Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus may include an array of micro-mirrors, each of the micro-mirrors being individually controllable to selectively be in a first position or a second position, and a light source to direct a pulse of light onto the array of micro-mirrors with sufficient intensity to cause micron-sized particles on a powder bed upon which the light is directed from the array of micro-mirrors to at least partially melt. Each of the micro-mirrors that is in the first position may reflect light onto a respective area on a layer of micron-sized particles to at least partially melt the micron-sized particles in the respective area and each of the micro-mirrors that is in the second position may reflect light away from the powder bed on which the micron-sized particles are supported.

Abstract: In an example, an additive manufacturing device comprises a sensor, a moveable radiation source and a controller. The controller may determine an output of the sensor at a point at which build material melts by causing the moveable radiation source to periodically move over a layer of the build material to provide radiation to the layer of build material and monitoring the output of the sensor.

Abstract: In one example, a non-transitory processor readable medium with instructions thereon that when executed cause an additive manufacturing machine to inhibit build material in an overlying layer of build material from fusing with a first slice formed in an underlying layer of build material.

Abstract: According to one example, there is provided apparatus for generating a three-dimensional object. The apparatus comprises a build material distributor movable bi-directionally in a first axis to deposit successive layers of a build material on a support, and an agent distributor movable bi-directionally in a second axis different to the first axis to deliver an agent onto selected portions of successive layers of build material.

Abstract: An example device includes a camera to aim towards a build platform to receive material to be fused to form an article. The camera is to capture thermal images including a correction image captured during formation of the article at the build platform. The correction image is to be referenced to adjust a parameter of the formation of the article at the build platform. The example device further includes a controller connected to the camera. The controller is to control the camera to capture a calibration image with a heater associated with the build platform turned on. The controller is further to use the calibration image to compute a calibration to apply to the correction image.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object is generated using a build material and a printing agent. A visible property of one of the build material and the printing agent is identified. The other of the build material and the printing agent is selected based at least on the other of the build material and the printing agent having a given visible property. A three-dimensional object is generated using the one of build material and the printing agent having the identified visible property and the other of the build material and the printing agent having the given visible property. The selecting is based at least on the identified visible property and the given visible property having a desired visible property relationship. An apparatus for building a three-dimensional object is also disclosed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object may be generated. Coalescing agent may be selectively delivered on a portion of a first layer of build material on a support member or previous layer. Energy may be applied to the first layer to cause the portion of the first layer to coalesce and solidify. A second layer of the build material may be provided on the first layer. While the second layer does not have coalescing agent delivered thereon, energy may be applied to the second layer such that energy may propagate through the second layer to the first layer to cause the portion of the first layer to coalesce and further solidify.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system is described. The system includes a working area with a moveable platform, a supply mechanism to supply a build material to the working area, a radiation source to apply energy to the working area during construction of an object, so as to fuse at least a portion of the build material, a platform advance sensor to determine a displacement of the platform in at least a direction perpendicular to the plane of the platform, and a radiation source controller to adjust the energy applied by the radiation source based on the displacement measured by the platform advance sensor.

Abstract: Apparatus, computer readable medium, or method to determine a layer volume change in a processed layer of powder, and distribute an additional amount of powder in a subsequent layer based on the determined layer volume change.

Abstract: In an example an additive manufacturing system for generating a three-dimensional object by processing successive layers of build material comprises a controller to: receive data relating to a three-dimensional object to be generated; calculate, based at least in part on the data relating to the three-dimensional object, an estimated time to process each layer of build material; determine the longest time of said estimated times; and configure the additive manufacturing system to process each layer of build material in a time which is the same, within a predetermined tolerance, for all of the layers, and which is at least as long as the determined longest time.

Abstract: A transport device (106) includes a first volume (110) to receive a build material and a second volume (108) to contain an object created by an additive manufacturing system (100). The transport device (106) is receivable by a 3D printer (102) of the additive manufacturing system, and the 3D printer to build the object in the second volume. The transport device (106) is receivable by an extracting and supply device (104). The extracting and supply device is to extract the object from the second volume and to supply the build material to the first volume.

Abstract: An example method for cooling a build volume is described. In one implementation, a heating mechanism is set to a temperature identified based on the build material information, and the build volume is heated using the heating mechanism for a time period identified based on the build material information.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for generating three dimensional objects comprises a first scanning carriage (102). The first scanning carriage comprises a first energy source (104) to pre-heat an area of a build surface as the first scanning carriage (102) moves over the build surface.

Abstract: According to an example, a printer may include a warming device to apply energy onto a region of a plurality of regions of a layer of build materials. The printer may also include a controller that may calculate, based upon the region upon which the warming device is to apply energy, an energy curve to be applied to the warming device between occurrences of a plurality of events, in which the energy curve defines timings and levels at which the warming device is to be operated between occurrences of the plurality of events. The controller may also control the warming device to be operated to apply energy onto the region according to the calculated energy curve.

Abstract: According to examples, a build module may include a housing, a build material chamber, and a build chamber. The build material chamber may be positioned beneath the build chamber in the housing and may include a moveable support member, in which a build material distributor is to supply successive layers of build material onto the moveable support member from the build material chamber. The build module may be removably insertable into a build receiver of an additive manufacturing system to allow the additive manufacturing system to solidify a portion of the successive layers received onto the moveable support member during the solidification process of the build material. The moveable support member may separate the build material chamber from the build chamber to block build material from the above the build material chamber from being received into the build material chamber during a solidification process of the build material.

Abstract: An integrated build and material supply system for an additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a building compartment adapted to accommodate an object to be formed by means of additive manufacturing and a storage compartment adapted to store a build material for forming said object. A volume of said building compartment and a volume of said storage compartment are variable in size, and said system is adapted to re-allocate at least a portion of a volume previously allocated to said storage compartment to said building compartment.

Abstract: An integrated build and material supply system (12) for an additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a building compartment (24) adapted to accommodate an object (50) to be formed by means of additive manufacturing and a storage compartment (22) adapted to store a build material for forming said object. A volume of said building compartment and a volume of said storage compartment are variable in size, and said system is adapted to re-allocate at least a portion of a volume previously allocated to said storage compartment to said building compartment.

Abstract: An example of an apparatus is disclosed. The example disclosed herein comprises a sensor and a controller. The sensor, coupled to the controller, is to measure a temperature from a three-dimensional printing build material layer. The controller is to control an energy source to apply energy to the build material layer. The controller is further to measure a temperature from the build material layer using the sensor. The controller is also to determine a build material quality level comprising at least one of a first quality level, a second quality level, and a third quality level based on the measured temperature.

Abstract: A build module is provided. The build module may include a housing and a build material chamber in the housing to hold build material. The build module may include a build chamber in the housing. The build material chamber may be beneath the build chamber or next to the build chamber. The build chamber may include a moveable support member to receive successive layers of the build material from a build material distributor. The build module may be removably insertable into a build receiver of an additive manufacturing system to allow the additive manufacturing system to solidify a portion the successive layers to be received onto the movable support member.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to substructures for three-dimensional objects are described. In an example, a processing apparatus includes: an interface to receive data representing a three-dimensional model object, the data including object model data and object property data; a mapping module to map received data to a print material coverage representation; a halftone module to provide halftone threshold data; and a substructure module to define a substructure for a three-dimensional object to be generated, the substructure specifying in at least a region thereof a consistent lattice structure and a variable material distribution. The apparatus is to apply a substructure and a halftoning to the print material coverage representation to generate control data for the production of a three-dimensional object having the substructure.