Abstract: An additive manufacturing material management station, comprising: a build material supply conduit (382, 582) with a build material supply connector (385, 585) to releasably connect between a management station body and a build material supply container to couple a flow of a fluid carrying a building material supply from within the supply container to the management station body; and a station data processor, wherein the supply connector comprises: a connector body; a suction nozzle (597) projecting from the connector body to form a mating fit with an outlet of a build material supply container in use; and a data communicator to provide data communication between the station data processor and a data memory chip (394) of the supply container (314).

Abstract: There is provided a 3D printing build material container (31) comprising a reinforcement structure (34), a collapsible reservoir (33) to hold build material, a build material outlet structure (313), at least one first inlet structure (314, 316), and a second inlet structure (315). The reinforcement structure encloses an airtight space and the reservoir is disposed within the reinforcement structure. The build material outlet (313) structure is to allow build material to exit the reservoir. The at least one first inlet structure (314, 316) is to allow recycled build material to enter the reservoir and to selectively allow a gas to enter the reservoir. The second inlet structure (315) is to selectively allow a gas to enter a space between the reservoir and the reinforcement structure.

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 nozzle structure (202) comprises: an interface surface (208) to interface with a build material container outlet structure (100); and a retaining structure (210) to releasably hold the build material container outlet structure in an engagement position with the interface surface of the build material nozzle structure; wherein the retaining structure comprises one or more retaining elements (210-1, 210-2, 210-3) disposed in the build material nozzle structure to exert an attractive magnetic biasing force on the build material outlet structure to releasably hold the build material container outlet structure in the engagement position with the interface surface of the build material nozzle structure.

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: A mixer unit is described, comprising a support, a mixing container which includes a mixing device, and first and second load cells mounted on opposed sides of the mixing container between the mixing container and the support. The mixing container is to receive and mix unfused build materials for a 3D printing system from at least two different sources. The mixing container is mounted to the support in a manner constraining to vertical movement and such that all vertical forces from the mixing container pass through the load cells to the support. In this manner, a vertical force of the mixing container acting on the support is measured to weigh the contents of the mixing container. A method of mixing unfused build materials for a 3D printing system in a predefined weight ratio using the mixer unit is also described.

Abstract: In an example, a data unit includes a mounting to removably mount the data unit on a receiving portion of an additive manufacturing build material container, a data source to provide data comprising a plurality of additive manufacturing parameters and a communications interface to communicate with a reader of an additive manufacturing build material processing apparatus. The communications interface is to transmit data from the data source to the additive manufacturing build material processing apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for unpacking objects built using build material in an additive manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising: an unpacking compartment; a collection hose to operate within the unpacking compartment to recover by suction non-fused build material from around built objects; and a recovered build material tank coupled to the collection hose to receive non-fused build material recovered by the collection hose; the apparatus to provision recovered non-fused build material from the recovered build material tank for an additive manufacturing process.

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: A media-sheet stacking system for stacking media sheets on a device output tray comprises a kicker to advance a media sheet along the output tray by pushing a trailing edge of the media sheet as it exits the device, and a movable element arranged to face the output tray across a space that receives media sheets exiting the device. A drive mechanism is provided to drive the movable element in the direction of advance of the media sheet along the output tray.

Abstract: There is provided a 3D printing build material container. The container comprises a reservoir, a build material outlet structure, and an outer structure disposed around the reservoir. The reservoir is to hold build material. The build material outlet structure is to allow build material to exit the reservoir. The outer structure forms an external surface of the container and includes a recessed portion in the external surface. The recessed portion supports the outlet structure.

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.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing build material container (15) comprises a reservoir to hold build material and a build material outlet structure (13).

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 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 management system for a 3D printing system is described in which a non-fused purged build material port is to output purged non-fused build material from a build material transportation system. An emptying of substantially all non-fused build material from at least a portion of the build material transportation system to the non-fused purged build material port in response to a received purge signal is controlled by processing circuitry of the build material management system.

Abstract: A build material management system for an additive manufacturing system is described in which a recovered build material tank (208) and a mixing tank (212) are provided. The recovered build material tank (208) comprises an outlet and a first build material filter (218b) for separating a gas flow from a build material flow. The mixing tank (212) comprises a second build material filter (218c). The mixing tank (212) is connected to the recovered build material tank (208) via a RBMT-to-mixer conduit (286). A controller (295) is provided to couple the second build material filter (218c) to a reduced pressure interface to transport build material from the outlet of the recovered build material tank into the mixing tank (212) via the second build material filter (218b). The controller (295) controls coupling of the first build material filter (218b) to the reduced pressure interface to transport build material from a build material source into the recovered build material tank (208).

Abstract: There is provided a 3D printing build material container (1). The container (1) comprises a reservoir (3) and a reinforcement structure (4). The reservoir is to hold build material. The reinforcement structure is attached to the reservoir at at least one selected location. The reservoir and reinforcement structure are to permit reconfiguration of the container from a relatively flat configuration to an in-use configuration in which the reservoir is tillable with build material.