Use of gold powder alloys for manufacturing jewellery items by selective laser melting
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing yellow, red or white gold jewelry items layer by layer by selective laser melting (SLM) of a 18K, 14K, 10K or 9K gold powder alloy. The alloy comprises: (A) 37.5% to 38.5% by weight or 41.7% to 42.5% by weight or 58.5% to 59.5% by weight or 75% to 76% by weight of gold; and (D) 0.01% to 5% by weight, preferably 0.01% to 3% by weight of at least one metalloid, which may be germanium, silicon, boron, tellurium, phosphorous and selenium.
3 Citations
44 Claims
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1-22. -22. (canceled)
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23. A method of manufacturing jewelry items layer by layer by selective laser melting (SLM) comprising:
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providing a 18K, 14K, 10K or 9K yellow, red or white gold powder alloy; and melting each layer of the gold powder alloy with at least one laser beam, wherein the gold powder alloy consists 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. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification