A three-dimensional (“3D”) printing system for printing on a substrate, the printing system including a powder distribution device dispensing powder on the substrate and including a blade-shaped end, the blade-shaped end disposed at a height above the substrate; a powder uniformization device located at a distance from the powder distribution device along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the substrate; one or more sensors disposed upstream from the powder uniformization device and configured to determine one or more parameters of a thickness of the dispensed powder at one or more locations; and a control apparatus configured to determine whether the one or more parameters of the thickness is above a predetermined threshold value, and if the one or more parameters is determined to be above the predetermined threshold value, to adjust the powder distribution device.

A three-dimensional (“3D”) printing system for printing on a substrate, the printing system including a plurality of powder feeders, the plurality of powder feeders dispensing a powder on the substrate in a first direction and in a second direction; and a powder uniformization device located adjacent to the plurality of powder feeders, the powder uniformization device rotatable along the substrate in directions opposing the first direction and the second direction.

In a three-dimensional printing method example, a liquid functional agent is selectively applied. The liquid functional agent includes an alloying agent. A metallic build material is applied. The liquid functional agent is selectively applied before the metallic build material, after the metallic build material, or both before and after the metallic build material. The liquid functional agent patterns the metallic build material to form a composite layer. At least some of the metallic build material is exposed to energy to melt the at least some of the metallic build material to form a layer. Upon contact or after energy exposure, the alloying agent and the build material alter a composition of the composite layer.

The present disclosure is drawn to a material set including a powder bed material and a binder fluid. The powder bed material can be from 80 wt % to 100 wt % metal particles having a metal core and a thin metal layer on the core, and the metal particles having a D50 particle size distribution value ranging from 4 μm to 150 μm and the thin metal layer having an average thickness from 20 nm to 2 μm. The binder fluid can adhere a first portion of the powder bed material relative to a second portion of the powder bed material not in contact with the binder fluid.

The present disclosure is drawn to a material set including a powder bed material and a binder fluid. The powder bed material can be from 80 wt % to 100 wt % metal particles having a metal core and a thin metal layer on the core, and the metal particles having a D50 particle size distribution value ranging from 4 μm to 150 μm and the thin metal layer having an average thickness from 20 nm to 2 μm. The binder fluid can adhere a first portion of the powder bed material relative to a second portion of the powder bed material not in contact with the binder fluid.

A system for building a three dimensional green compact comprising a printing station configured to print a mask pattern on a building surface, wherein the mask pattern is formed of solidifiable material; a powder delivery station configured to apply a layer of powder material on the mask pattern; a die compaction station for compacting the layer formed by the powder material and the mask pattern; and a stage configured to repeatedly advance a building tray to each of the printing station, the powder delivery station and the die compaction station to build a plurality of layers that together form the three dimensional green compact.

A system for building a three dimensional green compact comprising a printing station configured to print a mask pattern on a building surface, wherein the mask pattern is formed of solidifiable material; a powder delivery station configured to apply a layer of powder material on the mask pattern; a die compaction station for compacting the layer formed by the powder material and the mask pattern; and a stage configured to repeatedly advance a building tray to each of the printing station, the powder delivery station and the die compaction station to build a plurality of layers that together form the three dimensional green compact.

A method of compensating for sintering warpage due to powder spreading density variations in binder jetting additive manufacturing, including receiving an initial design file defining an object geometry, representing the object geometry as a part mesh and filling the mesh with a grid of voxels to create a voxel grid, each voxel having at least one shrinkage coefficient. For each voxel, determining a distortion factor caused by a powder density variation induced during a powder spreading process and adjusting the at shrinkage coefficient of each voxel according to its respective distortion factor. Next, a shrinkage of the grid of voxels is simulated according to a sintering process. A negative compensation is applied to the voxel grid, according to the simulated shrinkage of the grid of voxels, to form a compensated voxel grid. Lastly, the change in the voxel grid is mapped to the compensated voxel grid onto the part mesh to create a pre-processed compensated part mesh.

A method of compensating for sintering warpage due to powder spreading density variations in binder jetting additive manufacturing, including receiving an initial design file defining an object geometry, representing the object geometry as a part mesh and filling the mesh with a grid of voxels to create a voxel grid, each voxel having at least one shrinkage coefficient. For each voxel, determining a distortion factor caused by a powder density variation induced during a powder spreading process and adjusting the at shrinkage coefficient of each voxel according to its respective distortion factor. Next, a shrinkage of the grid of voxels is simulated according to a sintering process. A negative compensation is applied to the voxel grid, according to the simulated shrinkage of the grid of voxels, to form a compensated voxel grid. Lastly, the change in the voxel grid is mapped to the compensated voxel grid onto the part mesh to create a pre-processed compensated part mesh.

A selective laser sintering system includes a leveling roller having a first orientation. The leveling roller is configured to roll over a first feed bin. The build chamber is configured to receive, from the first feed bin and by the leveling roller, a transfer of a portion of matrix material. The selective laser sintering system is configured to transfer the portion to the build chamber in a number of orientations.