OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION
OT-2026-000002412

Techniques for powder delivery in additive fabrication and related systems and methods

Published: 2026-09-15T19:12:49.092013Z
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000002412
Categories: Manufacturing & Assembly Equipment > Additive Manufacturing

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ABSTRACT

Techniques are described for consistently moving powder from a hopper into a
trough for subsequent delivery into a build area of an additive fabrication
system. A powder conveyer may be arranged at least partially within the hopper
and configured to be actuated to transfer powder to the trough. The powder
conveyer may be formed as a screw conveyor, for example. Such techniques do
not require complex closed-loop control systems and may be effective
irrespective of the flowability of the powder. In at least some cases, there
may be no production of excess powder because the amount of powder that is
metered into the trough may be precisely controlled to be the amount needed
for recoating.

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OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000002412
Published 2026-09-15T19:12:49.092013Z
https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000002412