Apparatus and method for cooling part cake in laser sintering

A method for producing a build by laser sintering, the method comprising:

• a) producing a build in a part cake contained in an enclosure for containing the part cake, the enclosure having a first pair of opposed displaceable wall portions in displaceable relation from a laser sintering position to a part cake compression position, wherein the first pair of opposed displaceable wall portions are sides of the enclosure and the enclosure also having at least one wall portion having fluid passages therethrough;
• b) removing the enclosure containing the part cake from the laser sintering system;
• c) displacing at least one of the displaceable wall portions from a laser sintering position to a part cake compression position, thereby compressing the part cake to support the build to generally prevent distortion of the build during cooling;
• d) forcing a cooling fluid through the at least one wall portion having fluid passages therethrough and further through the part cake while the part cake is under compression;
• and
• e) removing the build from the part cake.