A method of manufacturing a bead assembly for a sphincter augmentation device includes initiating 3D printing of a unibody housing such that the unibody housing defines a first opening, a chamber, and a magnet chamber. The method further includes pausing the 3D printing process, inserting a magnet within the magnetic chamber, and then resuming 3D printing of the unibody housing to form a hermetic seal between the magnet chamber and an external surface of the unibody housing.

Described herein are compositions, methods, and systems for printing metal three-dimensional objects. In an example, described is a composition for three-dimensional printing comprising: a metal powder build material, wherein the metal powder build material has an average particle size of from about 10 μm to about 250 μm; and a binder fluid comprising: an aqueous liquid vehicle, and latex polymer particles dispersed in the aqueous liquid vehicle, wherein the latex polymer particles have an average particle size of from about 10 nm to about 300 nm.

Described herein are compositions, methods, and systems for printing metal three-dimensional objects. In an example, described is a composition for three-dimensional printing comprising: a metal powder build material, wherein the metal powder build material has an average particle size of from about 10 μm to about 250 μm; and a binder fluid comprising: an aqueous liquid vehicle, and latex polymer particles dispersed in the aqueous liquid vehicle, wherein the latex polymer particles have an average particle size of from about 10 nm to about 300 nm.

A method may comprise: placing a probe in a molten metal melt comprising a thixotropic metal alloy; injecting a gas into the molten metal melt to form a saturated slurry, the saturated slurry being at a temperature above a liquidus temperature of the thixotropic metal alloy after injecting the gas; removing the probe from the molten metal melt; and depositing the molten metal melt through an extruder of an additive manufacturing system.

A three-dimensional selective repairing system, which is for selectively repairing an area of an unrepaired element by sintering, includes a scanning device, a comparing device, a spraying device and a sintering device. The scanning device is for scanning the area to obtain a repairing data. The comparing device is connected to the scanning device to receive the repairing data and produce a repairing parameter. The spraying device is controlled by the repairing parameter and includes an electrostatic generator which sprays a plurality of electrified pulverulent bodies through the electrostatic generator to form an electrified pulverulent film on a medium covered on the area. The sintering device is controlled by the repairing parameter to provide a power beam to selectively heat the electrified pulverulent film. The electrified pulverulent film melted or sintered to form a solid mass on the area.

The disclosure relates to sintering compositions that can be used in three-dimensional printing or additive manufacturing processes. The sintering compositions generally include one or more metallic iron-containing powders and a minor amount of a boron-containing powder as a sintering aid. Sintered models or products formed from the sintering compositions have substantially improved density and surface roughness values relative to models formed without the boron-containing powder.

A method of 3D printing in which a 3D product is built up layer by layer by jetting from print heads includes forming part of a 3D product by a functional binder jetting process; jetting one or more material in a 2D pattern to form a structure on said part; completing the formation of the 3D product by continuing the functional binder jetting process, so that said structure becomes embedded in said product. Functional binder jetting may include: providing a layer of a powder bed; jetting a functional binder onto selected parts of said layer, wherein said functional binder infiltrates into pores in the powder bed and locally fuses particles of the powder bed in situ; sequentially repeating applying a layer of powder on top and selectively jetting functional binder, multiple times, to provide a powder bed bonded at selected locations by printed functional binder.

A method of 3D printing in which a 3D product is built up layer by layer by jetting from print heads includes forming part of a 3D product by a functional binder jetting process; jetting one or more material in a 2D pattern to form a structure on said part; completing the formation of the 3D product by continuing the functional binder jetting process, so that said structure becomes embedded in said product. Functional binder jetting may include: providing a layer of a powder bed; jetting a functional binder onto selected parts of said layer, wherein said functional binder infiltrates into pores in the powder bed and locally fuses particles of the powder bed in situ; sequentially repeating applying a layer of powder on top and selectively jetting functional binder, multiple times, to provide a powder bed bonded at selected locations by printed functional binder.

Provided is a method for the layer-by-layer manufacture of an object from particulate material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) distributing a layer of particulate material over a build bed, the layer forming a build bed surface and having a layer thickness; (b) preheating the layer to a preheat temperature; (c) heating a cross section of the object of the layer to at least a sintering temperature to cause the particulate material of the cross section to sinter or melt; (d) lowering the build bed by an increment; and (e) distributing a further layer of particulate material of substantially an intended layer thickness, the further layer forming the build bed surface; wherein an object layer cycle comprises the steps (b) to (d); and (f) optionally, repeating the object layer cycle until the object is complete; wherein the increment is different to the intended layer thickness. Further provided is a controller for carrying out the method and an apparatus comprising the controller.

There is provided a manufacturing method of the three-dimensional shaped object, the method being capable of reducing an undesirable phenomenon associated with the contamination of the light transmission window with the fume substance. The manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by alternate repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, wherein the irradiation with light beam for the solidified-layer forming is performed by directing the light beam into the chamber through a light transmission window of the chamber, and wherein a gas blow is supplied to the light transmission window by use of a movable gas supply device, the light transmission window having been contaminated with a fume generated upon the formation of the solidified layer.