Build material recycling system of a three-dimensional (3d) printer

Abstract

In some examples, a build material recycling system of a three-dimensional (3D) printer can include a build material transport system of the 3D printer, a build material recycling device of the 3D printer that includes a fluidizing membrane and is connected to the build material transport system, and a recycled build material hopper of the 3D printer connected, via the build material transport system, to the build material recycling device.

1 . A build material recycling system of a three-dimensional (3D) printer, comprising:
 a build material recycling device to:
 receive non-solidified build material from a build area of the 3D printer; and 
 percolate conditioned gas through a fluidizing membrane into the non-solidified build material to recondition the non-solidified build material; and 
   a recycled build material hopper to store the reconditioned non-solidified build material from the build material recycling device.   
     
     
         2 . The build material recycling system of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioned gas comprises gas that has been at least one of: heated, cooled, ionized, de-ionized, humidified and de-humidified. 
     
     
         3 . The build material recycling system of  claim 1 , wherein the recycled build material hopper is further to provide the reconditioned non-solidified build material to the build area. 
     
     
         4 . The build material recycling system of  claim 1 , wherein the build material recycling device is to:
 receive the non-solidified build material in a gas and build material mixture; and   separate the non-solidified build material from gas in the gas and build material mixture.   
     
     
         5 . The build material recycling system of  claim 4 , wherein the build material recycling device includes a chamber to receive the non-solidified build material separated from the gas. 
     
     
         6 . The build material recycling system of  claim 5 , wherein the chamber includes the fluidizing membrane, and wherein the non-solidified build material is reconditioned in the chamber. 
     
     
         7 . A build material recycling system of a three-dimensional (3D) printer, the build material recycling system comprising:
 a build material recycling device to:
 receive a gas and build material mixture comprising a gas and non-solidified build material from a build area of the 3D printer; 
 separate the non-solidified build material from the gas of the gas and build material mixture; 
 percolate conditioned gas through a fluidizing membrane to recondition the non-solidified build material; 
   a recycled build material hopper to:
 receive the reconditioned non-solidified build material from the build material recycling device; and 
 provide the reconditioned non-solidified build material to the build area. 
   
     
     
         8 . The build material recycling system of  claim 7 , wherein the conditioned gas comprises gas that has been at least one of: heated, cooled, ionized, de-ionized, humidified and de-humidified. 
     
     
         9 . The build material recycling system of  claim 7 , wherein the build material recycling device comprises a material separator to separate the non-solidified build material from the gas and build material mixture. 
     
     
         10 . The build material recycling system of  claim 7 , further comprising a pneumatic build material transport system to transport the non-solidified build material from the build area to the build material recycling device in the gas and build material mixture. 
     
     
         11 . The build material recycling system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the build area includes a porous build platform to collect the non-solidified build material; and   the non-solidified build material collected by the porous build platform is transported to the build material recycling device via the pneumatic build material transport system.   
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 recovering, from a build-area of a three-dimensional (3D) printer, non-solidified build material;   receiving the non-solidified build material at a build material recycling device of the 3D printer;   percolating conditioned gas through a fluidizing membrane into the non-solidified build material to recondition the non-solidified build material;   receiving the reconditioned non-solidified build material from the build material recycling device at a recycled build material hopper of the 3D printer; and   providing the reconditioned non-solidified build material from the recycled build material hopper to the build area for use in a build process by the 3D printer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the conditioned gas comprises gas that has been at least one of: heated, cooled, ionized, de-ionized, humidified and de-humidified. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving the non-solidified build material at the build material recycling device comprises:
 receiving a gas and build material mixture including the non-solidified build material; and   separating the non-solidified build material from the gas and build material mixture.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method includes at least one of recovering the non-solidified build material:
 during a 3D build process of the 3D printer; and   after a 3D build process of the 3D printer.