Abstract: A variety of additive manufacturing techniques can be adapted to fabricate a substantially net shape object from a computerized model using materials that can be debound and sintered into a fully dense metallic part or the like. However, during sintering, the net shape will shrink as binder escapes and the base material fuses into a dense final part. If the foundation beneath the object does not shrink in a corresponding fashion, the resulting stresses throughout the object can lead to fracturing, warping, or other physical damage to the object resulting in a failed fabrication. To address this issue, a variety of techniques are disclosed for substrates and build plates that contract in a manner complementary to the object during debinding and sintering.

Abstract: A printer fabricates an object from a computerized model using a fused filament fabrication process. A former extending from a nozzle of the printer supplements a layer fusion process by applying a normal force on new material as it is deposited to form the object. The former may use a variety of techniques such as heat and rolling to improve physical bonding between layers.

Abstract: A support structure is fabricated below a printed object to form a structure that prevents or minimizes a drag on a floor while the object shrinks during sintering.

Abstract: A printer fabricates an object from a computerized model using a fused filament fabrication process. The shape of an extrusion nozzle may be varied during extrusion to control, e.g., an amount of build material deposited, a shape of extrudate exiting the nozzle, a feature resolution, and the like.

Abstract: A printer fabricates an object from a computerized model using a fused filament fabrication process. The shape of an extrusion nozzle may be varied during extrusion to control, e.g., an amount of build material deposited, a shape of extrudate exiting the nozzle, a feature resolution, and the like.

Abstract: A superstructure is fabricated around an object, but physically isolated from the object, with a shape that facilitates robotic handling of the superstructure, along with removal of powder from the object, after a three-dimensional printing process such as binder jetting.

Abstract: A support structure is fabricated below a printed object to form a structure that prevents or minimizes a drag on a floor while the object shrinks during sintering.

Abstract: An infiltratable material forms a net shape containing a porous network that can be infiltrated with a supplemental material, commonly referred to as an infiltrant, e.g., by heating the infiltrant so that it melts and wicks into the porous network of the net shape. By using additive fabrication technologies to spatially dispose an infiltrant about an infiltratable structure, a composite structure can be created that advantageously controls the amount of infiltrant applied to the infiltratable structure and the spatial distribution of the infiltrant about and/or within the infiltratable structure prior to infiltration.

Abstract: A printer fabricates an object from a computerized model using a fused filament fabrication process. A former extending from a nozzle of the printer supplements a layer fusion process by applying a normal force on new material as it is deposited to form the object. The former may use a variety of techniques such as heat and rolling to improve physical bonding between layers.

Abstract: A support structure is formed from a support material below a printed object that shrinks similarly to a build material of the printed object during processing in a furnace.

Abstract: Multiple metallic base materials are mixed into a user-controlled multimetallic mixture and extruded into a net shape according to a digital model. The net shape can then be thermally processed into a multimetallic and/or alloyed object.

Abstract: A ceramic precursor is used to create a separable interface between a support structure and a sinterable object. More specifically, a sinterable structure can be fabricated from a build material including a sinterable powder in an aqueous binder, and an interface layer can be formed by depositing a ceramic precursor in a nonaqueous solution onto the sinterable structure. When the ceramic precursor is exposed to water in the aqueous binder of the build material, the ceramic can precipitate to form an unsinterable, ceramic interface layer between the sinterable structure and adjacent sinterable structures.

Abstract: A printer fabricates an object from a computerized model using a fused filament fabrication process. The shape of an extrusion nozzle may be varied during extrusion to control, e.g., an amount of build material deposited, a shape of extrudate exiting the nozzle, a feature resolution, and the like.

Abstract: The devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are directed to spreading powder to facilitate accurate layer-by-layer fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through binder jetting. More specifically, a spreader may be moved across a volume defined by a powder box to spread the powder in a layer. As the spreader is moved across the volume, the spreader may vibrate to pack the powder in the volume. By applying this vibration to the powder on a layer-by-layer basis, the resulting three-dimensional object formed through the binder jetting process may have improved density. In turn, such improved density may be useful for forming the three-dimensional objects into finished parts meeting target density standards, which may be particularly useful in the fabrication of metal parts. Further, or instead, applying vibration to the powder may reduce the likelihood of layer-to-layer variations in the three-dimensional object, thus reducing the likelihood of defects in finished parts.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are directed to the use of nanoparticles for improving fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through layer-by-layer delivery of an ink onto a powder of metal particles in a powder bed. More specifically, the ink may include a colloid of nanoparticles of an inorganic material (e.g., a metal) in a carrier, and the colloid may be destabilized along one or more sections of at least one layer. Destabilization of the colloid may aggregate the nanoparticles along at least one layer to facilitate, for example, formation of an interface layer useful for separating the three-dimensional objects from associated support structures. Further, or instead, the aggregated nanoparticles may be useful for hardening a given layer to facilitate uniform distribution of a subsequent layer on top of the given layer. Thus, more generally, aggregation of the nanoparticles along the powder be may be useful for improving quality of the three-dimensional objects being fabricated.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are directed to the use of nanoparticles for improving fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through layer-by-layer delivery of an ink onto a powder of metal particles in a powder bed. More specifically, the ink may include metal nanoparticles suspended in a non-oxidizing aqueous solution to facilitate maintaining the metal nanoparticles in a stable form, providing a shelf-life suitable for transportation and storage of the ink in large-scale commercial operations. The ink may be delivered onto the powder of the metal particles in the powder bed, where the nanoparticles may interact with the metal particles to improve strength of the three-dimensional objects being fabricated. Also, or instead, the nanoparticles may reduce the likelihood of defects associated with subsequent processing of the three-dimensional objects (e.g., slumping and shrinking and/or inadequate densification of the final part).

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are directed to the use of nanoparticles for improving fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through layer-by-layer delivery of an ink onto a powder of metal particles in a powder bed. More specifically, the ink may include high aspect ratio nanoparticles, such as filaments. As compared to nanoparticles having lower aspect ratios, high aspect ratio nanoparticles may facilitate bridging more surface of the metal particles in the powder bed. As the three-dimensional objects including the high aspect ratio nanoparticles and the metal particles are thermally processed, the increased bridging associated with the high aspect ratio nanoparticles may result in increased bonded area between the nanoparticles and the metal particles and, thus, three-dimensional objects that are more robust with respect to subsequent processing required to form the three-dimensional objects into finished parts.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are directed to the use of nanoparticles for improving fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through layer-by-layer delivery of an ink onto a powder of metal particles in a powder bed. More specifically, the ink may include a carrier, supramolecular assemblies of molecules, and nanoparticles of an inorganic material. The supramolecular assemblies may sequester the nanoparticles of the inorganic material from the carrier to facilitate maintaining the nanoparticles in a stable form, providing a shelf-life suitable for transportation and storage of the ink in large-scale commercial operations. The supramolecular assemblies of the molecules may be disrupted during a fabrication process to release the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may improve strength of the three-dimensional objects being fabricated and, also or instead, may reduce the likelihood of defects associated with subsequent processing of the three-dimensional objects (e.g.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are directed to the use of nanoparticles for improving fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through layer-by-layer delivery of an ink onto a powder of metal particles in a powder bed. More specifically, the ink may include ceramic nanoparticles that may be maintained in a stable form, providing a shelf-life suitable for transportation and storage of the ink in large-scale commercial operations. The ink may be delivered onto the powder of the metal particles in the powder bed, where the ceramic nanoparticles may interact with the metal particles to improve strength of the three-dimensional objects being fabricated. Also, or instead, the nanoparticles may reduce the likelihood of defects associated with subsequent processing of the three-dimensional objects (e.g., slumping and shrinking and/or inadequate densification of the final part).

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are directed to the use of nanoparticles for improving fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through layer-by-layer delivery of an ink onto a powder of metal particles in a powder bed. More specifically, local densities of the powder of each layer may be determined and used as a basis for selectively distributing the ink including nanoparticles to increase density of one or more portions of the respective layer as compared to density of the respective portion of the layer prior to the selective distribution of the ink. Thus, the selective distribution of the ink including the nanoparticles may reduce density variations in each layer of three-dimensional objects being fabricated. In turn, such a reduction in density variation associated with the fabrication of three-dimensional objects may reduce the likelihood of defects (e.g., through unintended variations in shrinkage rates) associated with subsequent processing of the three-dimensional objects.