Abstract: According to one example there is provided a method for three-dimensional printing. The method comprises forming a pile of build material on a heatable plate adjacent a spreader, heating the pile of build material by contact with the heatable plate, and spreading the heated pile of build material on a support platform.

Abstract: According to one example, there is provided a method of preparing build material in a build material supply module. The method comprises moving a supply platform within a build material supply module in a predetermined manner to compact build material within the supply module.

Abstract: According to some examples, a method comprises measuring, using a detector, a temperature of at least a portion of a layer of build material formed on a print bed associated with an additive manufacturing apparatus. The additive manufacturing apparatus may include a heating module to direct heat towards successive layers of build material during a series of successive passes over the build material. The method may further comprise determining, using a processor, based at least in part on the measured temperature, a duration that the heating module is to wait before performing a pass over the build material, and a speed at which the heating module is to travel over the build material.

Abstract: In some examples, a method comprises sensing a temperature of a plurality of sub-regions of a portion of a layer of build material in an object generation apparatus. A frequency distribution of sub-region temperatures may be derived therefrom and it may be determined whether the frequency distribution is bimodal. If the frequency distribution is not bimodal, a build material temperature zone is identified. If however the frequency distribution is bimodal, a fusing build material temperature zone and a non-fusing build material temperature zone are identified. The method may further comprise determining a nominal temperature of the at least one identified temperature zone.

Abstract: According to one example there is provided a method for three-dimensional printing. The method comprises forming a pile of build material on a heatable plate adjacent a spreader, heating the pile of build material by contact with the heatable plate, and spreading the heated pile of build material on a support platform.

Abstract: According to some examples, a method comprises measuring, using a detector, a temperature of at least a portion of a layer of build material formed on a print bed associated with an additive manufacturing apparatus. The additive manufacturing apparatus may include a heating module to direct heat towards successive layers of build material during a series of successive passes over the build material. The method may further comprise determining, using a processor, based at least in part on the measured temperature, a duration that the heating module is to wait before performing a pass over the build material, and a speed at which the heating module is to travel over the build material.

Abstract: Measures for use in an additive manufacturing system. A thermal camera measures temperatures of a printbed area of the system at a first time and a second, subsequent time during additive manufacture of an object in the printbed area. A controller receives, from the thermal camera, temperature information associated with the measured temperatures at the first time and the second time and processes the received temperature information to determine a first position of a moving part of the system at the first time and a second position of the moving part at the second time. In response to the processing indicating that the moving part has not moved by a sufficient amount between the first time and the second time, the controller determines that the moving part is operating abnormally.

Abstract: A method for thermal control in an additive manufacturing system is disclosed: the method including receiving position information from an encoder device, receiving a data stream from a thermal sensing device, filtering the data stream based on the position information and building a temperature image map from the filtered data stream. A thermal control system and an additive manufacturing system having a thermal control system are also disclosed.

Abstract: In some examples, a method comprises sensing a temperature of a plurality of sub-regions of a portion of a layer of build material in an object generation apparatus. A frequency distribution of sub-region temperatures may be derived therefrom and it may be determined whether the frequency distribution is bimodal. If the frequency distribution is not bimodal, a build material temperature zone is identified. If however the frequency distribution is bimodal, a fusing build material temperature zone and a non-fusing build material temperature zone are identified. The method may further comprise determining a nominal temperature of the at least one identified temperature zone.