POWER FEED MECHANISM FOR A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTER

摘要

A powder feed mechanism for a three-dimensional printer in which a heap of powder is drawn up from a powder container to be spread across a material bed rather than dropped or deposited on it. The mechanism comprises a carrier arm that moves through a powder chamber, and a support platform for carrying a heap of powdered build material. The support platform moves with the carrier arm. The carrier arm moves to a powder delivery position in which the support platform is in a transverse orientation for lying flush with the material bed. This arrangement can reduce the path travelled by the powder from the powder chamber to the material bed and give greater control over the shape of the heap of powder that is to be spread over the material bed.