A method of impregnating voids of a sintered metal body having a porous structure with resin, the method comprising preparing a resin material that contains a defoamer containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic particles, defoaming the prepared resin material by reducing pressure of the resin material, applying the defoamed resin material onto a surface of the sintered metal body, impregnating the voids with the resin material by reducing pressure of the sintered metal body and the resin material applied to the surface of the sintered metal body so as to expel gas from the voids; and curing the resin material by heating.

A method of impregnating voids of a sintered metal body having a porous structure with resin, the method comprising preparing a resin material that contains a defoamer containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic particles, defoaming the prepared resin material by reducing pressure of the resin material, applying the defoamed resin material onto a surface of the sintered metal body, impregnating the voids with the resin material by reducing pressure of the sintered metal body and the resin material applied to the surface of the sintered metal body so as to expel gas from the voids; and curing the resin material by heating.

A method of impregnating voids of a sintered metal body having a porous structure with resin, the method comprising preparing a resin material that contains a defoamer containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic particles, defoaming the prepared resin material by reducing pressure of the resin material, applying the defoamed resin material onto a surface of the sintered metal body, impregnating the voids with the resin material by reducing pressure of the sintered metal body and the resin material applied to the surface of the sintered metal body so as to expel gas from the voids; and curing the resin material by heating.

A method of impregnating voids of a sintered metal body having a porous structure with resin, the method comprising preparing a resin material that contains a defoamer containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic particles, defoaming the prepared resin material by reducing pressure of the resin material, applying the defoamed resin material onto a surface of the sintered metal body, impregnating the voids with the resin material by reducing pressure of the sintered metal body and the resin material applied to the surface of the sintered metal body so as to expel gas from the voids; and curing the resin material by heating.

A porous apparatus includes a first layer and a second layer. The second layer has a plurality of struts. At least some of the struts define a porous geometry defining a plurality of faces, at least one of the plurality of the faces at least partially confronting the first layer. Each face is bounded by intersecting struts at vertices. Less than all of the vertices of each face of the porous geometry at least partially confronting the first layer are connected by a strut to the first layer. A process of producing the at least partially porous structure includes depositing and scanning metal powder layers. At least some of the scanned metal powder layers form either one or both of a portion of a first section of the structure and a portion of a second section of the structure formed by at least the struts defining the porous geometry.

According to examples, an apparatus may include a fabricating system, a processor, and on memory on which are stored machine readable instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the processor to control the fabricating system to spread a first layer of build material as part of an object fabrication process, the build material comprising particles or a paste. The instructions may also cause the processor to control the fabricating system to selectively solidify a first area of the layer to a higher degree of solidification than a predefined second area encompassed by the first area, in which the predefined second area has a lower fracture toughness than the first area to propagate a crack in the object more readily than the first area.

According to examples, an apparatus may include a fabricating system, a processor, and on memory on which are stored machine readable instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the processor to control the fabricating system to spread a first layer of build material as part of an object fabrication process, the build material comprising particles or a paste. The instructions may also cause the processor to control the fabricating system to selectively solidify a first area of the layer to a higher degree of solidification than a predefined second area encompassed by the first area, in which the predefined second area has a lower fracture toughness than the first area to propagate a crack in the object more readily than the first area.

A porous apparatus includes a first layer and a second layer. The second layer has a plurality of struts. At least some of the struts define a porous geometry defining a plurality of faces, at least one of the plurality of the faces at least partially confronting the first layer. Each face is bounded by intersecting struts at vertices. Less than all of the vertices of each face of the porous geometry at least partially confronting the first layer are connected by a strut to the first layer. A process of producing the at least partially porous structure includes depositing and scanning metal powder layers. At least some of the scanned metal powder layers form either one or both of a portion of a first section of the structure and a portion of a second section of the structure formed by at least the struts defining the porous geometry.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.