3D-printed bodies for molding downhole equipment

摘要

There is disclosed herein a method of printing a printed body to be formed from a plurality of layers by 3D printing, the method comprising: depositing a plurality of layers of material, the material in the layers being bonded to form a body from the layers, the body including a mold that at least partially defines a mold cavity having an inner surface substantially corresponding to at least a portion of the external surface of an object to be molded in the mold cavity, wherein: the object to be molded is to be formed by infiltrating a matrix material held in the mold cavity with an infiltration material; and the body includes at least a portion of the matrix material to be held in the mold cavity, the at least a portion of the matrix material being deposited and bonded in the plurality of layers during printing of the body.