Abstract: According to an example, an apparatus for a three-dimensional printing system comprises a chamber, an actuator, and a controller. The chamber comprises an opening towards the top of the chamber to receive a container having an openable base and the container is to contain a build cake, wherein the chamber further comprises a platform movable below the opening that is to receive the build cake when the base of the container is opened. The actuator is to move the platform within the chamber, and the controller is to position the platform at a build cake receiving position such that when the container base is opened, the build cake drops onto the platform generating a shock wave that is transmitted into the build cake.

Abstract: A 3D printing cleaning module comprises an extraction gate at a lateral wall of a housing; and a platform within the housing to support a build bed including 3D printed parts and un-solidified build material. The platform is tilted or tiltable with respect to a horizontal plane towards the extraction gate to enable 3D printed parts on the platform to be removable through the extraction gate. The module comprises a cleaning engine to remove at least part of the un-solidified build material from the housing, a vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform; and a controller. The controller is to control the cleaning engine to execute a cleaning operation by removing un-solidified build material from the housing, to cause the part ejection gate to open upon completion of the cleaning operation, and to cause the vibrating mechanism to vibrate the platform when the part extraction gate is in the open position.

Abstract: A cooling unit can be coupled to a build unit of a 3D printing system. The cooling unit comprises a cooling unit opening which is arranged to face a build unit opening when the cooling unit is coupled to the build unit to enable transfer of content from the build unit to the cooling unit. The cooling unit further comprises a self-locking latch mechanism to couple the cooling unit to the build unit such that the cooling unit opening faces the build unit opening.

Abstract: A build material container outlet structure (100) comprises: a connector (107) comprising an interface surface (116) and an adaptor to receive a nozzle structure (202) of an external aspiration system; and a retaining structure (128) to releasably hold the nozzle structure in an engagement position with the interface surface of the connector; wherein the retaining structure comprises one or more retaining elements (118-1, 118-2, 118-3) disposed in the connector to exert an attractive magnetic biasing force on the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system to releasably hold the nozzle structure in the engagement position with the interface surface of the connector.

Abstract: A build material container outlet structure, and a build material nozzle structure is described. The build material container outlet structure comprises a connector to releasably connect to a nozzle structure of an external aspiration system. The outlet structure comprises an aspiration channel to aspire build material from a build material container to the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system. The outlet structure comprises a protrusion protruding from an inner wall of the aspiration channel, to extend into an end portion of a tube of the nozzle structure that is inserted into the aspiration channel and retain a valve element of the nozzle structure in an open configuration.

Abstract: An example of an apparatus to transfer additive manufacturing build material from a container is disclosed. The example disclosed herein comprises a holding structure and a conduit. The holding structure comprises a fixation element to physically attach the holding structure to one or multiple sides of the container. The conduit may be couplable to a vacuum system through a vacuum open end to extract the build material. The holding structure receives and positions the conduit substantially vertically such that a build material extraction open end of the conduit is positioned towards the base of the container. The vacuum open end and the build material extraction open end are opposite open ends from the conduit.

Abstract: In an example, a data unit includes a data unit mounting having a circuitry region, a registration portion, and a retaining feature. Circuitry comprising a data source to provide at least one additive manufacturing parameter is arranged on the circuitry region of the mounting. The data unit mounting is to be removably mounted on a receiving portion of an additive manufacturing build material component, such that the registration portion is to be received in a corresponding guide portion of the receiving portion of the additive manufacturing build material component, and the retaining feature is prevent removal of the data unit from the receiving portion unless deformed. Deformation of the retaining feature to effect removal of the data unit from the receiving portion may be a permanent deformation.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing build-material container comprises a reservoir to hold build material, a build-material outlet structure to allow build material to exit the reservoir through an outlet opening in a top portion of the reservoir, a longitudinal collection unit (313a) to collect build material from the bottom and guide the build material to the outlet opening at the top, and bottom-venting structure to admit vent gas into a bottom portion of the reservoir. The bottom-venting structure may include a vent tube to admit venting gas into the bottom portion of the reservoir. A concentric collection tube structure may be employed including the longitudinal collection tube nested within a vent tube (333A, 354A). The concentric collection tube structure may be mounted along the central axis of the reservoir.

Abstract: A build material container outlet structure (100) comprises: a connector (107) comprising an interface surface (116) and an adaptor to receive a nozzle structure (202) of an external aspiration system; a socket (120) recessed from the interface surface to receive a data interconnect structure (212) of the nozzle structure, the data interconnect structure comprising a data interface (213); a data contact (122) disposed in the socket to engage with the data interface of the data interconnect structure when the nozzle structure is in an engagement position; and an activation structure (124) disposed on the interface surface to engage a switch element (214) in the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system when the nozzle structure is held in the engagement position.

Abstract: Examples of an inlet to enable a forced air flow to enter a build material container in a 3D additive manufacturing system are described. In one case, the inlet has a structure having an inner face and an outer face forming at least one aperture through the structure through which forced air flows in use. The inlet has a longitudinal axis and the inner face and outer face are non-aligned along at least one axis which passes through each of inner face and the outer face and is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A build material container outlet structure comprises: a first connector portion to connect to a build material container; a second connector portion comprising an adaptor to receive a nozzle structure of an external aspiration system; and an aspiration channel to aspire build material from the build material container to the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system; wherein the first connector portion is rotatably connected to the second connector portion to align the adaptor in a predetermined orientation.

Abstract: A 3D printing build material container outlet structure is described. The outlet structure comprises a valve element having an open configuration to enable a tube, when inserted in the outlet structure, to aspirate build material from the container; and a closed configuration to inhibit build material from exiting the container. The valve element changes from the closed configuration to the open configuration by at least one of: the tube being inserted in the outlet structure; and a vacuum force being applied to the outlet structure when the tube has been inserted in the outlet structure.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing build-material container (201) comprises a reservoir to hold build material, an outlet opening in a top portion of the reservoir, an outlet tube structure including a longitudinal collection unit to collect build material from the bottom and guide the build material to the outlet opening at the top, upon application of a suction force at the other end thereof, and to guide the collected build material to the outlet opening at the top; and a vent opening in a top portion of the reservoir to admit gas from outside the reservoir into the reservoir to follow a gas flow path through the vent opening, through the reservoir and into the one end of the longitudinal collection tube; wherein on the gas flow path there is at least one turbulent gas-flow-generation feature (237) to generate turbulent gas flow in a region that is within the reservoir and outside the longitudinal collection tube.

Abstract: There is provided a build material source container for use in a material management station of a three dimensional, 3D, printer. The source container defines a substantially enclosed space for holding build material and has an aperture for build material ingress and egress. At least part of the build material source container is formed from an electrically conductive material. The conductive material portion of the build material source container is connectable to Earth to discharge static electricity generated within the build material source container.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing build-material container (201) comprises a reservoir to hold build material, an outlet opening in a top portion of the reservoir, an outlet tube structure including a longitudinal collection unit to collect build material from the bottom and guide the build material to the outlet opening at the top, upon application of a suction force at the other end thereof, and to guide the collected build material to the outlet opening at the top; and a vent opening in a top portion of the reservoir to admit gas from outside the reservoir into the reservoir to follow a gas flow path through the vent opening, through the reservoir and into said one end of the longitudinal collection tube; wherein on said gas flow path there is at least one turbulent-gas-flow-generation feature (237) to generate turbulent gas flow in a region that is within the reservoir and outside the longitudinal collection tube.

Abstract: Examples of an inlet to enable a forced air flow to enter a build material container in a 3D additive manufacturing system are described. In one case, the inlet has a structure having an inner face and an outer face forming at least one aperture through the structure through which forced air flows in use. The inlet has a longitudinal axis and the inner face and outer face are non-aligned along at least one axis which passes through each of inner face and the outer face and is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A build material container outlet structure (100) comprises: a connector (107) comprising an interface surface (116) and an adaptor to receive a nozzle structure (202) of an external aspiration system; a socket (120) recessed from the interface surface to receive a data interconnect structure (212) of the nozzle structure, the data interconnect structure comprising a data interface (213); a data contact (122) disposed in the socket to engage with the data interface of the data interconnect structure when the nozzle structure is in an engagement position; and an activation structure (124) disposed on the interface surface to engage a switch element (214) in the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system when the nozzle structure is held in the engagement position.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing build-material container comprises a reservoir to hold build material, a build-material outlet structure to allow build material to exit the reservoir through an outlet opening in a top portion of the reservoir, a longitudinal collection unit (313a) to collect build material from the bottom and guide the build material to the outlet opening at the top, and bottom-venting structure to admit vent gas into a bottom portion of the reservoir. The bottom-venting structure may include a vent tube to admit venting gas into the bottom portion of the reservoir. A concentric collection tube structure may be employed including the longitudinal collection tube nested within a vent tube (333A, 354A). The concentric collection tube structure may be mounted along the central axis of the reservoir.

Abstract: In an example, a data unit includes a data unit mounting having a circuitry region, a registration portion, and a retaining feature. Circuitry comprising a data source to provide at least one additive manufacturing parameter is arranged on the circuitry region of the mounting. The data unit mounting is to be removably mounted on a receiving portion of an additive manufacturing build material component, such that the registration portion is to be received in a corresponding guide portion of the receiving portion of the additive manufacturing build material component, and the retaining feature is prevent removal of the data unit from the receiving portion unless deformed. Deformation of the retaining feature to effect removal of the data unit from the receiving portion may be a permanent deformation.

Abstract: There is provided a build material source container for use in a material management station of a three dimensional, 3D, printer. The source container defines a substantially enclosed space for holding build material and has an aperture for build material ingress and egress. At least part of the build material source container is formed from an electrically conductive material. The conductive material portion of the build material source container is connectable to Earth to discharge static electricity generated within the build material source container.