Powder dispensing unit, powder spreading unit, and a vibratory compaction system of an additive manufacturing system and methods therefor

A powder dispensing unit for an additive manufacturing system having a build plate, the powder dispensing unit comprising:

• a base member;
• and
• at least two powder reservoirs coupled to the base member, the at least two powder reservoirs including
• a first powder reservoir configured to store a first powder and deposit the first powder onto the build plate, wherein the first powder reservoir is configured to move relative to the build plate, and
• a second powder reservoir configured to store a second powder and deposit the second powder onto the build plate, wherein the second powder reservoir is configured to move relative to the build plate;
• wherein the base member is configured to transport the at least two powder reservoirs so as to deposit the respective powder bi-directionally along a travel direction of the at least two powder reservoirs, the first powder has at least one predetermined characteristic that is different than that of the second powder, and a distance between a first powder deposition aperture of the first powder reservoir and the build plate is less than another distance between a second powder deposition aperture of the second powder reservoir and the build plate.

A method of dispensing powder in an additive manufacturing system having a build plate, the method comprising:

• storing powder in at least two powder reservoirs of a powder dispensing unit, where a first powder reservoir stores a first powder and moves relative to the build plate, and a second powder reservoir stores a second powder and moves relative to the build plate;
• and
• depositing, from a respective one of the first powder reservoir and the second powder reservoir, the first powder and the second powder onto the build plate in a common movement relative to the build plate along a travel direction of the at least two powder reservoirs;
• wherein the powder dispensing unit transports the at least two powder reservoirs so as to deposit the respective powder bi-directionally along a travel direction of the at least two powder reservoirs, the first powder has at least one predetermined characteristic that is different than that of the second powder, and the at least two powder reservoirs are arranged so that the second powder is deposited onto the first powder in the common movement.