Abstract: A consumable assembly for a 3D printer includes a spool carrying wound filament. A 3D printer includes a print head configured to receive filament material and a spool cabinet configured to have a filament spool positioned therein to provide a controlled environment for filament on the filament spool. A dock of the 3D printer is located outside of a chamber of the spool cabinet and is configured to receive a filament key fob, including a spool chip, of the filament spool to maintain the spool chip outside of the controlled environment of the chamber.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus that transfers a pattern of a mold to an imprint material on a substrate, includes: a mold having a pattern region in which the pattern is formed; a substrate holding unit having a substrate mounting surface on which the substrate is mounted; a driving unit configured to drive the mold and press the mold against the substrate coated with an imprint material at three or more positions; and a control unit configured to control a pressing force of the driving unit based on a distance in an XY plane parallel to the substrate mounting surface between the driving unit and a top portion of a convex shape of at least one of the mold and the substrate deformed by the deformation mechanism.

Abstract: A three-dimensional shaping device includes: a plasticization unit that plasticizes at least a part of a material to produce a shaping material; a nozzle that ejects the shaping material to an uppermost layer; a moving mechanism that changes a relative position between the nozzle and the uppermost layer; a control unit that controls the moving mechanism such that the shaping material is ejected from the nozzle to the uppermost layer; and a compression unit that has a contact surface with a shape surrounding the nozzle and is capable of compressing the shaping material by bringing the contact surface into contact with the shaping material ejected to the uppermost layer.

Abstract: An AM installation utilising SLM or SLS a chamber of a housing with a protective atmosphere, a support structure in the chamber defines an upper horizontal surface on which a laser source is operable for focusing onto predetermined regions of a build area of the plane of the horizontal surface. The laser beam source is operable so areas of each of successive layers of powder material are sintered or fully molten throughout its layer thickness. A dosing device raises successive quantities of powder to the level of the upper surface to enable a re-coater to form the layers. A separable build device unit defines build chamber opening at the upper surface, and includes a lift table and an electric drive by which the lift table is stepwise vertically adjustable so a progressively built component is lowerable into the build chamber.

Abstract: A material delivery device includes: a plasticization unit having a screw and configured to plasticize a material by rotation of the screw to produce a plasticized material; a flow path through which the plasticized material flows; a nozzle having a nozzle opening that communicates with the flow path and delivers the plasticized material to an outside; a cylinder coupled to the flow path; a rod inserted into the cylinder; and a first pressure detection unit configured to detect a pressure of the plasticized material in the flow path via the rod. In a longitudinal direction of the rod, the rod has a rod end surface facing the flow path and a transmission unit at an opposite side of the rod end surface, and transmits a force due to the pressure received at the rod end surface to the first pressure detection unit via the transmission unit.

Abstract: The tire mold comprises lower 12 and upper portions 14 which are movable relative to one another between a close-together position for molding the tire and a distanced position for extracting said tire from the mold, and a plurality of central sectors 16 which are in axial contact with the lower 12 and upper portions 14 in their close-together molding position. For each sector 16, the mold comprises an upper member 22 for permanently coupling said sector to the upper portion 14, and a lower member 20 for temporarily coupling said sector to the lower portion 12, said coupling members 20, 22 being configured so as to obtain, during an axial distancing movement of the lower 12 and upper portions 14 from their close-together molding position, a radial displacement of said sector 16 toward the outside followed by an angular pivoting.

Abstract: A material delivery device includes: a plasticization unit having a screw and configured to plasticize a material by rotation of the screw to produce a plasticized material; a flow path through which the plasticized material flows; a nozzle having a nozzle opening that communicates with the flow path and delivers the plasticized material to an outside; a cylinder coupled to the flow path; a rod inserted into the cylinder; and a first pressure detection unit configured to detect a pressure of the plasticized material in the flow path via the rod. In a longitudinal direction of the rod, the rod has a rod end surface facing the flow path and a transmission unit at an opposite side of the rod end surface, and transmits a force due to the pressure received at the rod end surface to the first pressure detection unit via the transmission unit.

Abstract: Techniques to allow an additive fabrication device to dynamically adjust the size of a post metering volume for adjusting pressure of source material in the volume. These techniques may allow for greater control of material extrusion through an orifice and thereby mitigate or avoid issues of lag time between starting and/or stopping extrusion and/or in which there is unwanted emission of source material through the orifice. In some cases, techniques for adjusting the size of the post metering volume may include operating an actuator arranged in a channel that is coupled to the post metering volume. In some cases, techniques for adjusting the size of the post metering volume may include having a stator that is at least partially arranged within a chamber that defines the post metering volume and is free to move within the chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus, system and method having two hobs suitable to receive and extrude therebetween a print material filament for the additive manufacturing; a material guide suitable to receive the extruded print material filament; a heater element coupled to a transition point along the material guide distally from the at least two hobs, wherein the transition point comprises a partial liquefication of the print material within the material guide by the heater element to allow for printing of the partially liquefied print material; at least one peltier device at least partially about an upper aspect of the transition point and suitable to at least sink heat from the upper aspect of the transition point to thereby preclude partial liquefication of the print material above the upper aspect; and a print nozzle in fluid communication with the liquefied print material and suitable to print the liquefied print material.

Abstract: A method for producing a plastic composite panel which is provided as a layer structure. The method includes providing a film layer structure comprising an adhesive layer which is arranged between two transparent plastic films. The film layer structure is pre-molded to assume an approximately final shape and is arranged in a molding tool so that a first main surface of the film layer structure is towards the molding surface of the molding tool and so that a cavity is formed between the second main surface of the film layer structure and a surface of the molding tool. The film layer structure is then back-molded in a thermal molding method step while introducing a thermoplastic material into the cavity to provide the layer structure. A pre-molding and back-molding step, a rigidification of the thermoplastic layer, and a demolding of the layer structure is further performed.

Abstract: A drape forming apparatus includes a forming tool having a first forming surface and a second forming surface nonplanar with the first forming surface. A tray is spaced apart from the forming tool and is configured to pivot about a hinged end from a first position to a second position under an applied force such that a distal end moves away from the forming tool. A first side of the tray faces a first heat source when the tray is in the first position, and a second heat source is disposed at a second side of the tray. A device for use in forming the composite structure includes a standoff and the tray, and a heat source is secured to the second side of the tray. A method of forming a composite structure includes heating both sides of the composite material with the first and second heat sources.

Abstract: A tool is configured to form a composite charge into a stringer having a net shape with at least one out-of-place feature. The out-of-plane feature is formed by a shim removably attached to the tool. A family of the shims may be used to form a range of out-of-plane features having varying characteristics.

Abstract: Manufacturing of a part by local irradiation of a material that can be sintered, melted or photopolymerized, by: providing a volume of the material for manufacturing the part and compressing the volume by applying a pressure; defining, in the volume, a plurality of different target volumes, the combined target volumes defining the part to be manufactured; for each target volume, maintaining the pressure applied to the volume and simultaneously irradiating the target volume with at least two continuous beams that converge in the target volume; releasing the obtained part from the rest of non-irradiated material. The material is partially transparent to the beams; the energy applied to the target volume by each beam is greater than Ethreshold, the sum of the energies applied to the target volume by each of the beams is greater than or equal to Etransformation threshold.

Abstract: A method is described of making a training firearm that has a replaceable magazine. The training firearm is not an actual firearm but possesses a visual look and tactile fee of an actual firearm, to enable a user to train realistically but safely.