3D printing of an object from powdered material using pressure waves

A method comprising:

• activating, via a controller, a first actuator to make a first contact of a first impact end of the first actuator with a powdered material in a chamber, wherein the first contact of the first impact end with the powdered material transmits a first pressure wave into the powdered material;
• and
• activating, via the controller, a second actuator to make a second contact of a second impact end of the second actuator with the powdered material in the chamber, wherein the second contact of the second impact end with the powdered material transmits a second pressure wave into the powdered material, and wherein the second actuator is actuated at a time configured to cause the second pressure wave to converge with the first pressure wave at a particular volume and to transform one or more portions of the powdered material in the particular volume to a solid material, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to move from a first position to a second position responsive to being activated, wherein the first position corresponds to a corresponding impact end not physically contacting the powdered material, wherein the second position corresponds to a corresponding impact end physically contacting the powdered material, and wherein each actuator is configured to move from the second position to the first position responsive to being deactivated.

A system comprising:

• a chamber to receive a powdered material to be used to form an object, the chamber formed by two or more chamber walls;
• actuators coupled to the chamber walls;
• and
• a controller configured to activate a plurality of the actuators in a sequence, wherein each actuator includes an impact end, wherein each actuator is configured to move from a first position to a second position responsive to being activated, wherein the first position corresponds to a corresponding impact end not physically contacting a chamber wall, wherein the second position corresponds to a corresponding impact end physically contacting the chamber wall, wherein each actuator is configured to move from the second position to the first position responsive to being deactivated, wherein the physical contact of the impact end applies a pressure wave to the powdered material, and wherein activation of the plurality of the actuators in the sequence converges pressure waves on a particular volume of the powdered material in the chamber to compress the particular volume and to transform one or more portions of the powdered material in the particular volume to solid material corresponding to a portion of the object.