Abstract: A method is disclosed for generating a 3D printing file containing an object model of a part having a body and an integral electronic component. To generate the 3D printing file, a processor receives at least one geometry specification of the part to be printed and at least one component performance property of the electronic component to be printed integral to the part. An object model is determined by the processor in accordance with the at least one geometry specification of a part to be printed, the at least one component performance property of an electronic component to be printed, and at least one material property of an electronic component printing material of a 3D printer. The 3D printing file is generated by the processor and comprises the object model.

Abstract: Examples relate to methods of printing a 3D printed tamper evident security structure for protecting a feature; the method comprising repeatedly: depositing a layer of build material; doping one or more than one region of the layer of build material using a dopant to influence a respective electrical attribute of one or more than one region associated with a graph of the structure; and agglomerating one or more than one selected portion of the layer of the build material, including the one or more than one doped region of the layer of build material, to form progressively the graph with a predetermined measurable electrical characteristic.

Abstract: Examples relate to methods of printing a 3D printed tamper evident security structure for protecting a feature; the method comprising repeatedly: depositing a layer of build material; doping one or more than one region of the layer of build material using a dopant to influence a respective electrical attribute of one or more than one region associated with a graph of the structure; and agglomerating one or more than one selected portion of the layer of the build material, including the one or more than one doped region of the layer of build material, to form progressively the graph with a predetermined measurable electrical characteristic.

Abstract: A 3D printing system comprising: a selective solidification module to: form a printed article by processing a build material; and form a printed container encompassing the printed article and a portion of unused build material about the printed article, the printed container defining a first port and a second port fluidly connected to the first port. The 3D printing system further comprises a connector to couple to the first port or second port of the printed container; and a pump fluidly connected to the connector to cause a fluid to flow through the printed container from the first port to the second port such that the printed article is cooled by the fluid flow.

Abstract: Examples of a 3D printing apparatus arranged to perform a print operation using build material, and methods of operating such a 3D printing apparatus, are described. In one case, a 3D printer is arranged to perform a print operation using build material whilst a build material temperature sensed by the printer is below a threshold temperature of the build material. The printer is arranged to obtain a threshold temperature indicator in advance of a respective print operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing a print operation on a 3D printer (110) are described herein. A 3D printing apparatus comprising a 3D printer (110) is arranged to perform a print operation using build material from a build unit (120) unless a value that identifies a first build material stored in the build unit in a first register, which is set according to an initial build powder fill operation of the build unit (120) by a powder management station, is different from a value in a second register, which is set according to the initial build powder fill operation, or modified in response to, or following, a subsequent opening of the build unit (120).

Abstract: A three-dimensional printer comprising means for build material, a printer carriage and a curtain. The means for depositing the build material deposits same on a printing zone and/or on one or more build material layers deposited on the printing zone. The printer carriage is to move along a first axis over the printing zone and comprises means for treating the build material. The curtain is attached to a first side of the printer carriage with a first side of the curtain and/or configured to move along with the printer carriage such that the curtain covers at least an area of the print zone, wherein the area varies dependent on the moving of the printer carriage over the print zone.

Abstract: A printer comprising an electrical load, a control system and an electrical circuit to switchably connect the electrical load to a first phase and a second phase of a polyphase power supply. The control system monitors a first electrical current drawn by the printer on the first phase and a second electrical current drawn by the printer on the second phase. When a difference between the first electrical current and the second electrical current satisfies a threshold condition, the control system controls the electrical circuit to disconnect the electrical load from the first phase and connect the electrical load to the second phase.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed. The printer comprises a resistive load and a control system. The control system is to control the resistive load. The control system is to determine a resistance value of the resistive load. The control system is to determine a voltage transition mode for transitioning the voltage applied across the resistive load to a target voltage value depending on the resistance value. The control system is to transition the voltage applied across the resistive load to the target voltage value according to the determined voltage transition mode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a powder build material handling system for a three-dimensional printer. The system comprises a delivery system. The delivery system is to carry powder build material in a flow of gas from a powder build material supply. The delivery system is to filter the flow of gas to separate the powder build material from the flow of gas. The delivery system is to direct the filtered flow of gas to the powder build material supply to form a closed system.

Abstract: Examples relate to methods of printing a 3D printed tamper evident security structure for protecting a feature; the method comprising repeatedly: depositing a layer of build material; doping one or more than one region of the layer of build material using a dopant to influence a respective electrical attribute of one or more than one region associated with a graph of the structure; and agglomerating one or more than one selected portion of the layer of the build material, including the one or more than one doped region of the layer of build material, to form progressively the graph with a predetermined measurable electrical characteristic.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for generating a 3D printing file containing an object model of a part having a body and an integral electronic component. To generate the 3D printing file, a processor receives at least one geometry specification of the part to be printed and at least one component performance property of the electronic component to be printed integral to the part. An object model is determined by the processor in accordance with the at least one geometry specification of a part to be printed, the at least one component performance property of an electronic component to be printed, and at least one material property of an electronic component printing material of a 3D printer. The 3D printing file is generated by the processor and comprises the object model.

Abstract: Certain examples described herein relate to a removable unit of an additive manufacturing system. The removable unit is connectable to a base unit. When connected and operational, the base unit supplies a first voltage to the removable unit via a first power coupling. The removable unit has a power supply unit that converts the first voltage to a second voltage. The second voltage may power a number of low voltage components. The removable unit also has a power multiplexer. When the first voltage is unavailable the removable unit switches the power multiplexer to use a second voltage that is supplied from the base unit via a second power coupling.

Abstract: According to one aspect, there is provided a management system to control a 3D printing system that includes at least one 3D printer, at least one build unit in which 3D objects can be generated by the 3D printer, and at least one material processing unit in which processing operations can be performed on the build unit. The management system comprises a processor to obtain status data from at least some of the elements of the 3D printing system, to obtain data relating to a print job to be printed, to determine, from the obtained data, a schedule of operations to be performed by elements of the 3D printing system and to generate control data to allow enforcement of the determined schedule.

Abstract: It is disclosed a system and a carriage for a 3D printing system comprising: an actuator to move the carriage; a position detection mechanism; a collision detection mechanism; and a controller.

Abstract: A printer comprising an electrical load, a control system and an electrical circuit to switchably connect the electrical load to a first phase and a second phase of a polyphase power supply. The control system monitors a first electrical current drawn by the printer on the first phase and a second electrical current drawn by the printer on the second phase. When a difference between the first electrical current and the second electrical current satisfies a threshold condition, the control system controls the electrical circuit to disconnect the electrical load from the first phase and connect the electrical load to the second phase.

Abstract: A method and system for causing an additive manufacturing system to print objects are described herein. A controller (110) of an additive manufacturing system (100) that comprises a build unit (120) and the controller (110) is arranged to receive print data defining an object to be printed by the additive manufacturing system (100). The controller (110) is arranged to cause the additive manufacturing system (100) to print a further object according to the modified print data, wherein the modified print data is determined on the basis of the print data.

Abstract: Examples relate to back electromotive force controllers for influencing movement of a carriage of a device in an unpowered state; the carriage being moveable by a motor responsive to a motor driver; the controller comprising: braking circuitry to couple power associated with a back electromotive force generated by displacement of the motor, due to carriage movement, to power the motor driver to urge the motor in a contrary direction to the displacement.

Abstract: Movement detection circuitry is provided for a moveable component of an apparatus having an encoder member having a plurality of spaced regions to cause a response by a first detector and a second detector on the moveable component. First and second detection signal detection signals are received respectively from the first detector and second detector by processing circuitry of the movement detection circuitry. At least one of the first detection signal and the second detection signal is sampled when the first detector and second detector move relative to the encoder member. An error due to any impairment to one the spaced regions of the encoder member is based upon a comparison between the samples from the two detectors. A movement characteristic of the moveable component is determined by the processing circuitry from at least one of the first detector samples and the second detector samples.

Abstract: In an example, a print device comprises: a heat pump (102) to extract heat from a fluid source to produce cooled fluid and to transfer the heat from the fluid source to heat a print material (108), wherein the cooled fluid is used to cool a component (106) of the print device.