Patent ID: 11958110
Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Field: Materials, metallurgy (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 11:
12. A method for three-dimensional printing, comprising:
based on a 3D object model, selectively applying a first amount of a binding agent to individual build material layers of a particulate build material, thereby forming an intermediate structure, wherein the particulate build material includes metal particles;
based on the 3D object model, selectively applying both the binding agent and a void-formation agent to at least one interior layer of the individual build material layers so that a total amount of the binding agent and the void-formation agent in the at least one interior layer of the individual build material layers is greater than the first amount, thereby patterning an area of the intermediate structure that is to contain voids; and
heating the intermediate structure to form a 3D structure i) including a 3D object at areas patterned with the first amount of the binder agent and ii) including a void-containing breakable connection at the area patterned with both the binding agent and the void-formation agent in the total amount.