SINTERING AND SHAPING METHOD, LIQUID BINDING AGENT, AND SINTERED SHAPED ARTICLE

• US 20160325356A1
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: HIRATA, Koki, KATO, Shinichi, FUKUMOTO, Hiroshi, SATO, Chigusa
• Granted Patent: US 10,183,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/10 Metallic powder containing lubricating or binding agents; Metallic powder containing organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/14 by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1017 Multiple heating or additional steps B22F3/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/16 in successive or repeated steps
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/465 Applying setting liquid to dry mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/00 Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

Provided is a three-dimensional shaped article with relatively high strength and relatively high accuracy.

A sintering and shaping method includes: a shaping layer forming process of forming a shaping layer (5) by using a sintering and shaping material in which inorganic particles (2a) are included; a process of applying a liquid binding agent (8), in which inorganic particles (8a) are included, to a desired region of the shaping layer (5); a process of curing the liquid binding agent (8), which is applied, to form a shaping cross-sectional layer (shaping portion (5a)); a process of removing a region (non-shaping portion (5b)) of the shaping layer (5) to which the liquid binding agent (8) is not applied; and a process of heating the shaping cross-sectional layer that is laminated for a sintering treatment.

Claims

1. A sintering and shaping method, comprising:

a shaping layer forming process of forming a shaping layer by using a sintering and shaping material in which first inorganic particles are included;

a process of applying a liquid binding agent, in which second inorganic particles are included, to a desired region of the shaping layer;

a process of curing the liquid binding agent, which is applied, to form a shaping cross-sectional layer;

a process of removing a region of the shaping layer to which the liquid binding agent is not applied; and

a process of heating the shaping cross-sectional layer for a sintering treatment.

2. The sintering and shaping method according to claim 1,

wherein the sintering treatment process includes a heating process of fusing the second inorganic particles to the first inorganic particles at a temperature that is lower than a sintering initiation temperature at which the first inorganic particles initiate sintering.

3. The sintering and shaping method according to claim 1,

wherein the sintering and shaping material includes a thermoplastic binder that binds the first inorganic particles to each other, and

the shaping layer forming process is performed by heating the sintering and shaping material to a temperature that is equal to or higher than a melting point of the thermoplastic binder.

4. The sintering and shaping method according to claim 1,

wherein a ratio between the weight of the first inorganic particles which are included in the shaping cross-sectional layer and the weight of the second inorganic particles which are included in the shaping cross-sectional layer is in a range of 400:

1 to 3;

1.

5. The sintering and shaping method according to claim 1,

wherein a ratio between an average particle size of the first inorganic particles and an average particle size of the second inorganic particles is in a range of 50000:

1 to 10;

1.

6. The sintering and shaping method according to claim 1,

wherein the average particle size of the second inorganic particles is 0.001 micrometers to 10 micrometers.

7. The sintering and shaping method according to claim 1,

wherein the first inorganic particles and the second inorganic particles are ceramic particles or metal particles.

11. A sintered shaped article that is shaped by the sintering and shaping method according to claim 1.

8. A liquid binding agent that is used in a method of manufacturing of a three-dimensional shaped article which includes a process of applying a liquid binding agent to a desired region of a sintering and shaping material in which first inorganic particles are included, and a process of curing the liquid binding agent that is applied,

wherein second inorganic particles are included in the binding agent.

9. The liquid binding agent according to claim 8,

wherein an average particle size of the second inorganic particles is 0.001 micrometers to 10 micrometers.

10. The liquid binding agent according to claim 8,

wherein the second inorganic particles are ceramic particles or metal particles.

12. A sintered shaped article that is shaped by using the liquid binding agent according to claim 8.

13. A sintered shaped article, comprising:

first inorganic particles which are included in advance in a sintering and shaping material to be laminated; and

second inorganic particles which are included in a liquid binding agent that is applied to the sintering and shaping material that is laminated.