Metal powder composition for laser sintering
First Claim
1. A powder blend for use in a laser sintering process comprising a steel alloy selected from the group consisting of a mild steel alloy, a carbon steel and a stainless steel, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate.
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Abstract
A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.
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Citations
33 Claims
- 1. A powder blend for use in a laser sintering process comprising a steel alloy selected from the group consisting of a mild steel alloy, a carbon steel and a stainless steel, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate.
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16. A method of forming a tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, infiltrated metal product comprising the steps of:
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a. mixing together a powder blend comprising a steel alloy selected from the group consisting of a mild steel alloy, a carbon steel and a stainless steel, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate;
b. applying a layer of the powder blend to a working surface in a laser sintering system;
c. exposing the layer of the powder blend to heat energy to fuse together the steel alloy and high melting temperature fine particulate by the melting and subsequent rehardening of the binder material;
d. applying a new layer of powder blend and exposing the new layer of powder blend in sequential fashion repeatedly until a three-dimensional green metal part is formed; and
e. infiltrating a green metal part with metal infiltrant in a gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective time period. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33)
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Specification