Method for applying variable magnetic properties to a induction heated tool face and manufacturing parts using the tool

• US 9,095,994 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mourou, Julien P., De Souza, Urban J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieczorek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/205,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20130040051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 219/221, 219/385, 219/420, 219/421, 219/600, 219/647, 219/649, 219/655, 264/402, 264/403, 264/486, 264/487, 427/591, 427/135, 427/133, 427/128, 427/132, 427/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/7368 combining a heating or cooling fluid and non-fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/06 using radiation , e.g. electro-magnetic waves, induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/73 of the mould B29C45/2642 and B29C45/2737 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0008 Magnetic or paramagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a tool comprises applying at least one ferro-magnetic material to at least a portion of a tool face of a different material. The method produces a tool face with varying magnetic properties facilitating substantially uniform induction heating of the tool face.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

applying a first ferro-magnetic material to at least a first portion of a tool face, the first ferro-magnetic material having a first amount of chromium and being a different material than the tool face with different magnetic properties;

applying a second ferro-magnetic material to at least a second portion of the tool face, the second ferro-magnetic material having a second amount of chromium being different than the first amount of chromium and also being a different material than the tool face with different magnetic properties;

whereby, substantially uniform temperature is provided across the tool face during induction heating thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying further comprises laser deposition of the first and second ferro-magnetic material to the tool face.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second ferro-magnetic material to the tool face via closed-loop direct metal deposition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second ferro-magnetic material to the tool face via a three-dimensional printing process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second ferro-magnetic material to voids formed in the tool face.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second ferro-magnetic material to substantially all of the tool face.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing dimensions of the tool face in a processor to model electromagnetic heating of the tool face via a finite element analysis program.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining via the processor the portions of the tool face to which the first and second ferro-magnetic material will be applied.

9. A method, comprising:

applying, via a three-dimensional printing process, a first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material to at least a portion of a tool face, the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material having different amounts of chromium and being a different material than the tool face with different magnetic properties, and providing substantially uniform temperature across the tool face during induction heating thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material to voids formed in the tool face.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material to substantially all of the tool face.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising processing dimensions of the tool face in a processor to model electromagnetic heating of the tool face via a finite element analysis program.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining via the processor the at least a portion of the tool face to which the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material will be applied.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein applying further comprising applying, via the three-dimensional printing process, the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material in layers to at least a portion of a tool face.

15. A method, comprising:

determining a temperature profile of a tool face;

determining, via a processor, at least a portion of the tool face to which first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material will be applied; and

applying, via a three-dimensional printing process, the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material to the at least a portion of a tool face, the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material having different amounts of chromium and being a different material than the tool face with different magnetic properties, and providing substantially uniform temperature across the tool face during induction heating thereof.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material to voids formed in the tool face.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein applying further comprises applying the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material to substantially all of the tool face.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein applying further comprising applying, via the three-dimensional printing process, the first and second steel-based ferro-magnetic material in layers to the at least a portion of a tool face.