Selective laser sintering of parts by compound formation of precursor powders
First Claim
1. A method of producing a part, comprising:
- depositing a powder onto a target surface, said powder comprising first and second materials;
heating a selected portion of said powder to define a cross-sectional region of the part; and
reacting the first and second materials in said cross-sectional region of the part to form a chemical compound of said first and second materials.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for selectively sintering a layer of powder to produce a part comprising a plurality of sintered layers. The apparatus includes a computer controlling a laser to direct the laser energy onto the powder to produce a sintered mass. The computer either determines or is programmed with the boundaries of the desired cross-sectional regions of the part. For each cross-section, the aim of the laser beam is scanned over a layer of powder and the beam is switched on to sinter only the powder within the boundaries of the cross-section. Powder is applied and successive layers sintered until a completed part is formed. Preferably, the powder comprises a plurality of materials having different dissociation or bonding temperatures. The powder preferably comprises blended or coated materials, including precursor materials which are formed into a mass at the irradiated locations, and which either react due to the laser thermal energy or in a later heat treatment to form a compound with properties different than the precursors. Examples are disclosed wherein a compound is formed which has a significantly higher melting point than that of one or more of the precursor powders.
307 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method of producing a part, comprising:
-
depositing a powder onto a target surface, said powder comprising first and second materials; heating a selected portion of said powder to define a cross-sectional region of the part; and reacting the first and second materials in said cross-sectional region of the part to form a chemical compound of said first and second materials. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
- 10. The method of claim wherein said first material comprises tin.
-
18. A part produced by the method comprising the steps of:
-
depositing a powder onto a target surface, said powder comprising first and second materials; heating a selected portion of said powder to define a cross-sectional region of the part; and reacting the first and second materials in said cross-sectional region of the part to form a chemical compound of said first and second materials. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification