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.

A method of making a metal-polymer composite includes dealloying metallic powder to yield porous metal particles, monitoring a temperature of the mixture, controlling the rate of combining, a maximum temperature of the mixture, or both, and combining the porous metal particles with a polymer to yield a composite. Dealloying includes combining the metallic powder with an etchant to yield a mixture. A metal-polymer composite includes porous metal particles having an average particle size of about 0.2 ?m to about 500 ?m and a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer. The polymer composite comprises at least 10 vol % of the porous metal particles. A powder mixture includes porous metal particles having an average particle size of about 0.2 ?m to about 500 ?m and a metal powder. The powder mixture includes about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of the porous metal particles.

A method of making a metal-polymer composite includes dealloying metallic powder to yield porous metal particles, monitoring a temperature of the mixture, controlling the rate of combining, a maximum temperature of the mixture, or both, and combining the porous metal particles with a polymer to yield a composite. Dealloying includes combining the metallic powder with an etchant to yield a mixture. A metal-polymer composite includes porous metal particles having an average particle size of about 0.2 ?m to about 500 ?m and a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer. The polymer composite comprises at least 10 vol % of the porous metal particles. A powder mixture includes porous metal particles having an average particle size of about 0.2 ?m to about 500 ?m and a metal powder. The powder mixture includes about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of the porous metal particles.

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.

A metallic ink for solvent-cast 3D printing, the ink comprising a solution or a gel of a polymer in a volatile solvent, and heat-sinterable metallic particles dispersed in the solution or gel, wherein the particles are present in a particles:polymer weight ratio of more than about 85:15, is provided. There is also provided a method of manufacturing this ink and a method of manufacturing a solvent-cast metallic 3D printed material using this ink.

A metallic ink for solvent-cast 3D printing, the ink comprising a solution or a gel of a polymer in a volatile solvent, and heat-sinterable metallic particles dispersed in the solution or gel, wherein the particles are present in a particles:polymer weight ratio of more than about 85:15, is provided. There is also provided a method of manufacturing this ink and a method of manufacturing a solvent-cast metallic 3D printed material using this ink.

By melting a shaping material in which a metal powder and a binder are mixed and by carrying out injection molding (primary shaping) in an injection mold, an injection molded body, or an intermediate shaped body are produced. The injection molded body or the intermediate shaped body is placed by a transfer mold and is subjected to a gravity shaping (secondary shaping) with a transformation. A sintered body is manufactured by carrying out debindering and sintering to the injection molded body.

By melting a shaping material in which a metal powder and a binder are mixed and by carrying out injection molding (primary shaping) in an injection mold, an injection molded body, or an intermediate shaped body are produced. The injection molded body or the intermediate shaped body is placed by a transfer mold and is subjected to a gravity shaping (secondary shaping) with a transformation. A sintered body is manufactured by carrying out debindering and sintering to the injection molded body.

A metal three-dimensional printer, a printing method, and a three-dimensional printing material. The three-dimensional printer includes a printing head, a heating apparatus, a printing platform, and a sintering shaping chamber. The printing method includes a preliminary shaping step and a sintering step. The heating apparatus heats the three-dimensional printing material. A heating temperature of the heating apparatus is 50 C. to 300 C., and a binder bonds metal powder at 50 C. to 300 C., and the three-dimensional printing material is extruded onto the printing platform to form a preliminary cured object. In the sintering step, the preliminary cured object is sintered and cured into a shaped object.