# US 2021/0331237 A1 · Particle agglomeration for additive metal manufacturing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0331237 A1 - Document ID: US20210331237A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/328,276 - Filed: 2017-08-31 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-31 - Assignees: Desktop Metal, Inc. - Applicants: Desktop Metal, Inc. - Inventors: Animesh Bose; Jonah Samuel Myerberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210331237A1 ## CPC - B22F 10/14: by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder - B22F 1/054: Nanosized particles - B22F 1/148: Agglomerating - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - B22F 2301/35: Iron - B22F 2302/10: Carbide - B22F 2304/05: Submicron size particles - B22F 2304/10: Micron size particles, i.e. above 1 micrometer up to 500 micrometer - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Devices, systems, and methods are directed at spreading sequential layers of powder across a powder bed and applying energy to each layer to form a three-dimensional object. The powder can include granules including agglomerations of metallic particles to facilitate spreading the metallic particles in each layer. The energy can be directed to the powder to reflow the granules in each layer to bind the metallic particles in the layer to one another and to one or more adjacent layers to form the three-dimensional object. Thus, in general, the agglomeration of the metallic particles in the granules can overcome constraints associated with metallic particles that are of a size ordinarily unsuitable for flowing and/or a size that presents safety risks. By overcoming these constraints, the granules can improve formation of dense finished parts from a powder and can result in formation of unique microstructures in finished parts. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -69. (canceled) ### Claim 70 A three-dimensional object comprising: a plurality of layers, each layer defining a respective two-dimensional pattern; particles dispersed in each layer, the particles formed from at least a first material and a different second material; and a binder system binding the particles in each layer to both one another and to one or more adjacent layers, the three-dimensional object sinterable to form a brown part having a microstructure of first material distributed in a matrix of second material. ### Claim 71 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the first material and the second material are alloyable with one another. ### Claim 72 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the first material is first metallic particles and the second material is second metallic particles, the first metallic particles having an average particle size less than an average particle size of the second metallic particles. ### Claim 73 (depends on 72) The three-dimensional object of claim 72, wherein the second metallic particles have an average particle size in a microparticle range. ### Claim 74 (depends on 72) The three-dimensional object of claim 72, wherein the first metallic particles have an average particle size of about 1 micron to about 5 microns. ### Claim 75 (depends on 72) The three-dimensional object of claim 72, wherein the first metallic particles have an average particle size in a nanoparticle range. ### Claim 76 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein each layer has a thickness of about 50 microns. ### Claim 77 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the first material is harder than the second material. ### Claim 78 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the first material includes a metal matrix composite. ### Claim 79 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein an alloy formed from a mixture of the first material and the second material has a smaller grain structure than an alloy formed from the first material or the second material alone. ### Claim 80 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the first material and the second material are alloyable with one another to form steel. ### Claim 81 (depends on 80) The three-dimensional object of claim 80, wherein either the first material or the second material includes iron. ### Claim 82 (depends on 80) The three-dimensional object of claim 80, wherein either the first material or the second material includes one or more of tungsten carbide, tungsten carbide-cobalt, and molybdenum. ### Claim 83 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the first material and the second material are unalloyable with one another. ### Claim 84 (depends on 83) The three-dimensional object of claim 83, wherein either the first material or the second material includes tungsten. ### Claim 85 (depends on 83) The three-dimensional object of claim 83, wherein either the first material of the second material includes one or more of molybdenum and copper. ### Claim 86 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the at least one component of the binder system is an organic binder. ### Claim 87 (depends on 70) The three-dimensional object of claim 70, wherein the at least one component of the binder system is one or more polymers. ### Claim 88 (depends on 87) The three-dimensional object of claim 87, wherein the at least one component of the binder system is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polyethylene, polylactic acid, polyacrylic acid, and polypropylene and combinations thereof. ### Claim at position 21 -96. (canceled)