A laser treatment system and method for imparting beneficial residual stresses into a desired part during production thereof by a Selective Laser Sintering or Melting (SLS/SLM) process, the method including repeatedly subjecting the part to an in-situ Laser Shock Peening (LSP) treatment during the SLS/SLM process. The in-situ LSP treatment includes selectively bringing an LSP module in contact with a surface of the part during the SLS/SLM process, and subjecting the LSP module to the action of a first laser beam to impart beneficial residual stresses into the part. The LSP module is movable between a building chamber where the part is being produced for the purpose of carrying out the in-situ LSP treatment, and a separate storage chamber when the LSP module is not used for the purpose of carrying out the in-situ LSP treatment. The invention is also implementable in a corresponding additive manufacturing system and method.

An apparatus and method to magnetically align fibers in a base additive material during an additive manufacturing process for material property enhancing purposes or to facilitate joining of multiple types of materials during the additive process to form an integrated part. The magnetically alignable fibers are positioned through the application of a controlled, multi-axis positioning magnetic field during the additive-material layer deposition phase. This allows the fibers to be embedded within the base additive-material in any three-dimensional desired orientation, and the orientation to be varied from layer to layer, to permit directional enhancement of material properties, dependent on the nature of the fiber materials themselves. Likewise, joining of multiple types of materials may be improved through the controlled deposition of such fibers embedded within the base material itself during the additive-process between layers of two or more dissimilar materials, to provide a directionally aligned mechanical attachment between layers of base additive materials to result in a strengthened consolidated part at the conclusion of the additive manufacturing process.

An apparatus and method to magnetically align fibers in a base additive material during an additive manufacturing process for material property enhancing purposes or to facilitate joining of multiple types of materials during the additive process to form an integrated part. The magnetically alignable fibers are positioned through the application of a controlled, multi-axis positioning magnetic field during the additive-material layer deposition phase. This allows the fibers to be embedded within the base additive-material in any three-dimensional desired orientation, and the orientation to be varied from layer to layer, to permit directional enhancement of material properties, dependent on the nature of the fiber materials themselves. Likewise, joining of multiple types of materials may be improved through the controlled deposition of such fibers embedded within the base material itself during the additive-process between layers of two or more dissimilar materials, to provide a directionally aligned mechanical attachment between layers of base additive materials to result in a strengthened consolidated part at the conclusion of the additive manufacturing process.

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object by means of material application in layers S.sub.n (n=1 to N), which has at least a material dispensing device, a drive device, a print substrate, a control device having a data memory, and a material removal device. In order to be able to recognize and eliminate defects in a layer S.sub.n, which can still occur later, i.e., after completion of this layer S.sub.n, it is proposed, according to the invention, to provide a monitoring device. Furthermore, a downstream evaluation device determines a layer S.sub.x in which the at least one defect was detected. Thereupon an error signal is generated and passed on to the control device. The material removal device completely removes the material of a partial region of the shaped object, from the layer S.sub.N that was last printed, down to the first of the defective layers S.sub.x. Building up the three-dimensional shaped object begins anew at the layer S.sub.x−1.

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object by means of material application in layers S.sub.n (n=1 to N), which has at least a material dispensing device, a drive device, a print substrate, a control device having a data memory, and a material removal device. In order to be able to recognize and eliminate defects in a layer S.sub.n, which can still occur later, i.e., after completion of this layer S.sub.n, it is proposed, according to the invention, to provide a monitoring device. Furthermore, a downstream evaluation device determines a layer S.sub.x in which the at least one defect was detected. Thereupon an error signal is generated and passed on to the control device. The material removal device completely removes the material of a partial region of the shaped object, from the layer S.sub.N that was last printed, down to the first of the defective layers S.sub.x. Building up the three-dimensional shaped object begins anew at the layer S.sub.x−1.

A method of constructing a heat exchanger includes providing a base, and additively manufacturing a plurality of first walls substantially parallel and substantially vertical while being manufactured, wherein the plurality of first walls are spaced apart and attached to the base. The method also includes removing at least a portion of a build powder located between the plurality of first walls and attaching a parting sheet to the plurality of first walls. The method also includes additively manufacturing a plurality of second walls substantially parallel and substantially vertical while being manufactured and are spaced apart.

An example of a method, for three-dimensional (3D) printing, includes applying a build material and patterning at least a portion of the build material. The patterning includes selectively applying a wetting amount of a binder fluid on the at least the portion of the build material and subsequently selectively applying a remaining amount of the binder fluid on the at least the portion of the build material. An area density in grams per meter square meter (gsm) of the wetting amount ranges from about 2 times less to about 30 times less than area density in gsm of the remaining amount.

An example of a method, for three-dimensional (3D) printing, includes applying a build material and patterning at least a portion of the build material. The patterning includes selectively applying a wetting amount of a binder fluid on the at least the portion of the build material and subsequently selectively applying a remaining amount of the binder fluid on the at least the portion of the build material. An area density in grams per meter square meter (gsm) of the wetting amount ranges from about 2 times less to about 30 times less than area density in gsm of the remaining amount.

A polymer-assisted 3D printing method and ink compositions are used to manufacture magnetocaloric devices having many applications including in heat pumps, refrigerators, etc. The ink compositions and printing methods can produce compositionally graded, anisotropically aligned magnetocaloric architectures with designed pores and channels, to bring forth significant improvement in heat exchange efficiency.

A polymer-assisted 3D printing method and ink compositions are used to manufacture magnetocaloric devices having many applications including in heat pumps, refrigerators, etc. The ink compositions and printing methods can produce compositionally graded, anisotropically aligned magnetocaloric architectures with designed pores and channels, to bring forth significant improvement in heat exchange efficiency.