MANUFACTURING

BACKGROUND

[0001] Additive manufacturing processes can produce three-dimensional (3D) objects by providing a layer-by-layer accumulation and unification of material patterned from a digital model. In 3D printing, for example, digitally patterned portions of successive material layers can be joined together by fusing, binding, or solidification through processes including sintering, extrusion, and irradiation. The quality, strength, and functionality of objects produced by such systems can vary depending on the type of additive manufacturing technology used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0003] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a 3D additive manufacturing system in which in-line assays can evaluate a material property of powders from multiple supplies to enable real-time adjustment of the supply feed rates to produce a powder blend of a specified material strength;

[0004] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an alternate example of a 3D additive manufacturing system in which a single in-line assay is employed to measure and control the material strength of a blended build powder;

[0005] FIGs. 3 and 4 are flow diagrams showing example methods 300 and 400, of printing a three-dimensional (3D) object. [0006] Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] In some additive manufacturing processes, powdered build material can be layered onto a platform and fused together, layer by layer, to form a three- dimensional (3D) object. Fusing can include applying heat to bind the powdered build material together by sintering the material or by fully melting the material. A selected portion of the powdered material in each layer can be heated to fuse the selected portion into a cross-section of the 3D object. Heating the selected portion of the powdered material can also fuse it (i.e., bind it) to an underlying cross-sectional layer that has been previously fused. In some examples, heating the selected portions of each powder layer can be achieved using a laser to melt or sinter the powder. In some examples, heating the selected portions of powder can be achieved by applying liquid fusing agents and then exposing the powder to fusing energy. The liquid fusing agents can absorb the fusing energy to heat the selected portions of powder to the point of sintering or fully melting.

[0008] In either case, a non-fused portion of build powder in each powder layer can remain around the fused 3D object. The non-fused powder has not been heated to a high enough temperature to cause sintering or melting. However, the non-fused powder has experienced considerable heating, which can cause it to form a loosely bound cake-like structure that can be broken down again into powder and then re-used, or recycled. The recycled powder can be mixed with new powder and used again in subsequent 3D print jobs to form additional 3D objects. Through this process, powder is often used and recycled multiple times. With each re-use, the powder experiences significant heating, followed by cooling. The cycles of heating and cooling are known to degrade some of the material properties of the powder, including the strength of the powder. Therefore, recycled powder has somewhat less than maximum material strength, while purely new powder can be considered to be at maximum material strength.

[0009] Users of additive manufacturing devices, such as selective laser sintering (SLS) devices and 3D printing devices, have an interest in knowing the strength of the powdered build material being used to produce 3D objects. In some 3D print jobs it may be important to use purely new powder to produce objects that have maximum strength, while for other jobs it may be acceptable to use a blend of new powder and recycled powder to produce objects whose strength is somewhat less than the maximum strength. Due to the cost associated with the powdered build material, an economic incentive exists to use as much recycled powder as possible while still maintaining an appropriate material strength for the particular 3D print job. However, supplies of recycled powder often include a blend of powders that have been recycled a different number of times and/or an unknown number of times. This uncertainty presents a challenge when trying to determine with any precision what volumetric blend of recycled powder and new powder should be used to achieve a given material strength for a particular 3D print job.

[0010] Accordingly, in some examples described herein, an additive manufacture device and methods enable control over the blending of multiple input powders to produce a blended powder with a material strength that satisfies a specified material strength of a 3D object. In some examples, an in-line assay is deployed at the feed output of each of a number of powder supplies that can contain amounts of arbitrary, nonhomogeneous powdered build material to be blended. Each assay continually evaluates in real time, a material property of the powder that can be correlated with the material strength of the powder through a look up table, for example. One example of a material property that can be evaluated and correlated with the powder's strength is the spectral absorbance of the powder. Using a user-specified material strength of a 3D object, and the material strengths determined for the different powders from each supply, a ratio can be calculated to control the powder feed rate from each supply that will create a powder blend that achieves the specified material strength of the 3D object. The ongoing determination of the material strengths of the powders being blended from each powder supply enables ongoing calculations to update the powder supply ratio. The continually updating ratio enables a continual adjustment of the feed rate of powder coming from each supply to achieve the specified material strength in the powder blend.

[0011] In some examples, instead of an in-line assay being deployed at the feed output of each powder supply, a single in-line assay can be deployed at the blended powder output. The single in-line assay continually evaluates in real time, a material property (e.g. , the spectral absorbance) of the blended powder that can be correlated with the material strength of the blended powder. The continual strength measurements made of the blended powder enable an ongoing calculation of a powder supply ratio that can be used to continually adjust the amount of powder coming from each supply to achieve a desired material strength from the powder blend.

[0012] In a particular example, a method of providing build powder for the additive manufacturing of a 3D object includes blending input powders into a blended powder for producing a 3D object, and during the blending, determining a material strength value of each input powder. Based on the material strength value of each input powder, a ratio is calculated that comprises a ratio of the input powders to achieve a specified material strength in the blended powder. The feed rates of the input powders are adjusted according to the ratio.

[0013] In another example, a device for producing 3D objects comprising includes a blender to blend multiple input powders from multiple powder supplies, and an assay associated with each supply to measure a material property of each input powder. A controller of the device is to use the measured material properties to determine a ratio of feed rates for the multiple powder supplies to achieve a blended powder having a specified material strength. A powder flow dispenser associated with each supply is to adjust the feed rates according to the ratio.

[0014] In another example, a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium stores instructions that when executed by a processor of a three- dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing device cause the device to receive a specified material strength for a 3D object. The device is to blend multiple input powders to form a powder blend for the 3D object, and to determine a material strength of each input powder. Based on the material strength of each input powder and the specified material strength of the 3D object, the device is to adjust an input ratio of each input powder to form the powder blend with the specified material strength.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a 3D additive manufacturing system 100 in which in-line assays can evaluate a material property of powders from multiple supplies to enable real-time adjustment of the supply feed rates to produce a powder blend of a specified material strength. In the illustrated example, the 3D additive manufacturing system 100 comprises a 3D printing system 100. However, other 3D additive manufacturing systems such as systems employing selective laser sintering are also contemplated as suitable examples.

[0016] The example 3D printing system 100 includes a moveable printing platform 102, or build platform 102 that can serve as a floor to a work space 104 in which a 3D object (not shown in FIG. 1 ) can be printed. The work space 104 can include fixed walls 105 (illustrated as front wall 105a, side wall 105b, back wall 105c, side wall 105d) around the build platform 102. The fixed walls 105 and platform 102 can contain a volume of powdered build material deposited layer by layer into the work space 104 during printing of a 3D object. For purposes of this description and to help illustrate different elements and functions of the 3D printing system 100, the front wall 105a of the work space 104 is shown as being transparent. During printing, a build volume within the work space 104 can include all or part of a 3D object formed by layers of powder that are processed with the application of liquid fusing agent and fusing energy (e.g., radiation). The build volume can also include non-processed powder that surrounds and supports the 3D object within the work space 104. [0017] The build platform 102 is moveable within the work space 104 in an upward and downward direction as indicated by up arrow 106 and down arrow 108, respectively. When the printing of a 3D object begins, the build platform 102 can be located in an upward position toward the top of the work space 104 as a first layer of powdered build material 1 12 is deposited onto the platform 102 and processed. After a first layer of powder has been processed, the platform 102 can move in a downward direction 108 as additional layers of powdered build material 1 12 from a source 1 10 are deposited onto the platform 102 and processed.

[0018] The example 3D printing system 100 includes a source 1 10 of powdered build material 1 12. The powdered build material 1 12 comprises a blended powder 1 12 that can be formed by blending multiple different powders from different powder supplies 1 16, as discussed in more detail below. The blended powder 1 12 can comprise powdered material made from various materials that are suitable for producing 3D objects. Such powdered materials can include, for example, polymers, glass, ceramics (e.g., alumina, AI2O3), Hydroxyapatite, metals, and so on. The printing system 100 can spread the blended powder 1 12 from the source 1 10 into the work space 104 using a spreader 1 14 to controllably spread the powder 1 12 into layers over the build platform 102, and/or over other previously deposited layers of powder. A spreader 1 14 can include, for example, a roller, a blade, or another type of material spreading device. Although not illustrated, in some examples a carriage can be associated with the source 1 10 and/or powder spreader 1 14 to convey the source and spreader over the build platform 102 during an application of blended powder 1 12 onto the platform.

[0019] To provide blended powder 1 12 to the source 1 10, the example 3D printing system 100 includes multiple powder supplies 1 16 (illustrated as supplies 1 16a and 1 16b). In the example of FIG. 1 , two powder supplies S1 and S2 are shown and illustrated as 1 16a and 1 16b. However, in other examples, additional powder supplies can be used. Each powder supply 1 16 contains build powder that is either new powder that has not been used before in a 3D printing process, or recycled powder that can be a mix of powders that have been used and reused any number of times. In some examples, the composition of recycled powder in a supply 1 16 can be a nonhomogeneous mix of powder that varies significantly from the beginning to the end of the supply with respect to the number of times the powder has been recycled through the heating and cooling cycles of previous 3D print jobs. Each powder supply 1 16 includes an associated powder flow dispenser 1 18 to control the flow rate of powder from its respective supply 1 16 into the source 1 10. The flow dispenser 1 18 can be implemented in various ways including as a rotating shaft or blade, or another servo mechanism that enables a continual and controllable flow of powder from the supply 1 16.

[0020] Each flow dispenser 1 18 dispenses powder from its respective supply 1 16 into the source 1 10 through an assay device 120, or simply an assay 120, as alternately referred to herein. Each assay device 120 (illustrated as assay devices 120a and 120b) includes a transparent or optically clear pass- through chamber 122 (illustrated as chambers 122a and 122b), such as a cuvette, through which powder can pass from a supply into source 1 10. The pass-through chambers 122 are optically clear to ultra-violet (UV) light, and they permit UV light from respective UV light sources 124 (illustrated as UV light sources 124a and 124b) to impinge upon powder as the powder passes through the chamber. UV light passing through the powder within the chambers 122 can be detected by photometers 126.

[0021] The photometers 126 (illustrated as photometer 126a and 126b) can detect the amount of UV light that passes through the powder samples within the chambers 122. In some examples, a photometer 126 can comprise a photodiode detector, a charge-coupled device (CCD), or other similar light sensing device. In different examples, a photometer 126 can function at a targeted light wavelength, or it can function at a range of wavelengths with a filter to enable detection at a particular wavelength. The measurement of light made by the photometers 126 is a measure of transmittance of the powder within the chambers 122. The measured transmittance can be used to determine the absorbance of the powder, which is an indication of the amount of light absorbed by the powder. Thus, transmittance is a property of the powder that can be directly measured as the amount of light passing through the sample, while absorbance is a property of the powder that is indirectly measured as the amount of light absorbed by the sample. In some examples reflectance can also be measured from light reflecting off of the powder samples within the chambers 122. Reflectance is also a property of the powder that can be measured as a way to determine absorbance. The absorbance of the powder can be correlated to the material strength of the powder, for example, through a look up table as described below. [0022] Each UV light source 124 can transmit a beam of light at a particular wavelength or range of wavelengths. In some examples, a UV light source 124 can comprise a UV LED (light emitting diode) that emits UV light at a particular wavelength or range of wavelengths. In some examples, a UV light source 124 can function as a spectrometer that comprises components (not individually shown) to enable the source to transmit a beam of light at a particular wavelength or range of wavelengths. For example, each light source 124 can include a UV lamp or light bulb to provide light in the UV spectrum that covers a wide range of wavelengths from 100 to 400 nanometers. In some examples, a UV lamp or bulb can provide UV light in a more limited range, such as the UVB range that covers wavelengths from 280 to 315 nanometers. A collimator lens within the light source 124 can focus the UV light into a beam that passes through a prism to split the light into several wavelengths. A wavelength selector within light source 124 can then filter the wavelengths to allow a particular wavelength of UV light to pass out of the light source 124.

[0023] In different examples, depending on the type of powder material supplied by powder supplies 1 16, the wavelength of light emitted from light source 124 can be varied. In some examples, such as examples described here, the wavelength of light emitted from light source 124 can be within the UVB range at approximately 310 nanometers. At a wavelength of approximately 310 nanometers, Polyamide 12 (PA-12) powder from supplies 1 16 has been shown to exhibit an increased response in absorbance. Accordingly, for PA-12 powder, the use of UV light at wavelengths of approximately 310 nanometers can provide a more accurate measurement of absorbance than other wavelengths. In other examples, different types of powders or build materials from supplies 1 16 may exhibit increased absorbance at different wavelengths.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1 , once powder has been dispensed from the supplies 1 16 and evaluated by an assay device 120, it can pass through a blender 128 and be mixed into blended powder 1 12 and deposited into source 1 10 for use in the 3D printing system to print a 3D object. In different examples, a blender 128 can be implemented as an air blender, a rotating shaft or blade mixer, or some other suitable powder blender capable of blending multiple powders into a homogeneous powder blend 1 12.

[0025] As noted above, printing a 3D object includes depositing and processing layers of powder 1 12 on the build platform 102. Processing a layer of powder 1 12 includes depositing a liquid agent onto the layer with a liquid agent dispenser 130. While other types of liquid dispensers are possible, the example dispenser 130 shown and described herein comprises a drop-on-demand printhead 130 that can be scanned over the build platform 102 to selectively deliver a fusing agent or other liquid onto a powder bed. Examples of drop-on- demand printheads include thermal inkjet and piezoelectric inkjet printheads that comprise an array of liquid ejection nozzles. In some examples, the printhead 130 has a length dimension that enables it to span the full depth 132 of the build platform 102. Thus, a printhead 130, can enable a page-wide or platform-wide coverage of the powder bed through a single scan of the printhead 130 over the build platform 102.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an example of the scanning motion (illustrated by direction arrow 133) of the printhead 130. In some examples a carriage (not shown) can be associated with the printhead 130 to convey the phnthead 130 over the build platform 102 during the application of a liquid agent onto a layer of powder on the platform 102. In some examples the printhead 130 can be controlled to scan over the platform 102, as illustrated by the dashed-line print head representation 134. Although not shown in the example of FIG. 1 , during printing, a portion of a 3D object would be present within the work space 104 as the printhead 130 scans over the work space and ejects droplets 136 of a fusing agent or other liquid onto a layer of the object.

[0027] Examples of fusing agents suitable for ejection from printhead 130 include water-based dispersions comprising a radiation absorbing agent. The radiation absorbing agent can be an infrared light absorber, a near infrared light absorber, or a visible light absorber. In some examples, the fusing agent 136 can be an ink-type formulation including carbon black as the radiation absorbing agent. Dye based and pigment based colored inks are examples of inks that include visible light absorbing agent.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1 , the example 3D printing system 100 also includes a fusing energy source such as radiation source 138. The radiation source 138 can apply radiation R to layers of powder in the work space 104 to facilitate the heating and fusing of the powder. Fusing agent 136 can be selectively applied by printhead 130 to a layer of powder to enhance the absorption of the radiation R and convert the absorbed radiation into thermal energy, which can elevate the temperature of the powder sufficiently to cause curing (e.g., fusing, binding, sintering) of the particles of the powder. The radiation source 138 can be implemented in a variety of ways including, for example, as a curing lamp or as light emitting diodes (LEDs) to emit IR, near-IR, UV, or visible light, or as lasers with specific wavelengths. The radiation source 138 can depend in part on the type of fusing agent and/or powder being used in the printing process. In some examples, the radiation source 138 can be attached to a carriage (not shown) and can be scanned across the work space 104.

[0029] The example 3D printing system 100 additionally includes an example controller 140. The controller 140 can control various operations of the printing system 100 to facilitate the printing of 3D objects as generally described above, such as controllably spreading powder into the work space 104, selectively applying fusing agent 136 to portions of the powder, and exposing the powder to radiation R. In addition, the controller 140 can control powder flow dispensers 1 18 to control the flow rate of powder from the supplies 1 16 into the source 1 10 to achieve a particular material strength of blended powder 1 12, as discussed below in more detail.

[0030] An example controller 140 can include a processor (CPU) 142 and a memory 144. The controller 140 may additionally include other electronics (not shown) for communicating with and controlling various components of the 3D printing system 100. Such other electronics can include, for example, discrete electronic components and/or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). Memory 144 can include both volatile (i.e., RAM) and nonvolatile memory components (e.g., ROM, hard disk, optical disc, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, flash memory, etc.). The components of memory 144 comprise non-transitory, machine-readable (e.g., computer/processor-readable) media that can provide for the storage of machine-readable coded program instructions, data structures, program instruction modules, JDF {job definition format), 3MF formatted data, and other data and/or instructions executable by a processor 142 of the 3D printing system 100.

[0031 ] An example of executable instructions to be stored in memory 144 include instructions associated with a build module 146 and a powder control module 148, while an example of stored data includes object data 150. In general, modules 146 and 148 include programming instructions executable by processor 142 to cause the 3D printing system 100 to perform operations related to printing a 3D object within a work space 104, including controlling the flow rate of powder from supplies 1 16 to provide a blended powder 1 12 with a particular material strength. Such operations can include, for example, the operations of methods 300 and 400, described below with respect to FIGs. 3 and 4, respectively.

[0032] In some examples, controller 140 can receive object data 150 from a host system such as a computer. Object data 150 can represent, for example, object files defining 3D print jobs, or 3D object models to be printed on the 3D printing system 100. Executing instructions from the build module 146, the processor 142 can generate print data for each cross-sectional slice of a 3D object model from the object data 150. The print data can define, for example, where fusing agents are to be applied to the powder and how fusing energy is to be applied to fuse the powder. The processor 142 can use the print data to control components of the printing system 100 to process each layer of powder. Thus, the object data can be used to generate commands and/or command parameters for controlling the spreading of powder 1 12 from source 1 10 onto the build platform 102 by a spreader 1 14, the application of fusing agents by a printhead 130 onto layers of the powder, the application of radiation by a radiation source 138 to the layers of powder, and so on.

[0033] A powder control module 148 includes further executable instructions to enable the 3D printing system 100 to prepare a powder blend with a material strength that satisfies a specified strength for a particular 3D object. A processor 142 executing instructions from module 148 can receive, via a user interface 152, a user-specified material strength for a 3D object. Alternatively, a 3D print job from data 150 can include a specified material strength for a 3D object. A powder blend 1 12 can be controlled to achieve the specified material strength by measuring a material property (e.g., UV spectral absorbance) of powders being dispensed from multiple supplies 1 16, and by adjusting the feed rate from the supplies 1 16 based on the measured property. A processor 142 executes instructions to control an assay device 120 to measure the transmittance of each powder. The transmittance is converted to absorbance and then correlated with a material strength through a look-up table stored, for example, within the powder control module 148. Using the specified material strength and the material strengths determined for of each of the powders from the multiple supplies 1 16, the processor 142 can calculate a ratio to control the feed rate of powder being dispensed from each supply 1 16.

[0034] Assuming, by way of an example demonstration, that the printing system 100 has two powder supplies 1 16a and 1 16b, and the system receives through its user interface 152, a user-specified material strength of 40 megapascals (MPa) for an upcoming 3D print job. Transmittance values measured for input powders being dispensed from the supplies 1 16 can be used to determine the material strength of each input powder. Assuming the material strengths of the two input powders are 46 MPa from supply 1 16a and 38 MPa from 1 16b, a ratio can be determined as follows:

46x + 38(1 -x) = 40

x = 0.25

where x is the percent of powder to be fed by supply 1 16a and 1 -x is the percent of powder to be fed by supply 1 16b. Therefore, in this example, the feed rate ratio of powder from the supplies 1 16 would be 25% from supply 1 16a and 75% from supply 1 16b. This ratio of powder inputs will achieve the user-specified material strength of 40 MPa in the powder blend 1 12 and the 3D object printed from the powder blend 1 12.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an alternate example of a 3D additive manufacturing system 100 in which a single in-line assay is employed to measure and control the material strength of a blended build powder. The system 100 functions in the same or similar manner as described above with respect to the system 100 of FIG. 1 . However, instead of separate assay devices 120 being used to measure each of the powders from the multiple powder supplies 1 16, a single assay device 120 is used to measure a material property (e.g., transmittance) of just the resulting powder blend 1 12 mixed from the input powders. The measured material property of the powder blend 1 12 can be correlated with a material strength of the powder blend 1 12 through a look-up table. A specified material strength from a user through a user interface 152, for example, can be continually compared with the current measured material strength of the powder blend 1 12, and the rate of powder being blended from each supply 1 16 can be adjusted to equalize the measured strength of the powder blend 1 12 with the specified material strength. In this example, one of the powder supplies 1 16 is to have new powder that is at a maximum strength.

[0036] FIGs. 3 and 4 are flow diagrams showing example methods 300 and 400, of printing a three-dimensional (3D) object. Methods 300 and 400 are associated with examples discussed above with regard to FIGs. 1 - 2, and details of the operations shown in methods 300 and 400 can be found in the related discussion of such examples. The operations of methods 300 and 400 may be embodied as programming instructions stored on a non-transitory, machine- readable (e.g., computer/processor-readable) medium, such as memory 144 shown in FIG. 1 . In some examples, implementing the operations of methods 300 and 400 can be achieved by a processor, such as a processor 142 of FIG. 1 , reading and executing the programming instructions stored in a memory 144. In some examples, implementing the operations of methods 300 and 400 can be achieved using an ASIC and/or other hardware components alone or in combination with programming instructions executable by a processor 142.

[0037] The methods 300 and 400 may include more than one implementation, and different implementations of methods 300 and 400 may not employ every operation presented in the respective flow diagrams of FIGs. 3 and 4. Therefore, while the operations of methods 300 and 400 are presented in a particular order within their respective flow diagrams, the order of their presentations is not intended to be a limitation as to the order in which the operations may actually be implemented, or as to whether all of the operations may be implemented. For example, one implementation of method 400 might be achieved through the performance of a number of initial operations, without performing one or more subsequent operations, while another implementation of method 400 might be achieved through the performance of all of the operations.

[0038] Referring now to the flow diagram of FIG. 3, an example method 300 of providing build powder for the additive manufacturing of a three- dimensional (3D) object begins at block 302 with blending input powders into a blended powder for producing a 3D object. In some examples, blending input powders into a blended powder comprises blending new powder from a first powder supply with recycled powder from a second powder supply. As shown at block 304, during the blending, a material strength of each input powder can be determined. Determining a material strength can include measuring a material property value of an input powder, and correlating the material property value with a material strength value through a predefined look up table, as shown at block 306. As shown at block 308, measuring a material property value can include, directing UV light at the input powder, detecting with a photometer, an amount of UV light passing through the input powder to determine a transmittance value of the input powder, and converting the transmittance value to an absorbance value. As shown at blocks 310 and 312, respectively, in some examples the specified material strength comprises a specified material strength profile that assigns different material strengths to different portions of the 3D object, and calculating a ratio of the input powders comprises recalculating the ratio of input powders for each different portion of the 3D object during printing of the 3D object.

[0039] The method 300 includes calculating a ratio of the input powders to achieve a specified material strength in the blended powder, where the calculating is based on the material strength value of each input powder, as shown at block 314. In some examples, the specified material strength can be received through a user interface of the 3D print device. The method can include receiving a changed specified material strength through the user interface, as shown at block 316, and recalculating the ratio of the input powders to achieve the changed specified material strength, as shown at block 318. The feed rate of input powders can then be adjusted according to the recalculated ratio, as shown at block 320. In some examples as shown at blocks 322, 324, and 326, respectively, the method can include determining a changed material strength value of at least one input powder, recalculating the ratio of the input powders to achieve the specified material strength in the powder blend based on the changed material strength value, and adjusting the feed rate of the input powders according to the recalculated ratio.

[0040] Referring now to the flow diagram of FIG. 4, an example method 400 of providing build powder for the additive manufacturing of a 3D object begins at block 402 with receiving a specified material strength for a 3D object. The specified material strength can be received, for example, through a user interface or through an object file for the 3D object. In some examples, receiving a specified material strength for a 3D object can include receiving a strength profile for the 3D object that specifies different material strengths for different portions of the 3D object. As shown at block 404, the method 400 includes blending multiple input powders to form a powder blend for the 3D object. The method includes determining a material strength of each input powder, as shown at block 406. In some examples, determining a material strength can include measuring the absorbance of each input powder, as shown at block 408. Measuring absorbance can include transmitting ultraviolet light of a predetermined wavelength into a clear chamber through which powder passes, and detecting ultraviolet light passing through the powder within the chamber with a photometer, as shown at blocks 410 and 412.

[0041] Determining a material strength can also include correlating the absorbance of each input powder with a material strength, as shown at block 414. Based on the material strength of each input powder and the specified material strength for the 3D object, the input ratio of each input powder can be adjusted to form the powder blend with the specified material strength, as shown at block 416.