Supports for sintering additively manufactured parts

A method of reducing distortion in an additively manufactured part;

• comprising:
• depositing successive layers of a composite to form a sintering tray, wherein the composite includes a metal particulate filler in a first matrix,
• depositing successive layers of the composite upon the sintering tray to form a plurality of sintering supports, wherein the plurality of sintering supports are configured to support the part during a sintering process to prevent it from distorting due to gravitational force;
• interconnecting the composite of the sintering tray to the composite of plurality of sintering supports to permit mass diffusion between metal particles found in the sintering tray that are adjacent to metal particles found in the plurality of sintering supports to unitarily shrink the sintering tray and plurality of sintering supports and to provide a continuous foundation for the plurality of sintering supports;
• depositing a first separation layer of a separation material upon the plurality of sintering supports, wherein the separation material includes a particulate filler in a second matrix;
• depositing successive layers of the composite above the sintering tray to form the part;
• forming an interior structure in at least one of the sintering tray, sintering supports, and the part, wherein the interior structure is comprised of a plurality of chambers having interconnections therebetween;
• forming a portable assembly from the sintering tray, the plurality of sintering supports, the first separation layer, and the part;
• debinding, during a debinding process, the first matrix and second matrix within the portable assembly simultaneously in a chamber to form a brown portable assembly;
• and
• heating, during the sintering process, the brown portable assembly to a temperature sufficient to simultaneously sinter and shrink the sintering tray, the plurality of sintering supports, and the part at a uniform rate.

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

• forming a sintering tray through depositing successive layers of a composite, the composite including a metal particulate filler in a first matrix;
• forming sintering supports through depositing successive layers of the composite upon the sintering tray, wherein the sintering supports are configured to support the part and prevent the part from distorting due to gravitational force during a sintering process;
• forming the part through depositing successive layers of the composite above the sintering tray;
• forming parting lines in the sintering supports, wherein the parting lines are configured to divide the sintering supports into fragments that are separable along the parting lines;
• forming a first separation layer of a separation material between a bottom surface of the part and a top surface of the sintering tray, wherein the first separation layer is configured to separate the part from the sintering tray and to allow the part to be readily removed from the sintering tray after the sintering process, and wherein the separation material includes a particulate filler in a second matrix;
• and
• forming from the sintering tray, the sintering supports, the parting lines, the first separation layer, and the part a portable assembly;
• debinding the first matrix and the second matrix within portable assembly during a debinding process;
• sintering the portable assembly during the sintering process, wherein sintering the portable assembly includes heating the portable assembly to a temperature sufficient to sinter and densify the sintering tray, the sintering supports, and the part together at a uniform rate;
• and
• detaching, after the sintering process, the sintering supports from the portable assembly by separating the fragments of the shrinking supports from one another along the parting lines.