Method for producing laminated object

• US 5,985,204 A
• Filed: 04/24/1998
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Motoaki, Otsuka, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US09/065,627
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 264/219, 264/308, 264/401, 264/497
• US Class Current: 264/497
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/34 Laser welding for purposes other than joining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting

Abstract

A depositing step and an irradiating step are repeated alternately so as to pile solid layers to produce a laminated mold for casting an alloy melt. In the depositing step there is formed a deposited layer of sand coated with a thermosetting resin capable of forming a solid layer upon being irradiated with a laser beam. In the irradiating step, the deposited layer is irradiated with a laser beam to form a hardened solid layer. The irradiating step includes the operations of: distinguishing an outer skin portion from an inner portion of the deposited layer, and emitting a thick laser beam having a large diameter to harden the inner portion of the deposited layer, and emitting a thin laser beam having a diameter smaller than the thick laser beam to harden the skin portion of the deposited layer.

Claims

1. A method for producing a casting mold having a forming cavity to be filled with alloy melt, comprising the steps of:

repeating a depositing step and an irradiating step alternately so as to pile solid layers in a thickness direction to form said mold, said depositing step including depositing a sand coated with a thermosetting resin capable of forming said solid layer by receiving a laser beam to form a deposited layer, said irradiating step including irradiating said deposited layer with said laser beam to form a hardened solid layer,

wherein said irradiating step further includes the operations of;

distinguishing an outer skin portion of said deposited layer from an inner portion of said deposited layer; and

emitting a thick laser beam having a large diameter to harden said inner portion of said deposited layer, and emitting a thin laser beam having a diameter smaller than said thick laser beam to harden said skin portion of said deposited layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said thin laser beam has a diameter of 0.01-1.0 mm, and said thick laser beam has a diameter of 0.3-5.0 mm.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said thin laser beam has an energy density larger than that of said thick laser beam.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein when Q1 represents a total energy irradiated by said thick laser beam per unit area, when Q2 represents a total energy irradiated by said thin laser beam per unit area, Q1 is substantially equal to Q2.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a scanning speed of said thin laser beam is larger than a scanning speed of said thick laser beam.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said thick laser beam and said thin laser beam are emitted in such a manner that said solid layer has partial overlaps generated between portions irradiated with said thick laser beam and portions irradiated with said thin laser beam.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said thick laser beam and said thin laser beam are emitted in such a manner that said solid layer is free of partial overlaps between portions irradiated with said thick laser beam and portions irradiated with said thin laser beam.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said thick laser beam and said thin laser beam are supplied by a common laser source.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a beam-splitting means is disposed at a laser beam course through which one laser beam is supplied from said common laser source, and said beam-splitting means is capable of being set and withdrawn with respect to said laser beam course;

wherein said thin laser beam is generated by dividing said one laser beam supplied from said common laser source into a plurality of beams by use of said beam-splitting means being set at said laser beam course;

and wherein said thick laser beam is generated by withdrawing said beam-splitting means from said laser beam course.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein a beam-splitting means is disposed at a laser beam course through which one laser beam is supplied from said common laser source, and said beam-splitting means is capable of being set and withdrawn with respect to said laser beam course;

wherein said one laser beam supplied from said common laser source is divided into said thin laser beam and the remainder laser beam by use of said beam-splitting means being set at said laser beam course.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said remainder laser beam is supplied into a laser-absorbing means to be absorbed.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said thick laser beam is supplied by use of one laser source, and said thin laser beam is supplied by use of another laser source.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said one laser source is a main laser source having a large output power, and said another laser source is a sub laser source having a smaller output power than said main laser source.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said thick laser beam is emitted by a main emitting apparatus optically connected to said main laser source, and said thin laser beam is emitted by a sub emitting apparatus optically connected to said sub laser source.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said sub emitting apparatus is disposed on a plotter capable of moving two-dimensionally along said deposited layer.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said deposited layer not irradiated with a laser beam is not hardened and is removed from said casting mold to generate said forming cavity.