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Method for producing a free-form solid-phase object from a material in the liquid phase

  • US 5,257,657 A
  • Filed: 07/08/1992
  • Issued: 11/02/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for producing a free-form, three-dimensional, solid-phase object from a liquid-phase metal having appreciable surface tension and well-defined solidification properties including a solidification temperature, comprising:

  • ejecting along a controllable trajectory a first liquid-phase metal droplet from an ejection head positioned at a first ejection position toward a first target position; and

    ejecting along a controllable trajectory a second liquid-phase metal droplet from the ejection head at a second ejection position toward a second target position at a predetermined time interval from the ejection of the first droplet, the first and second droplets being ejected as discrete droplets at a temperature above the solidification temperature such that the second droplet melds with the first droplet prior to solidification of the first droplet to produce a free-form, three-dimensional, solid-phase object of a desired shape.

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