The material properties of structures made with conductive nanoparticles are enhanced by radiation sintering followed by chemical sintering. The conductive nanoparticles may be applied to substrates by methods such as screen printing, inkjet, aerosol and electrospinning and then sintering the conductive nanoparticles on the substrates.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a powder material for a powder bed fusion method, said powder material making it possible to easily sinter or fuse metal particles included in the powder material using a low-energy laser regardless of the material constituting the powder material. The powder material is used in the production of a three-dimensional molded article by selectively irradiating a thin layer of the powder material, which includes metal particles, with a laser light, forming molded article layers formed by sintering or fusing the metal particles, and laminating the molded article layers. The powder material includes porous metal particles formed by binding metal nanoparticles with a binder, and the BET specific surface area of the powder material is 5.010.sup.61.110.sup.8 (m.sup.2/m.sup.3), inclusive.

A method of manufacturing a structural component having tailored material properties by applying an IR-absorbent coating to a substrate formed of a ferrous-based, aluminum-based, magnesium-based, or fiber reinforced composite material is provided. The coating is preferably formed of iron oxide (Fe.sub.30.sub.4) decorated multiwall carbon nanotubes. Alternatively, the coating is wax-based or polymer-based and includes TriSilanollsooctylt POSS and additives. Different coating compositions may be applied to different zones of the substrate so that the emissivity coefficient varies along the substrate. The coated substrate is heated and formed between a pair of dies to achieve a complex shape or features. The IR-absorbent coating increases the infrared absorption rate during the heating step, which improves formability of the substrate. The iron oxide (Fe.sub.30.sub.4) decorated multiwall carbon nanotubes can also be applied to an engine component to increase the thermal efficiency of the engine by reducing friction and enabling the use of light weight materials.

A method for manufacturing an additive manufactured object according embodiments includes supplying a powdered first material capable of being melted or sintered by irradiation with energy rays; supplying a powdered second material through which the energy rays are transmitted; melting or sintering the first material by irradiation with the energy rays; and solidifying the first material after melting or solidifying the first material by sintering.

A method for manufacturing an additive manufactured object according embodiments includes supplying a powdered first material capable of being melted or sintered by irradiation with energy rays; supplying a powdered second material through which the energy rays are transmitted; melting or sintering the first material by irradiation with the energy rays; and solidifying the first material after melting or solidifying the first material by sintering.

In an example, an apparatus includes processing circuitry comprising a model assessment module to identify an indication of a conductive element within object model data representing an object to be printed and a print instruction module to generate print instructions to generate the object. The print instructions may include an instruction to print conductive agent to form the conductive element and an instruction to print a fusing agent comprising an instruction to reduce an amount of fusing agent to be printed in a region of the conductive element compared to at least one other region of the object.

In an example, an apparatus includes processing circuitry comprising a model assessment module to identify an indication of a conductive element within object model data representing an object to be printed and a print instruction module to generate print instructions to generate the object. The print instructions may include an instruction to print conductive agent to form the conductive element and an instruction to print a fusing agent comprising an instruction to reduce an amount of fusing agent to be printed in a region of the conductive element compared to at least one other region of the object.