Supports for sintering additively manufactured parts

A method of reducing distortion in an additively manufactured part, comprising:

• forming a sintering tray of a composite material above a build plate, the composite material including a metal particulate filler in a first debindable matrix;
• forming sintering supports of the composite material extending up from the sintering tray;
• forming the part through depositing successive layers of the composite material above the sintering tray;
• forming a separation layer intervening between a bottom surface of the sintering tray and a top surface of the build plate;
• forming from the sintering tray, the sintering supports, the separation layer, and the part, a portable assembly, wherein the portable assembly is configured to be debound and sintered as a whole, and the sintering supports are configured to prevent the part from distorting during a sintering process due to gravitational force;
• and
• allowing, via the separation layer, the sintering tray to slide on the build plate as the sintering tray shrinks during the sintering process to reduce distortion to the part.

A method of reducing distortion in an additively manufactured part, comprising:

• forming a sintering tray of a composite material above a build plate, wherein the composite material includes a metal particulate filler in a first debindable matrix, and wherein the sintering tray is formed to be laterally larger than the part;
• forming sintering supports of the composite material extending up from the sintering tray;
• forming the part through depositing successive layers of the composite material above the sintering tray;
• forming the sintering tray, the sintering supports, and the part to substantially align a centroid of the combined sintering tray and sintering supports with a centroid of the part;
• forming a separation layer intervening between a surface of the part and an opposing surface of the sintering supports, between a bottom surface of the part and a top surface of the sintering tray, or between a bottom surface of the sintering tray and a top surface of the build plate;
• and
• forming from the sintering tray, the sintering supports, the separation layer, and the part a portable assembly, wherein the portable assembly is configured to be debound and sintered as a whole, and the sintering supports are configured to prevent the part from distorting during a sintering process due to gravitational force.