Abstract: In various embodiments, a water-based binder solution for use in additive manufacturing, includes a thermoplastic binder. The thermoplastic binder includes a first polymer strand having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from greater than or equal to 5,000 g/mol to less than or equal to 15,000 g/mol, a second polymer strand having a weight average molecular weight of from greater than or equal to 10,000 g/mol to less than or equal to 50,000 g/mol, and a third polymer strand having a weight average molecular weight of from greater than or equal to 1,000 g/mol to less than or equal to 5,000 g/mol. The binder solution further comprises from greater than or equal to 0.1 wt % to less than or equal to 5 wt % of a non-aqueous solvent having a boiling point of greater than 100° C.

Abstract: A binder solution comprises greater than or equal to 0.5 wt % and less than or equal to 20 wt % of nanoparticles, a thermoplastic binder, and a solvent. The nanoparticles may comprise metallic nanoparticles comprising nickel, silver, chromium, aluminum, cobalt, iron, or combinations thereof. The nanoparticles may comprise ceramic nanoparticles, the comprising alumina, aluminum nitride, zirconia, titania, silica, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, boron nitride, or combinations thereof. A method of manufacturing a part includes depositing a layer of particulate material on a working surface, applying a binder solution into the layer of particulate material in a pattern, repeating the steps of depositing and selectively applying to form a plurality of layers of particulate material with the applied binder solution, and curing the applied binder solution in the plurality of layers of particulate material with the applied binder solution to evaporate the solvent and thereby form a green body part.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a green body part comprises depositing a layer of a powder on a working surface; and selectively depositing a binder solution comprising a thermoplastic binder, a fluorescent material, and a binder medium into the layer of powder in a pattern representative of a structure of a layer of the green body part. The thermoplastic binder comprises one or more polymer strands dissolved in a solvent medium having an average molecular weight from greater than or equal to 7,000 g/mol to less than or equal to 100,000 g/mol. Binder solutions comprising fluorescent material and green body parts adhered together using the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A binder jet printing apparatus (10), along with methods of its use, is provided. The binder jet printing apparatus (10) may include: a job box (18) having a actuatable build plate (46) therein; a supply box (54) having a bottom platform (56) that is actuatable within the supply box (54); a print system including at least one print head (32) connected to a binder source (38) and configured to apply a pattern of binder onto an exposed powder layer (42) over the build plate (46) of the job box (18); a recoat system (16) including a recoater configured to move from the supply box (54) to the job box (18) to transfer powder from the supply box (54) to the job box (18) so as to form a new powder layer (48) over the build plate (46) of the job box (18); and a cure system (14) configured to direct electromagnetic radiation onto the job box (18).

Abstract: A method includes assembling a setter assembly onto a binder-jet printed part, wherein the setter assembly includes a base, a top setter, a bottom setter positioned between the base and the top setter, and a support pin extending between the base and the top setter having a terminus that abuts an inward facing surface of the top setter, such that at least portion of the binder-jet printed part is nested between the top setter and the bottom setter. The method includes heating the binder-jet printed part and the setter assembly to debind or sinter the binder-jet printed part, wherein a length of the support pin decreases in response to the heating to move the top setter toward the base.

Abstract: A binder jet printed article includes a part having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an overhang extending from the top portion and a support structure formed around the part that may block deformation of the part during post-printing thermal processing. The support structure includes a skid positioned adjacent to the bottom portion that may support the part, a first plurality of support features disposed along an outer perimeter of the skid, and a second plurality of support features disposed on the top portion of the printed part. The first and second plurality of support features form a lattice around the printed part such that the printed part is nested within the support structure.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer includes a transducer array having a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer array has a first side and a second side. Further, one or more ground electrodes are disposed on the first side of the transducer array, and one or more signal electrodes are disposed on the second side of the transducer array. Moreover, an acoustic backing structure is operatively coupled to the plurality of transducer elements of the transducer array. Also, a plurality of electrical traces is routed on a surface of the acoustic backing structure and operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more signal electrodes and one or more ground electrodes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating and repairing a gas turbine component having a plurality of cooling holes defined therein is provided. The method includes determining a parameter of a first cooling hole defined in the gas turbine component, and generating a tool path for forming a protective cap around the first cooling hole. The tool path is based at least partially on the parameter of the first cooling hole. The method also includes directing a robotic device to follow the tool path, and discharging successive layers of ceramic slurry towards the gas turbine component as the tool path is followed such that the protective cap is formed around the first cooling hole.

Abstract: Assemblies for an ultrasonic probe and manufacturing methods are presented. In one example, the method includes additively forming first portions of the assembly using a first material with first acoustic properties and second portions of the assembly using a second material with second acoustic properties, the first and second acoustic properties being configured to modify ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic probe. In another aspect, a housing for an ultrasonic probe is presented. The housing includes additively-formed portions, a fluid channel, and at least one cavity. The first additively-formed portions include a first material with first acoustic properties. The second additively-formed portions include a second material with second acoustic properties. The first and second acoustic properties are configured to modify ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic probe. The fluid channel is for receiving fluid within the housing of the ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: A method includes assembling a setter assembly onto a binder-jet printed part, wherein the setter assembly includes a base, a top setter, a bottom setter positioned between the base and the top setter, and a support pin extending between the base and the top setter having a terminus that abuts an inward facing surface of the top setter, such that at least portion of the binder-jet printed part is nested between the top setter and the bottom setter. The method includes heating the binder-jet printed part and the setter assembly to debind or sinter the binder-jet printed part, wherein a length of the support pin decreases in response to the heating to move the top setter toward the base.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersions of artificially synthesized, mussel-inspired polydopamine nanoparticles were inkjet printed on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. Narrow line patterns (4 ?m in width) of polydopamine resulted due to evaporatively driven transport (coffee ring effect). The printed patterns were metallized via a site-selective Cu electroless plating process at a controlled temperature (30° C.) for varied bath times. The lowest electrical resistivity value of the plated Cu lines was about 6 times greater than the bulk resistivity of Cu. This process presents an industrially viable way to fabricate Cu conductive fine patterns for flexible electronics at low temperature, and low cost.

Abstract: A setter assembly for use in additive manufacturing a binder-jet part includes a base, a first setter component having a first setter portion and a second setter portion that may be removably coupled to the first setter portion and a plurality of protrusions disposed on and extending away from a surface of the base. The plurality of protrusions may align the base with the first setter component and enable coupling of the first setter component to the base. The setter assembly also includes a second setter component positioned between the base and the first setter component. The second setter component is disposed on the surface and the first setter component, the second setter component, and the base can be assembled onto a printed part such that at least a portion of the printed part is nested between the first setter component and the second setter component.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersions of artificially synthesized, mussel-inspired polyopamine nanoparticles were inkjet printed on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. Narrow line patterns (4 ?m in width) of polydopamine resulted due to evaporatively driven transport (coffee ring effect). The printed patterns were metallized via a site-selective Cu electroless plating process at a controlled temperature (30° C.) for varied bath times. The lowest electrical resistivity value of the plated Cu lines was about 6 times greater than the bulk resistivity of Cu. This process presents an industrially viable way to fabricate Cu conductive fine patterns for flexible electronics at low temperature, and low cost.

Abstract: A setter assembly for use in additive manufacturing a binder-jet part includes a base, a first setter component having a first setter portion and a second setter portion that may be removably coupled to the first setter portion and a plurality of protrusions disposed on and extending away from a surface of the base. The plurality of protrusions may align the base with the first setter component and enable coupling of the first setter component to the base. The setter assembly also includes a second setter component positioned between the base and the first setter component. The second setter component is disposed on the surface and the first setter component, the second setter component, and the base can be assembled onto a printed part such that at least a portion of the printed part is nested between the first setter component and the second setter component.

Abstract: A binder jet printed article includes a part having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an overhang extending from the top portion and a support structure formed around the part that may block deformation of the part during post-printing thermal processing. The support structure includes a skid positioned adjacent to the bottom portion that may support the part, a first plurality of support features disposed along an outer perimeter of the skid, and a second plurality of support features disposed on the top portion of the printed part. The first and second plurality of support features form a lattice around the printed part such that the printed part is nested within the support structure.

Abstract: A grid of phased array transducers includes a piezoelectric layer and a plurality of ground contact traces. The piezoelectric layer includes a first side and a second side. The plurality of ground contact traces is disposed on the first side of the piezoelectric layer along an elevational direction, where each ground contact trace of the plurality of ground contact traces extends along an azimuthal direction. Further, each phased array transducer of the grid of phased array transducers is disposed between an adjacently disposed pair of ground contact traces of the plurality of ground contact traces. Moreover, each phased array transducer includes at least a portion of at least one ground contact trace of a corresponding pair of ground contact traces, and where each phased array transducer includes a plurality of transducer elements.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to additive manufacturing techniques, and more specifically, to additive manufacturing techniques that involve binder jet printing. A disclosed additive manufacturing system for fabricating an article includes a build unit and a positioning system operably coupled to the build unit. The positioning system is configured to move the build unit in at least three dimensions. The build unit includes a recoater portion configured to deposit a layer of powder within a build area of the additive manufacturing system. The build unit also includes a binder jetting portion configured to selectively deposit and cure a binder within a periphery of the deposited layer of powder to form a dynamic build envelope around the article being fabricated in the build area.

Abstract: A manufacturing a process is provided for the bulk manufacture of transducer arrays, including arrays having at least one 3D printed (or otherwise additive manufactured) acoustic matching layers. In certain implementations, the manufactured transducers include a composite-piezoelectric transducer on a de-matching layer. In one implementation, by producing multiple arrays at once on a common carrier, and by using direct-deposit additive processes for the matching layers, the described processes greatly reduce the number of parts and the number of manual operations.

Abstract: A method of binder jet printing a part includes depositing a layer of a powder on a working surface and selectively printing a binder solution comprising a binder into the layer of powder in a first pattern to generate a printed layer. The pattern is representative of a structure of a layer of the part. The method also includes selectively printing a channel support agent solution comprising a channel support agent into the layer of powder to generate a green body. The channel support agent is selectively printed in a second pattern representative of an internal channel of the part. The method further includes heating the green body part above a first temperature to remove the binder and generate a brown body part and heating the brown body part above a second temperature to sinter the powder to generate the part having the internal channel generated from removal of the channel support agent.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersions of artificially synthesized, mussel-inspired polyopamine nanoparticles were inkjet printed on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. Narrow line patterns (4 ?m in width) of polydopamine resulted due to evaporatively driven transport (coffee ring effect). The printed patterns were metallized via a site-selective Cu electroless plating process at a controlled temperature (30° C.) for varied bath times. The lowest electrical resistivity value of the plated Cu lines was about 6 times greater than the bulk resistivity of Cu. This process presents an industrially viable way to fabricate Cu conductive fine patterns for flexible electronics at low temperature, and low cost.