Abstract: In one example, an apparatus for supplying material to an additive manufacturing platform comprises a rotatable delivery module comprising a vane; and a plurality of distribution elements. In use, the rotatable delivery module is controllable to rotate the vane to a supply position to enable material to be supplied to an additive manufacturing platform from the vane. The vane and the plurality of distribution elements are arranged such that during the rotation: the vane provides a dose amount of material from a material supply module for supply to an additive manufacturing platform and at least one of the plurality of distribution elements distributes material within the material supply module so that the vane supplies a substantially uniform dose of material along the length of the vane to the additive manufacturing platform.

Abstract: In example implementations, a method for extracting layers of build material into a carrier. The method includes providing a layer of build material onto a bed. Portions of the layer of build material on the bed are digitally printed with a liquid functional material (LFM). The method repeats providing the layer of build material and digitally printing without applying energy to the LFM to define a structure in layers of build material on the bed. The layers of build material are extracted into a carrier and the carrier is removed.

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: 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: Systems, devices, and methods are described for providing, among other things, a device including a heartbeat mimetic unit configured to generate an acoustic stimulus that mimics a heartbeat. In an embodiment, the device includes a warm-touch unit configured to generate a thermal stimulus. In an embodiment, the device includes a controller unit operably coupled to the heartbeat mimetic unit and the warm touch unit, the controller unit configured to activate at least one of the heartbeat mimetic unit or the warm-touch unit. In an embodiment, the device includes a communication unit configured to exchange at least one of heartbeat mimetic data or warm-touch data with a remote network.

Abstract: According to one example there is provided an apparatus for supplying build material to a three-dimensional printing system. The apparatus comprises a rotatable vane.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing machine (34) comprising a build material spreading system (2). The spreading system (2) has a moveable spreader (4) with an exterior surface (8) to spread build material. The spreading system (2) also has a heater (10) located separate from the spreader (4). The heater (10) has a heat dissipater (20) extending around the spreader (4) to retain, between the dissipater (20) and the spreader (4), air (36) heated by the dissipater (20).

Abstract: According to one example there is provided a method of delivering build material from a build material store to a supply module. The method comprises moving, using a rotatable vane, a portion of build material from the supply module to the top of the supply module, and spreading the moved portion of build material across the support platform.

Abstract: This build material spreading apparatus for additive manufacturing, includes a movable spreader, a build material dispenser, and a controller to calibrate the amount of build material needed to form a layer. The controller controls the build material dispenser to dispense a predetermined amount of build material. The controller controls the movable spreader to spread the dispensed build material to form a layer. The controller determines an amount of build material remaining after spreading. The controller modifies, based on the determined amount of remaining build material, the predetermined amount of build material to be subsequently provided by the build material dispenser.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus for supplying material to an additive manufacturing platform comprises a rotatable delivery module comprising a vane; and a plurality of distribution elements. In use, the rotatable delivery module is controllable to rotate the vane to a supply position to enable material to be supplied to an additive manufacturing platform from the vane. The vane and the plurality of distribution elements are arranged such that during the rotation: the vane provides a dose amount of material from a material supply module for supply to an additive manufacturing platform and at least one of the plurality of distribution elements distributes material within the material supply module so that the vane supplies a substantially uniform dose of material along the length of the vane to the additive manufacturing platform.

Abstract: A build platform (100, 200, 300) for a printing station is described comprising a trolley (105, 205, 305, 405) and a print bucket (110, 210, 310, 410). The print bucket may be mounted on the trolley and may comprise coupling elements (115A, 115B, 215A, 215B, 315A, 315B, 415A, 415B), respectively engageable to receiving elements (120A, 120B, 220A, 220B, 320A, 320B, 420A, 420B) of the printing station (150, 250, 350, 450). The coupling elements may cause the print bucket to at least partially disengage from the trolley when the coupling elements engage with the receiving elements of the printing station.

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: A removable build module to connect to a host apparatus, may include a build platform to support an object-to-be-built, a drive unit to move the build platform, a memory to receive and store build parameters, and an interface circuit to communicate the build parameters to the host apparatus.

Abstract: In one example, a build material preparation subsystem. The subsystem includes a trough to house build material deliverable to a build bed and usable to form a layer of an object fabricated by additive manufacturing. An agitating tray is slidably disposed in the trough. A linear actuator is disposed adjacent an outside wall of the trough. A drive arm has a first end portion fixedly coupled to the agitating tray and a second end portion coupled to the linear actuator. The drive arm passes over a wall of the trough.

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: In example implementations, a method for extracting layers of build material into a carrier. The method includes providing a layer of build material onto a bed. Portions of the layer of build material on the bed are digitally printed with a liquid functional material (LFM). The method repeats providing the layer of build material and digitally printing without applying energy to the LFM to define a structure in layers of build material on the bed. The layers of build material are extracted into a carrier and the carrier is removed.

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 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.