ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING UTILIZING METALLIC WIRE

• US 20170209963A1
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HC Starck Solutions Coldwater LLC
• Original Assignee: David B. Smathers, Gary A. Rozak, Maria B. Winnicka, Michael Thomas Stawovy, Patrick Hogan
• Inventors: ROZAK, Gary A., HOGAN, Patrick, SMATHERS, David B., STAWOVY, Michael Thomas, WINNICKA, Maria B.
• Granted Patent: US 11,077,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/003 Drawing materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special drawing methods or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/02 Drawing metal wire or like flexible metallic material by drawing machines or apparatus in which the drawing action is effected by drums
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 23/002 Extruding materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special extruding methods of sequences
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/065 Spherical particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/068 Flake-like particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/34 of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/66 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2301/20 Refractory metals
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/02 Compacting only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/12 of wires of tubes B22F5/10
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/06 of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools B22F7/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0093 characterised by the properties of the materials to be welded
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/0272 with more than one layer of coating or sheathing material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/32 with the principal constituent melting at more than 1550 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/406 Filled tubular wire or rods B23K35/402 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/04 : Welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 : Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 27/02 : Alloys based on vanadium, niobium, or tantalum
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 30/00 : Alloys containing less than 50% by weight of each constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 : Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

In various embodiments, additive manufacturing is utilized to fabricate three-dimensional metallic parts using metallic alloy wire as a feedstock material.

Claims

1. A method of forming a three-dimensional part comprising a high-entropy alloy or a multi-principal element alloy by additive manufacturing, wherein the high-entropy alloy or multi-principal element alloy comprises four or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ti, Hf, V, Zr, Al, and Cr, the method comprising:

(a) providing a wire comprising a substantially homogenous assemblage of (i) one or more first metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each first metal powder are substantially spherical, and (ii) one or more second metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each second metal powder are non-spherical;

(b) translating a tip of the wire relative to a platform;

(c) there during, melting a tip of the wire with an energy source to form a molten bead comprising the four or more metallic elements, whereby the bead cools to form at least a portion of a layer of a three-dimensional part; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) one or more times to produce the three-dimensional part,

wherein the three-dimensional part comprises the high-entropy alloy or the multi-principal element alloy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements.

4. The method of claim 1, at least one of the second metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-spherical particles of at least one of the second metal powders are angular flakes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire comprises one or more metallic tubes surrounding the one or more first metal powders and the one or more second metal powders, each metallic tube comprising at least one of the metallic elements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an oxygen concentration of the wire is 300 ppm or less.

9. A three-dimensional part fabricated by the method of claim 1.

10. A method of forming a three-dimensional part comprising a high-entropy alloy or a multi-principal element alloy by additive manufacturing, wherein the high-entropy alloy or multi-principal element alloy comprises four or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ti, Hf, V, Zr, Al, and Cr, the method comprising:

(a) providing a wire preform comprising a substantially homogenous assemblage of (i) one or more first metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each first metal powder are substantially spherical, and (ii) one or more second metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each second metal powder are non-spherical;

(b) reducing a diameter of the wire preform via one or more mechanical deformation processes, thereby forming a metallic wire;

(c) translating a tip of the wire relative to a platform;

(d) there during, melting a tip of the wire with an energy source to form a molten bead comprising the four or more metallic elements, whereby the bead cools to form at least a portion of a layer of a three-dimensional part; and

(e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times to produce the three-dimensional part,

wherein the three-dimensional part comprises the high-entropy alloy or the multi-principal element alloy.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements.

13. The method of claim 10, at least one of the second metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the second metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-spherical particles of at least one of the second metal powders are angular flakes.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the wire preform comprises one or more metallic tubes surrounding the one or more first metal powders and the one or more second metal powders, each metallic tube comprising at least one of the metallic elements.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein an oxygen concentration of the wire is 300 ppm or less.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more mechanical deformation processes comprise at least one of drawing, pilgering, swaging, extrusion, or rolling.

19. A three-dimensional part fabricated by the method of claim 10.

20-32. -32. (canceled)