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Use of gold powder alloys for manufacturing jewellery items by selective laser melting

  • US 10,638,819 B2
  • Filed: 05/18/2015
  • Issued: 05/05/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing jewelry items layer by layer by selective laser melting (SLM) comprising:

  • providing a 18K, 14K, 10K or 9K yellow, red or white gold powder alloy; and

    producing a jewelry item by melting the gold powder alloy into a plurality of adjoining layers with at least one laser beam,wherein the at least one laser beam causes the gold powder in each layer to melt completely and produce homogeneous layers,wherein the gold powder alloy consisting of a plurality of particles, each particle having a composition of;

    (A) 37.5% to 38.5% by weight, 41.7% to 42.5% by weight, 58.5% to 59.5% by weight, or 75% to 76% by weight of gold (Au);

    (B) X % to Y % by weight of a first element;

    (C) X′

    % to Y′

    % by weight of a second element;

    (D) 0.01% to 3% by weight of at least one metalloid;

    and possible impurities;

    wherein weight percentages are percentages by weight with respect to a total weight of the gold powder alloy;

    wherein the at least one metalloid is selected from the group consisting of;

    germanium (Ge), silicon (Si), boron (B), tellurium (Te), phosphorus (P), selenium (Se) or a mixture of two or more thereof;

    wherein the gold powder alloy is free of gallium (Ga), platinum (Pt), and tin (Sn); and

    wherein the gold powder allow further has a composition in which;

    if the alloy is a yellow or red gold alloy;

    (B) X is 10, Y is 55, and the first element is copper (Cu),(C) X′

    is 2, Y′

    is 15, and the second element is silver (Ag),and the yellow or red gold alloy is free of palladium (Pd);

    if the alloy is a white gold alloy;

    (B) X is 10, Y is 50, and the first element is palladium (Pd),(C) X′

    is 10, Y′

    is 50, and the second element is silver (Ag),wherein the palladium (Pd) and the silver (Ag) are in a weight ratio of 0.75;

    1 to 1;

    0.75, or(B) X is 5, Y is 35, and the first element is nickel (Ni),(C) X′

    is 15, Y′

    is 50, and the second element is copper (Cu),wherein the nickel (Ni) and the copper (Cu) are in a weight ratio of 1;

    2 to 1;

    3.

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