bending assembly are arranged outside the main body. A nylon tube shaping process includes the steps of drawing, heating inside a main body, heating outside the main body, bending, staying, feeding, angle adjusting, repeating the above steps until the length and the curvature of the nylon tube meet the requirements, and cutting off.

Abstract: A print head comprising two shafts disposed in opposite sides of a filament to drive the filament to a heated chamber for delivering a molten material. The shafts are actively driven, for example, by two independent motors. The two shaft configuration of the print head can improve a control of the filament movement rate, especially for soft filament materials.

Abstract: An inspection system for in situ evaluation of an additive manufacturing (AM) build part is provided. The inspection system comprises a build plane induction coil sensor configured and positionable so that during construction of the build part, the sensor's magnetization and sensor coils surround at least the last-produced layer of the AM build part in the build plane. The inspection system further comprises an energization circuit and a central processing system. The central processing system comprises a communication processor configured for sending command signals to the energization circuit and receiving impedance data from the build plane induction coil sensor, and energization controller configured for determining energization commands for transmission to the energization circuit, and an induction data analyzer configured for processing build part impedance data using complex impedance plane analysis and for identifying anomalies in the AM build part.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing method of producing a metal alloy article may involve: Providing a supply of a metal alloy in powder form; providing a supply of a nucleant material, the nucleant material lowering the nucleation energy required to crystallize the metal alloy; blending the supply of metal alloy powder and nucleant material to form a blended mixture; forming the blended mixture into a first layer; subjecting at least a portion of the first layer to energy sufficient to raise the temperature of the first layer to at least the liquidus temperature of the metal alloy; allowing at least a portion of the first layer to cool to a temperature sufficient to allow the metal alloy to recrystallize; forming a second layer of the blended mixture on the first layer; and repeating the subjecting and allowing steps on the second layer to form an additional portion of the metal alloy article.

Abstract: A kit for the solidification of breast milk and a breast milk solidification process using said kit are described, enabling the transformation of breast milk into a solid product through a chemical reaction, with the ratios of each qualitative element being properly controlled, and allowing lay users to obtain a molded solid product.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to powder spreading and an apparatus therefor. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus having a flexible core and a shell on a surface of the core is used to displace powder in a powder bed. The shell has a low coefficient of friction, for example on the order of 0.10, and may operate to conduct static electricity away from the powder. The shell may be engaged with the powder to displace the powder and form a uniform powder layer having a planer upper surface, as the core is advanced across the powder bed.

Abstract: A method for joining two objects by anchoring an insert portion provided on one of the objects in an opening provided on the other one of the objects. The anchorage is achieved by liquefaction of a thermoplastic material and interpenetration of the liquefied material and a penetrable material, the two materials being arranged on opposite surfaces of the insert portion and the wall of the opening. Before such liquefaction and interpenetration, an interference fit is established in which such opposite surfaces are pressed against each other, and, for the anchoring, mechanical vibration energy and possibly a shearing force are applied, wherein the shearing force puts a shear stress on the interference fit.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a component of with an additive manufacturing system include entraining a first portion of first material particles in an airflow generated by a vacuum source and engaging the first portion of the first material particles against an air permeable screen. The first portion of the first material particles is deposited onto a build platform. The method also includes entraining a second portion of second material particles in the airflow and engaging the second portion of the second material particles against the air permeable screen. The second portion of the second material particles is deposited onto the build platform. An energy source transfers heat to at least a portion of at least one of the first portion of the first material particles or the second portion of the second material particles to facilitate consolidating material particles to fabricate the component.

Abstract: A three-dimensional shaping device includes: a shaping table; a layer forming unit configured to form a powder layer on the shaping table; a head configured to eject a liquid containing a binder from a nozzle to a shaping region; and a control unit configured to control movement of the head with respect to the shaping table and driving of the head by applying a voltage. The control unit executes a first flushing operation when a distance between the shaping region and the flushing position is less than a threshold value, and executes a second flushing operation when the distance between the shaping region and the flushing position is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

Abstract: A measuring system serves for equipping or retrofitting a device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by selective layerwise solidification of a building material. The device includes an irradiator for selectively irradiating a layer of the building material applied in a working plane of the device at locations corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured. The irradiator includes at least two irradiation units, and each irradiation unit can be projected onto a pixel in the working plane and can be at least switched on and off. The measuring system includes at least one camera for determining and evaluating the radiation emitted by the irradiator and/or the position and/or orientation of the irradiation unit(s) in absolute and/or relative to one another, and at least one distance sensor for detecting an extension in a direction (z) perpendicular to the working plane.

Abstract: A device for fabricating a three-dimensional part by selectively melting a powder bed, the device including a first tank for containing a first powder and provided with a first powder dispenser valve, a second tank for containing a second different powder and provided with a second powder dispenser valve, a first and a second monitoring device for monitoring the quantity of first powder delivered by the first valve and the quantity of second powder delivered by the second valve, a mixer chamber in communication with the first and second valves and including a third powder dispenser valve, and a mixer for mixing the powder particles in the chamber, a support for receiving the powder delivered by the third valve and on which the parts is to be fabricated, a powder spreader for spreading powder on the support, and a heater member for locally melting the powder spread on the support.

Abstract: A method includes controlling an additive manufacturing system to fabricate a 3D structure using successive layers of material. The additive manufacturing system includes a build platform having a first region, second region, and overlapping third region between the first and second regions; and multiple sources configured to build (e.g., deposit, bond, melt, solidify) the successive layers of material in the regions of the build platform. Controlling the additive manufacturing system includes controlling the additive manufacturing system to build first, second, and third portions of the 3D structure within the regions of the build platform. Each portion of the 3D structure includes (i) one or more test features that are common to the portions of the 3D structure and (ii) a substrate onto or into which the one or more common test features are formed.

Abstract: A filament fibre production method having process steps of: filtration of and/or applying an evaporation process to wastewater containing a polyvinyl alcohol polymer from a sizing process and/or a painting process in a manner to contain polyvinyl alcohol polymer at rate of 20-30% by mass, adding carbonyl di-imidazole and ethylenediamine or 3-chloro-propionyl chloride and ethylendiamine into wastewater comprising polyvinyl alcohol polymer in 20-30% rate as a result of filtration and/or evaporation process and obtaining PVA-ethylendiamine hydrogel solvent, adding dimethyl sulfoxide, boric acid, acetic acid and a surface active agent into a solvent bath containing PVA-ethylendiamine hydrogel solvent at 20-30% rate, applying coagulation process to obtained PVA-ethylendiamine hydrogel solvent with acetone of critic fluid phase, stretching polyvinyl alcohol polymer passing through coagulation bath at 200 C.°-250 C.° temperature range when wet, and subjecting to fixing process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a swarm manufacturing platform, based on a swarm 3D printing and assembly (SPA) platform as a model for future smart factories, consisting of thousands of IoT-based mobile robots performing different manufacturing operations with different end effectors (e.g., material deposition, energy deposition, pick and place, removal of materials, screw driving, etc.) and real-time monitoring. The swarm manufacturing platform transforms a 1-D factory into a 2-D factory with manufacturing robots that can move across the 2-D factory floor, work cooperatively with each other on the same production jobs, and re-configure in real-time (i.e., the manufacturing robots can be digitally controlled to move, re-group, calibrate, and work on a new job in real-time).

Abstract: Sensor values captured by a sensor device are determined, one or more regions of a three-dimensional component having a deviation from an intended value are determined based at least in part on build coordinates for additively manufacturing the three-dimensional component corresponding to the sensor values, and a quality of the three-dimensional component is evaluated based at least in part on the one or more regions of the three-dimensional component having a deviation from the intended value. The sensor values correspond to an electromagnetic spectrum emitted by a melt pool formed by exposing a powder bed to a beam of radiation emitted from a laser apparatus, with the beam of radiation generating the melt pool in a melt region of the powder bed.