Three-dimensional printing system with improved powder coating uniformity

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) article, the method comprising:

• (1) providing a three-dimensional (3D) printing system including:
• a build platform;
• a movement mechanism configured to vertically position the build platform;
• a coating module;
• and
• a consolidation module;
• (2) operating the movement mechanism and the coating module to deposit a new layer of powder over an upper surface of the build platform or a previously deposited layer of powder arranged over the build platform;
• (3) operating the consolidation module to selectively consolidate the new layer of powder;
• and
• (4) repeating (2) and (3) until the 3D article is fabricated from a plurality of consolidated layers;
• wherein (2) includes for one or more of the plurality of layers:
• (a) operating the movement mechanism and the coating module to deposit a first sublayer of powder having a thickness T1 over a vertically protruding structure of the 3D article being fabricated as the coating module translates along a first direction (+X);
• and
• (b) operating the movement mechanism and the coating module to deposit a second sublayer of powder having at thickness T2 over the first sublayer of powder as the coating module translates along a second direction (−X) that is opposite to the first direction, T2 being less than 20% of T1.

A non-transient information storage system storing software instructions that when executed by a processor are configured to operate a three-dimensional (3D) printing system to manufacture a 3D article, the 3D printing system including a build platform, a movement mechanism configured to vertically position the build platform, a coating module;

• and a consolidation module, execution of the software by the processor performing the following steps:
• (1) operating the movement mechanism and the coating module to deposit a new layer of powder over an upper surface of the build platform or a previously deposited layer of powder arranged over the build platform;
• (2) operating the consolidation module to selectively consolidate the new layer of powder;
• and
• (3) repeating (1) and (2) until the 3D article is fabricated from a plurality of consolidated layers;
• wherein (1) includes for one or more of the plurality of layers:
• (a) operating the movement mechanism and the coating module to deposit a first sublayer of powder having a thickness T1 over a vertically protruding structure of the 3D article being fabricated as the coating module translates along a first direction (+X);
• and
• (b) operating the movement mechanism and the coating module to deposit a second sublayer of powder having at thickness T2 over the first sublayer of powder as the coating module translates along a second direction (−X) that is opposite to the first direction, T2 being less than 20% of T1.