Particle size influencing layer-by-layer manufacturing method
First Claim
1. A process for layerwise production of a metallic product comprising the steps of:
- a. applying a layer of non-hardened metallic material, the material capable of being hardened, wherein process parameters of layer thickness and layer material are adjustable;
b. selectively hardening predetermined regions of the applied layer of the metallic material on the basis of the geometrical data of the product, wherein the process parameters for the nature and level of the energy input are adjustable;
c. repeating steps a) and b) until the geometry of the product has been produced in the form of hardened material; and
d. removing a remaining non-hardened metallic material from the regions that were not selectively hardened,wherein at least one process parameter is adjusted during the production process in order to influence a crystal size of a finished product produced in a first region of the product in relation to a second region of the product as the predetermined regions of the applied layer are selectively hardened,wherein the non-hardened metallic material is applied with a different layer thickness in the first region of the product from that in the second region of the product in order to influence the crystal size in the first region in relation to the second region of the product.
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Abstract
The invention concerns a process for the layerwise production of a product comprising the steps of applying a layer of a hardenable material, wherein for example the process parameters of layer thickness and layer material are adjustable, selectively hardening predetermined regions of the applied layer on the basis of the geometrical data of the product, wherein for example the process parameters for the nature and level of the energy input are adjustable, repeating those steps until the geometry of the product has been produced in the form of hardened material, and finally removing the non-hardened material. Known processes suffer from the disadvantage that they do not afford variability in regard to the local properties of the product. The invention remedies that disadvantage insofar as at least one process parameter is altered during the production procedure in order to influence the grain size in a first region of the product in relation to a second region of the product.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A process for layerwise production of a metallic product comprising the steps of:
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a. applying a layer of non-hardened metallic material, the material capable of being hardened, wherein process parameters of layer thickness and layer material are adjustable; b. selectively hardening predetermined regions of the applied layer of the metallic material on the basis of the geometrical data of the product, wherein the process parameters for the nature and level of the energy input are adjustable; c. repeating steps a) and b) until the geometry of the product has been produced in the form of hardened material; and d. removing a remaining non-hardened metallic material from the regions that were not selectively hardened, wherein at least one process parameter is adjusted during the production process in order to influence a crystal size of a finished product produced in a first region of the product in relation to a second region of the product as the predetermined regions of the applied layer are selectively hardened, wherein the non-hardened metallic material is applied with a different layer thickness in the first region of the product from that in the second region of the product in order to influence the crystal size in the first region in relation to the second region of the product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12)
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7. A process for layerwise production of a metallic product comprising the steps of:
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a. applying a layer of non-hardened metallic material, the material capable of being hardened, wherein process parameters of layer thickness and layer material are adjustable; b. selectively hardening predetermined regions of the applied layer of the metallic material on the basis of the geometrical data of the product, wherein the process parameters for the nature and level of the energy input are adjustable; c. repeating steps a) and b) until the geometry of the product has been produced in the form of hardened material; and d. removing a remaining non-hardened metallic material from the regions that were not selectively hardened, wherein at least one process parameter is adjusted during the production process in order to influence a crystal size of a finished product produced in a first region of the product in relation to a second region of the product as the predetermined regions of the applied layer are selectively hardened, wherein the at least one process parameter is adjusted on the basis of the geometrical data of the product in the first region of the product in relation to the second region of the product in order to keep the crystal size in the first region of the product approximately constant in relation to the second region of the product.
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9. A process for layerwise production of a metallic product comprising the steps of:
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a. applying a layer of non-hardened metallic material, the material capable of being hardened, wherein process parameters of layer thickness and layer material are adjustable; b. selectively hardening predetermined regions of the applied layer of the metallic material on the basis of the geometrical data of the product, wherein the process parameters for the nature and level of the energy input are adjustable; c. repeating steps a) and b) until the geometry of the product has been produced in the form of hardened material; and d. removing a remaining non-hardened metallic material from the regions that were not selectively hardened, wherein the at least one process parameter is adjusted to alter the crystal size or a crystal boundary surface in the first region of the product in relation to the second region of the product, and wherein at least one process parameter is adjusted during the production process in order to influence a crystal size of a finished product produced in a first region of the product in relation to a second region of the product as the predetermined regions of the applied layer are selectively hardened, wherein the layer thickness is increased and/or an intensity of radiation is increased in the first region in order to increase the crystal size or the crystal boundary surface in the first region of the product in relation to the second region of the product.
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Specification