Method of producing three-dimensional forms

• US 5,805,971 A
• Filed: 09/12/1995
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Inventors: Akedo, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Jenkins, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/527,331
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 419/6, 419/36, 419/37, 419/38, 419/7, 419/8, 419/9, 419/47
• US Class Current: 419/6
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/10 Formation of a green body
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/115 by spraying molten metal, i.e. spray sintering, spray casting
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/10 of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0055 Gaseous
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A method of producing a three-dimensional form includes the steps of spraying from at least one nozzle a gas including particles of materials having different properties onto a base surface to deposit a layer of particles, repeatedly spray-depositing layers of particles each on the upper surface of a deposition layer, thereby building up a three-dimensional object consisting of the accumulated deposition layers each having different properties in a two-dimensional plane, and utilizing the different properties in the accumulated deposition layers to remove part of the three-dimensional object, thereby producing a desired three-dimensional form.

Claims

1. A method of producing a three-dimensional form, comprising the steps of:

repeatedly depositing on a base surface a plurality of layers each of said layers comprising first particles having first properties and second particles having second properties which are different from said first properties by spraying from at least one nozzle a gas including the first and second particles at a flow velocity of 300 m/s or more to transform kinetic energy of the first and second particles into thermal energy that bonds the first and second particles to the base surface and build up a three-dimensional object by accumulated deposition layers, each of said accumulated deposition layers having different properties in a two-dimensional plane; and

utilizing the different properties in the accumulated deposition layers to remove part of the three-dimensional object to produce a desired three-dimensional form.

2. A method of producing a three-dimensional form according to claim 1, wherein the spraying of the first and second particles is performed alternatingly.

3. A method of producing a three-dimensional form according to claim 1, wherein the gas comprises an inert gas.

4. A method of producing a three-dimensional form according to claim 1, wherein the first particles have a first melting point and the second particles have a second melting point which is higher than the first melting point and wherein after formation, the three-dimensional form is heated to an intermediate temperature between the melting point of the second particles and the melting point of the first particles to produce a desired three-dimensional form by melting away the first particles.

5. A method of producing a three-dimensional form according to claim 1, which comprises subjecting the three-dimensional form that is produced to sintering at a temperature to increase its mechanical strength.

6. A method of producing a three-dimensional form according to claim 1, wherein the first and second particles comprise a first material that can be decomposed or dissolved by a solvent solution or gas and a second material that is non-decomposable or insoluble, and after formation the solvent solution or gas is used to decompose or dissolve part of the three-dimensional object to produce a desired three-dimensional form.

7. A method of producing a three-dimensional form according to claim 1, which comprises measuring and controlling the thickness of each deposited layer.

8. A method of producing a three-dimensional form according to claim 1, which comprises spraying the particles at a constant rate and controlling the thickness of deposited layers by changing motional speed of the base surface.