Particulates for additive manufacturing techniques

1. An additive manufacturing method, comprising:

making pre-sintered globules for the additive manufacturing method, the method of making the pre-sintered globules comprising:

introducing a plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles of submicron size into a spray chamber;

wetting surfaces of the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles with a binder by spraying the binder into the spray chamber and intersecting a flow of additive manufacturing stock particles with a flow of binder, wherein the binder material includes water;

agglomerating the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles into globules having sizes of less than 10 microns and greater than 1 micron; and

strengthening the globules by pre-sintering the globules) wherein pre-sintering the globules includes completely evaporating the binder from the globules;

depositing the plurality of pre-sintered globules into a development module of a powder bed fusing system;

compressing the plurality of globules within the development module; and

selectively applying thermal energy to the plurality of globules using an electron beam or laser system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further including:

fusing a portion of the plurality of the globules into an integral structure; withdrawing a piston of the development module;

depositing a second plurality of globules as recited in claim 1 into the development module;

compressing the second plurality of globules into the development module; selectively applying thermal energy to a portion of the second plurality of globules using the electron beam or laser system; and

fusing the portion of the second plurality of globules to form a layer of the integral structure.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein compressing the plurality of globules within the development module includes spreading and compressing the globules using a roller.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing stock particles include at least one of a metallic material, a ceramic material, and a polymeric material.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein agglomerating the particles includes defining a plurality of pendular bonds fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein agglomerating the particles includes defining a plurality of funicular bonds fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein agglomerating the particles includes defining a plurality of capillary bonds fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another within an encapsulating droplet with the binder.