Unitary top panel for a washing machine appliance

A method for forming a unitary top panel for a washing machine appliance, comprising:

• establishing three-dimensional information of the unitary top panel;
• converting the three-dimensional information of the unitary top panel from said step of establishing into a plurality of slices, each slice of the plurality of slices defining a respective cross-sectional layer of the unitary top panel;
• and
• successively forming each cross-sectional layer of the unitary top panel with an additive process;
• wherein, after said step of successively forming:
• (1) the unitary top panel defines an opening at a middle portion of the unitary top panel;
• (2) the unitary top panel has a nozzle positioned at the opening of the unitary top panel;
• (3) the unitary top panel defines a conduit within the unitary top panel that extends to the nozzle;
• and (4) the unitary top panel is a single continuous piece of plastic.

A vertical axis washing machine appliance, comprising:

• a tub;
• a basket positioned within the tub, the basket rotatable about a vertical axis within the tub;
• a cabinet extending between a top portion and a bottom portion, the tub disposed within the cabinet, the cabinet having a unitary top panel positioned at the top portion of the cabinet, the unitary top panel defining an opening for accessing the basket within the tub, the unitary top panel having a nozzle positioned at the opening of the unitary top panel and oriented for directing a flow of wash fluid into at least one of the basket and the tub, the unitary top panel defining a conduit within the unitary top panel that extends to the nozzle in order to direct the flow of wash fluid to the nozzle,
• wherein the unitary top panel has a plurality of nozzles positioned at the opening of the unitary top panel, the nozzles of the plurality of nozzles distributed about a perimeter of the opening of the unitary top panel,
• wherein the cabinet extends between a front portion and a back portion and a first side portion and a second side portion, the unitary top panel having a pair of side frame members, a front frame member and a back frame member, each side frame member of the pair of side frame members positioned at a respective one of the first and second side portions of the cabinet, the front frame member positioned at the front portion of the cabinet, the back frame member positioned at the back portion of the cabinet, and
• wherein the side frame members of the pair of side frame members, the front frame member, the back frame member and the nozzles of the plurality of nozzles are integrally formed with a single piece of continuous plastic.