Abstract: A method includes ejecting a plurality of drops of a build material from a nozzle of a 3D printer. The build material cools and solidifies after being ejected to form a 3D object. The method also includes controlling an oxidation of the drops, the 3D object or both to create different oxidation levels in first and second portions of the 3D object.

Abstract: A slicer in a material drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) object printer identifies the positions and local densities for a plurality of infill lines within a perimeter to be formed within a layer of an object to be formed by the printer. The local density of each infill line is filtered and a control law is applied to the filtered local density to identify an error in the local density compared to a target density. This process is performed iteratively until the error is within a predetermined tolerance range about the target local density. The error is used to generate machine ready instructions to operate the 3D object printer to achieve the target density for the infill lines.

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional printed part is disclosed which includes positioning a printing system at a first standoff position under a first condition. The method also includes positioning the printing system at a second standoff position under a second condition. The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part may include where one of the first condition and second condition may include a printing material drop being ejecting onto a surface of a substrate. The printing material drop may include a metal, a metallic alloy, or a combination thereof. A printing system and a three-dimensional printed part employed the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A slicer in a material drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) object printer determines the number of material drops to eject to form a perimeter in an object layer and distributes a quantization error over the layers forming the perimeter. The slicer also identifies the location for the first material drop ejected to form the perimeter using a blue noise generator.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of forming an overhang for a three-dimensional printed part. The method includes ejecting one or more drops of a print material to create a preform onto a top layer of a three-dimensional printed part where the preform is oriented at an angle of 60 degrees or greater relative to a print bed in a first dimension, and bending the preform to form the overhang having an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the print bed, and where no portion of the preform contacts the print bed. A printing system for executing a method of forming an overhang for a three-dimensional printed part is also disclosed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is operated to compensate for surface deviations of overhanging features differently than for non-overhanging features. The compensation technique used for the overhanging features depends on whether an edge of the overhanging feature being formed in a next layer has curved or sharp corners.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is operated to form sloping surfaces having a slope angle of more than 45° from a line that is perpendicular to the structure on which the layer forming the slope surface is formed. The angle corresponds to a step-out distance from the perpendicular line and a maximum individual step-out distance determined from empirically derived data. Multiple passes of an ejection head of the apparatus can be performed within a layer to form a sloped edge and the mass of the sloped structure is distributed within the sloped edge so the edge is formed without defects.

Abstract: A method of operating a three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus selects operational parameters for operation of the printer to form conductive metal traces on substrates with dimensions within appropriate tolerances and with sufficient conductive material to carry electrical currents without burning up or becoming too hot. The method identifies the material of the substrate and the bulk metal being melted for ejection and uses this identification data to select the operational parameters. Thus, the method can form conductive traces and circuits on a wide range of substrate materials including polymeric substrates, semiconductor materials, oxide layers on semiconductor materials, glass, and other crystalline materials.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) object printer operates a radiation source to direct radiation emitted by the radiation source through a porous substrate at a first intensity insufficient to cure a material contained in the porous substrate and at a second intensity sufficient to cure the material after the emitted radiation has passed through the porous substrate. The material is applied to the porous substrate by one or more wipers.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a wire detector to determine a position of a top surface of melted metal contained in a receptacle of a heated vessel in the apparatus from time to time. The solid metal wire being fed into the heated vessel is retracted and the length of the retracted wire is determined using a signal generated by the wire detector. The determined length of the wire is used to identify the position of the top level of the melted metal in the receptacle so the receptacle can be replenished if the level has fallen below a predetermined capacity for the receptacle.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus selects operational parameters for operation of the printer to form conductive metal traces on substrates with dimensions within appropriate tolerances and with sufficient conductive material to carry electrical currents without burning up or becoming too hot. The apparatus identifies the material of the substrate and the bulk metal being melted for ejection and uses this identification data to select the operational parameters. Thus, the apparatus can form conductive traces and circuits on a wide range of substrate materials including polymeric substrates, semiconductor materials, oxide layers on semiconductor materials, glass, and other crystalline materials.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes an ejector and a coil wrapped partially around the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a power source configured to transmit voltage pulses to the coil. The 3D printer causes one or more drops of the liquid to be jetted out of the nozzle, and a substrate configured to support the one or more drops and advance along a path defined by one or more arcuate contours, where the one or more arcuate contours define a first layer of a strut. One or more struts are printed from the first layer of the strut to a node of each strut. The one or more struts are printed from a first layer to a node and combine to fabricate a lattice structure including one or more vertical struts and/or one or more angled struts wherein each strut intersects with another strut at a node.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a solid graphite application device that forms graphite interfaces between support structures and portions of the metal object supported by the support structures. The graphite forming the graphite interfaces are applied to support structures by operating an actuator to move the graphite application to a surface of the support structure and move a graphite member within the device against the surface of the support structure.

Abstract: A slicer in a material drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) object printer identifies the positions and local densities for a plurality of infill lines within a perimeter to be formed within a layer of an object to be formed by the printer. The local density of each infill line is filtered and a control law is applied to the filtered local density to identify an error in the local density compared to a target density. This process is performed iteratively until the error is within a predetermined tolerance range about the target local density. The error is used to generate machine ready instructions to operate the 3D object printer to achieve the target density for the infill lines.

Abstract: A method includes ejecting a plurality of drops of a build material from a nozzle of a 3D printer. The build material cools and solidifies after being ejected to form a 3D object. The method also includes controlling an oxidation of the drops, the 3D object or both to create different oxidation levels in first and second portions of the 3D object.

Abstract: A slicer in a material drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) object printer identifies the positions and local densities for a plurality of infill lines within a perimeter to be formed within a layer of an object to be formed by the printer. The local density of each infill line is filtered and a control law is applied to the filtered local density to identify an error in the local density compared to a target density. This process is performed iteratively until the error is within a predetermined tolerance range about the target local density. The error is used to generate machine ready instructions to operate the 3D object printer to achieve the target density for the infill lines.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes an ejector and a heating element configured to heat a solid printing material in the ejector, thereby causing the solid printing material to change to a liquid printing material within the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a coil wrapped at least partially around the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a power source configured to supply one or more pulses of power to the coil, which cause one or more drops of the liquid printing material to flow out of the ejector through a nozzle of the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a gas-controlling device configured to control a gas in the 3D printer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a wire detector to determine a position of a top surface of melted metal contained in a receptacle of a heated vessel in the apparatus from time to time. The solid metal wire being fed into the heated vessel is retracted and the length of the retracted wire is determined using a signal generated by the wire detector. The determined length of the wire is used to identify the position of the top level of the melted metal in the receptacle so the receptacle can be replenished if the level has fallen below a predetermined capacity for the receptacle.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) object printer operates a radiation source to direct radiation emitted by the radiation source through a porous substrate at a first intensity insufficient to cure a material contained in the porous substrate and at a second intensity sufficient to cure the material after the emitted radiation has passed through the porous substrate. The material is applied to the porous substrate by one or more wipers.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is operated to form sloping surfaces having a slope angle of more than 45° from a line that is perpendicular to the structure on which the layer forming the slope surface is formed. The angle corresponds to a step-out distance from the perpendicular line and a maximum individual step-out distance determined from empirically derived data. Multiple passes of an ejection head of the apparatus can be performed within a layer to form a sloped edge and the mass of the sloped structure is distributed within the sloped edge so the edge is formed without defects.