Rapid prototyping method of sintering powdery material and fabricating apparatus using the same
US5948342A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 22, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29C71/02
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A rapid prototyping method utilizing a powder sintering process and an apparatus for fabricating a product, utilizing the method. The rapid prototyping method includes steps of slicing an image of a product to be fabricated into a number of layers, preparing a mold sheet for each of the slices of the product with a cavity adapted to the profile of the corresponding slice, laying the mold sheet in place on a one-on-the-other basis, feeding the cavity of the mold sheet with a powdery material, pressurizing the material, repeating the preceding steps for each slide to form a multilayer structure for a complete product, and sintering the multilayer structure to produce a finished product. The rapid prototyping method according to the invention provides major advantages over comparable known methods in terms of cost, processing time, and profiling accuracy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.