Method for selective laser sintering with layerwise cross-scanning
First Claim
1. A method of producing parts, comprising:
- disposing a first layer of heat-fusible powder at a target surface;
scanning a selected portion of said first layer with an energy beam in such a manner as to fuse the powder thereat, said scanning of said first layer being done in a first direction;
disposing a second layer of said powder over said first layer after said scanning step; and
scanning a selected portion of said second layer with said energy beam in such a manner as to fuse the powder thereat, said scanning of said second layer being done in a second direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for producing parts by selective laser sintering are disclosed. The disclosed method selectively sinters a first layer of heat-fusible powder by directing a laser beam so that it scans the first layer in a first direction to sinter a first cross-section of the part. A second layer of the heat-fusible powder is then disposed over the first layer, and the next cross-section of the part is selectively sintered by the laser being scanned in a different direction from the first direction, for example in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The cross-scanning resulting from scanning in different directions provides parts with structural strength which is not dependent upon orientation, with more uniform surfaces and textures, and with reduced distortion. In addition, each of the layers may have its outlined traced prior to the scanning, to further define the edges of the cross-section.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of producing parts, comprising:
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disposing a first layer of heat-fusible powder at a target surface; scanning a selected portion of said first layer with an energy beam in such a manner as to fuse the powder thereat, said scanning of said first layer being done in a first direction; disposing a second layer of said powder over said first layer after said scanning step; and scanning a selected portion of said second layer with said energy beam in such a manner as to fuse the powder thereat, said scanning of said second layer being done in a second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A part produced by a method comprising the steps of:
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disposing a first layer of heat-fusible powder at a target surface; scanning a selected portion of said first layer with an energy beam in such a manner as to fuse the powder thereat, said scanning of said first layer being done in a first direction; disposing a second layer of said powder over said first layer after said scanning step; and scanning a selected portion of said second layer with said energy beam in such a manner as to fuse the powder thereat, said scanning of said second layer being done in a second direction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for performing selective laser sintering, comprising:
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a target surface; means for disposing a layer of heat-fusible powder at said surface; an energy source for producing an energy beam, said energy beam having sufficient power to fuse together portions of said heat-fusible powder exposed to said energy beam; and means for controlling the energy beam from said energy source in such a manner as to scan, in a first direction, a first layer of said powder at said target surface, and to scan, in a second direction, a second layer of powder overlying said first layer of powder. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification