Porosity prediction

A method, comprising:

• determining, by a processor coupled to a printer, a height map indicating one or more variations in a height of material in a build volume of material for metal printing based on one or more agent maps, wherein the one or more agent maps provide data indicating one or more locations for applying one or more agents, and wherein the printer is operable to manufacture an end object;
• determining, by the processor, a porosity of a precursor object based on the determined height map by determining a porosity for each voxel of the height map;
• determining by the processor, a predicted shape of the end object based on the porosity of the precursor object;
• determining, by the processor, one or more predicted shape deformation based on one or more differences between the predicted shape of the end object and a corresponding 3D object model;
• adjusting, by the processor, a 3D object model and one or more printing variables of the end object to reduce the one or more predicted shape deformations to a targeted amount;
• and
• controlling, by the processor, the printer to manufacture the end object based at least on the adjusted 3D object model and the adjusted one or more printing variables.