In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, an additive manufacturing system is described. The additive manufacturing system includes a build material distributor to deposit metal powder build material and an agent distribution system to selectively deposit a binding agent on the metal powder build material in a pattern of a layer of a three-dimensional (3D) object to be printed. The additive manufacturing system also includes an ultraviolet (UV) energy source. The UV energy source, in a layer-by-layer fashion 1) cures the binding agent to join together metal powder build material with binding agent disposed thereon and 2) evaporates a solvent of the binding agent.

A method for producing a three-dimensional object by an additive manufacturing process includes introducing at least one manufacturing material fed in a flowable state from at least one feed-in opening of at least one feed-in needle into a supporting material. After being fed in, the at least one manufacturing material is cured, but it remains flexible or elastic after curing. The contour and/or position of at least one part of the three-dimensional object within the support material is detected by at least one sensor.

A method of manufacturing a component for a sole structure of an article of footwear includes providing a printer having a platform, a first head that receives a first feed, and a second head that receives a second feed. The method further includes printing a base layer on the platform, with the base layer comprising a substrate material and defining a longitudinal axis. Additionally, the method includes printing a first fiber layer continuously on the base layer, with the first fiber layer defining a first fiber orientation that is disposed at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and printing a second fiber layer continuously on the first fiber layer, the second fiber layer defining a second fiber orientation that is disposed at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis. The first angle is different from the second angle.

A method of manufacturing a component for a sole structure of an article of footwear includes providing a printer having a platform, a first head that receives a first feed, and a second head that receives a second feed. The method further includes printing a base layer on the platform, with the base layer comprising a substrate material and defining a longitudinal axis. Additionally, the method includes printing a first fiber layer continuously on the base layer, with the first fiber layer defining a first fiber orientation that is disposed at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and printing a second fiber layer continuously on the first fiber layer, the second fiber layer defining a second fiber orientation that is disposed at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis. The first angle is different from the second angle.

A three-dimensional object molding method and molding device, where the method includes the following steps: forming a powder particle layer, wherein the powder particle layer at least contains thermosetting powder particles capable of undergoing thermal polymerization; spraying a photocurable material onto the powder particle layer according to layer printing data, such that the photocurable material covers at least part of the powder particle layer and permeates into this layer; curing the photocurable material to form a slice layer; repeating the steps to obtain a plurality of slice layers, and stacking the plurality of slice layers layer-by-layer to form a three-dimensional object green body; and heating the green body to thermally polymerize the thermosetting powder particles so as to obtain the three-dimensional object. The method provided in the present application enables the obtained three-dimensional object to have very good mechanical properties and a high molding accuracy.

A three-dimensional object molding method and molding device, where the method includes the following steps: forming a powder particle layer, wherein the powder particle layer at least contains thermosetting powder particles capable of undergoing thermal polymerization; spraying a photocurable material onto the powder particle layer according to layer printing data, such that the photocurable material covers at least part of the powder particle layer and permeates into this layer; curing the photocurable material to form a slice layer; repeating the steps to obtain a plurality of slice layers, and stacking the plurality of slice layers layer-by-layer to form a three-dimensional object green body; and heating the green body to thermally polymerize the thermosetting powder particles so as to obtain the three-dimensional object. The method provided in the present application enables the obtained three-dimensional object to have very good mechanical properties and a high molding accuracy.

An example technique includes extruding, by a tow deposition device, on a tow-by-tow basis, respective impregnated tows of a plurality of respective impregnated tows to form a layer of material on a major surface of a substrate. Each respective impregnated tow includes at least one ceramic fiber and a curable resin coating the at least one ceramic fiber. The example technique includes curing the curable resin to form a cured composite component. An example system includes a tow deposition device, an energy source, and a computing device. The computing device is configured to control the tow deposition device to extrude, on a tow-by-tow basis, respective impregnated tows of a plurality of respective impregnated tows to form a layer of material, and is configured to control the energy source to cure the curable resin to form a cured composite component.

A method for manufacturing a target material is provided and includes installing a substrate, providing a raw material powder to the substrate, melting the raw material powder on the substrate by a laser, and repeating the step of providing the raw material powder to the substrate to melting the raw material powder on the substrate by the laser to form a target material and rapidly cooling the formed target material. As such, the target material is produced by the method of lamination manufacturing via the rapid cooling property, so as to avoid the problems of high cost, long man-hours and poor quality of the target material in the conventional techniques.

Additive manufacturing processes, such as powder bed fusion of thermoplastic particulates, may be employed to form printed objects in a range of shapes. It is sometimes desirable to form conductive traces upon the surface of printed objects. Conductive traces and similar features may be introduced during additive manufacturing processes by incorporating a metal precursor in a thermoplastic printing composition, converting a portion of the metal precursor to discontinuous metal islands using laser irradiation, and performing electroless plating. Suitable printing compositions may comprise a plurality of thermoplastic particulates comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a metal precursor admixed with the thermoplastic polymer, and optionally a plurality of nanoparticles disposed upon an outer surface of each of the thermoplastic particulates, wherein the metal precursor is activatable to form metal islands upon exposure to laser irradiation. Melt emulsification may be used to form the thermoplastic particulates.

Additive manufacturing processes, such as powder bed fusion of thermoplastic particulates, may be employed to form printed objects in a range of shapes. It is sometimes desirable to form conductive traces upon the surface of printed objects. Conductive traces and similar features may be introduced during additive manufacturing processes by incorporating a metal precursor in a thermoplastic printing composition, converting a portion of the metal precursor to discontinuous metal islands using laser irradiation, and performing electroless plating. Suitable printing compositions may comprise a plurality of thermoplastic particulates comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a metal precursor admixed with the thermoplastic polymer, and optionally a plurality of nanoparticles disposed upon an outer surface of each of the thermoplastic particulates, wherein the metal precursor is activatable to form metal islands upon exposure to laser irradiation. Melt emulsification may be used to form the thermoplastic particulates.