Systems and methods for producing consumable powder

Abstract

A consumable polymeric based powder mixture may include a plurality of polymeric based particles that have a unitary construction. At least about 80% of the plurality of polymeric based particles may further have a generally cylindrical shape. The plurality of polymeric based particles may further have a particle length distribution span (PLDS) of not greater than about 1.2, where PLDS is equal to (L80−L20)/L50.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A consumable polymeric based powder mixture, the mixture comprising a plurality of polymeric based particles having a unitary construction, wherein at least about 80% of the plurality of polymeric based particles comprise a cut artifact on a base of the polymeric based particles. 
     
     
         2 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority of the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises at least one internal cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the generally cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         3 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cross-section has a maximum width of at least about 1 micron. 
     
     
         4 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority of the plurality of polymeric based particles has a homogeneous composition. 
     
     
         5 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority of the plurality of polymeric based particles comprise a length to width ratio L/W of at least about 0.5. 
     
     
         6 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority of the plurality of polymeric based particles comprise a length to diameter ratio L/W of not greater than about 3. 
     
     
         7 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority of the plurality of polymeric based particles have a length not greater than about 250 microns. 
     
     
         8 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles have an average length of not greater than about 150 microns. 
     
     
         9 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a semi-crystalline base polymer, polyamides, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyetheretherketones, polyoxymethylene acetals, polytetrafluoroethylenes, polypheneylene sulfides, polybutylene terephthalates, block-copolymers thereof or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprise aliphatic nylon polyamides, nylon 6, nylon 6-6, nylon 6-10, nylon 6-12, nylon 10, nylon 10-10, nylon 11, nylon 12, block-copolymers thereof or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, block-copolymers thereof or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises isotactic polypropylenes, syndiotactic polypropylenes, branched and linear variations thereof, block-copolymers thereof or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises an amorphous material, poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polylactic acid, polybenzimidazole, polycarbonate, polysulfone, amorphous polyamide, block-copolymers thereof or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a single modal length distribution. 
     
     
         15 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a L 50  of at least about 15 microns. 
     
     
         16 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a L 50  of not greater than about 110 microns. 
     
     
         17 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a L 20  of at least about 5 microns. 
     
     
         18 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a L 20  of not greater than about 80 microns. 
     
     
         19 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a L 80  of at least about 40 microns. 
     
     
         20 . The consumable polymeric based powder mixture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric based particles comprises a L 80  of not greater than about 130 microns.