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).

In various aspects, reinforced composite filaments, methods of making reinforced composite filaments, and methods of producing reinforced composite filament are all provided herein. The reinforced composite filaments can include a thermoplastic polymer matrix having dispersed therein reinforcing fibers composed of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. In some aspects, the thermoplastic polymer matrix is chosen such that a processing temperature for the thermoplastic polymer matrix is below a melting temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. In some aspects, the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is chosen such that a solidification temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is below an upper processing temperature of the thermoplastic polymer matrix. The filaments can be used for fused deposition manufacturing of a variety of parts, especially for the automotive and other industries.

In various aspects, reinforced composite filaments, methods of making reinforced composite filaments, and methods of producing reinforced composite filament are all provided herein. The reinforced composite filaments can include a thermoplastic polymer matrix having dispersed therein reinforcing fibers composed of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. In some aspects, the thermoplastic polymer matrix is chosen such that a processing temperature for the thermoplastic polymer matrix is below a melting temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. In some aspects, the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is chosen such that a solidification temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is below an upper processing temperature of the thermoplastic polymer matrix. The filaments can be used for fused deposition manufacturing of a variety of parts, especially for the automotive and other industries.

Parts made by additive manufacturing are often structural in nature, rather than having functional properties conveyed by a polymer or other component present therein. Printed parts having piezoelectric properties may be formed using compositions comprising a plurality of piezoelectric particles and a polymer material comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer and at least one thermally curable polymer precursor. At a sufficient temperature, the at least one thermally curable polymer precursor may undergo a reaction, optionally also undergoing a reaction with the piezoelectric particles, and form an at least partially cured printed part. The piezoelectric particles may be mixed with the polymer material and remain substantially non-agglomerated when combined with the polymer material. The compositions may define a form factor such as a composite filament, a composite pellet, or an extrudable composite paste, which may be utilized in forming printed part by extrusion, layer-by-layer deposition, and thermal curing.

A 3D printer successively fuses sheet material in a stack to form a three-dimensional object. The sheet material may provide a mesh separating islands of material that will be fused to produce the desired three-dimensional object. The mesh provides support for the island material during the fusing process and may be removed afterwards.

A 3D printer successively fuses sheet material in a stack to form a three-dimensional object. The sheet material may provide a mesh separating islands of material that will be fused to produce the desired three-dimensional object. The mesh provides support for the island material during the fusing process and may be removed afterwards.

A three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing method for shaping a three-dimensional shaped object. The three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing method includes a first step of shaping a first partial shaped object corresponding to a first partial path and a second partial shaped object corresponding to a second partial path in accordance with shaping data including path data and discharge amount data; a second step of measuring a first gap indicating a gap between the first partial shaped object and the second partial shaped object; and a third step of executing an adjustment processing of adjusting, based on a difference between the first gap and a second gap determined based on the shaping data and corresponding to the first gap, a discharge amount in a third partial path which is one of the plurality of paths and along which the discharge unit moves after the first partial path and the second partial path.

A three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing method for shaping a three-dimensional shaped object. The three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing method includes a first step of shaping a first partial shaped object corresponding to a first partial path and a second partial shaped object corresponding to a second partial path in accordance with shaping data including path data and discharge amount data; a second step of measuring a first gap indicating a gap between the first partial shaped object and the second partial shaped object; and a third step of executing an adjustment processing of adjusting, based on a difference between the first gap and a second gap determined based on the shaping data and corresponding to the first gap, a discharge amount in a third partial path which is one of the plurality of paths and along which the discharge unit moves after the first partial path and the second partial path.

A method for producing an object comprises the step of producing the object by means of an additive manufacturing process from a construction material. The construction material comprises a first polyurethane polymer which has: a weight percentage ratio of O to N of ≥2 to ≤2.5, determined by elementary analysis; a weight percentage ratio of N to C of ≥0.1 to ≤0.25, determined by elementary analysis; a full-width at half maximum of the melting peak of ≤20 K, determined by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry DSC (2.sup.nd heating at heating rate 20 k/min); and a difference between the melting temperature and the recrystallisation temperature of ≥5 K and ≤100 K, determined by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry DSC (2.sup.nd heating) at a heating and cooling rate of 20 K/min.

A method for producing an object comprises the step of producing the object by means of an additive manufacturing process from a construction material. The construction material comprises a first polyurethane polymer which has: a weight percentage ratio of O to N of ≥2 to ≤2.5, determined by elementary analysis; a weight percentage ratio of N to C of ≥0.1 to ≤0.25, determined by elementary analysis; a full-width at half maximum of the melting peak of ≤20 K, determined by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry DSC (2.sup.nd heating at heating rate 20 k/min); and a difference between the melting temperature and the recrystallisation temperature of ≥5 K and ≤100 K, determined by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry DSC (2.sup.nd heating) at a heating and cooling rate of 20 K/min.