The present invention generally relates to the printing of materials, using 3-dimensional printing and other printing techniques, including the use of one or more mixing nozzles, and/or multi-axis control over the translation and/or rotation of the print head or the substrate onto which materials are printed. In some embodiments, a material may be prepared by extruding material through print head comprising a nozzle, such as a microfluidic printing nozzle, which may be used to mix materials within the nozzle and direct the resulting product onto a substrate. The print head and/or the substrate may be configured to be translated and/or rotated, for example, using a computer or other controller, in order to control the deposition of material onto the substrate.

A polymer-based spherical powder preparation device and preparation process are disclosed. The preparation device comprises a mill milling system and an inductively coupled plasma powder spheroidization system. The mill milling system of the preparation device can achieve ultra-fine grinding of the material at room temperature by applying strong extrusion, shear and circumferential stress to the material; and the inductively coupled plasma powder spheroidization system using high temperature plasma as high temperature heat source, the polymer powder can be heated uniformly, and the melting and cooling rate is fast, so the spheroidization can be completed in a short time. The preparation process of polymer based spherical powder was integrated and continuously produced by the preparation device.

Ways of preparing a partially crystalline polycarbonate powder are provided that include dissolving an amorphous polycarbonate in a polar aprotic solvent to form a first solution of solubilized polycarbonate at a first temperature. The first solution is then cooled to a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, where a portion of the solubilized polycarbonate precipitates from the first solution to form a second solution including the partially crystalline polycarbonate powder. Certain partially crystalline polycarbonate powders resulting from such methods are particularly useful in additive manufacturing processes, including powder bed fusion processes.

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.

Porous and microporous parts prepared by additive manufacturing as disclosed herein are useful in medical and non-medical applications. The parts are prepared from a composition containing both a solvent soluble component and a solvent insoluble component. After a part is printed by an additive manufacturing process it is exposed to solvent to extract solvent soluble component away from the printed part, resulting in a part having surface cavities.

Porous and microporous parts prepared by additive manufacturing as disclosed herein are useful in medical and non-medical applications. The parts are prepared from a composition containing both a solvent soluble component and a solvent insoluble component. After a part is printed by an additive manufacturing process it is exposed to solvent to extract solvent soluble component away from the printed part, resulting in a part having surface cavities.

An example method for forming a strengthened additive manufacturing material includes coating a surface of an additive manufacturing material with a solution including reinforcement particles, and causing a solvent of the solution to evaporate and the reinforcement particles adhere to the surface of the additive manufacturing material. An example strengthened filament includes a polymer filament having a surface, and reinforcement particles included on the surface of the polymer filament in a substantially uniform coating.

An example method for forming a strengthened additive manufacturing material includes coating a surface of an additive manufacturing material with a solution including reinforcement particles, and causing a solvent of the solution to evaporate and the reinforcement particles adhere to the surface of the additive manufacturing material. An example strengthened filament includes a polymer filament having a surface, and reinforcement particles included on the surface of the polymer filament in a substantially uniform coating.

A composite material includes a plurality of metallic particles formed through modulation-assisted machining. The composite includes a thermoplastic polymer matrix which binds the plurality of metallic particles.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a polyamide powder (PP) comprising at least one semicrystalline polyamide (P) and at least one additive (A). The semicrystalline polyamide (P) and the at least one additive (A) are initially compounded with one another in an extruder and subsequently introduced into a solvent (SV) in which the at least one semicrystalline polyamide (P) then crystallizes to obtain the polyamide powder (PP). The present invention further relates to the thus obtainable polyamide powder (PP) and to the use of the polyamide powder (PP) as sintering powder (SP) and also to a process for producing a shaped body by selective laser sintering of a polyamide powder (PP).