Direct metal fabrication of parts with surface features only
US6517773B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 23, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 23, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB33Y80/00
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of directly fabricating metal parts with surface features only requires first preparing a mold of the desired metal part. A powder blend is poured into the mold, which includes a base metal, a lower melting temperature alloy of the base metal, and a polymer binder. The mold containing the powder blend is heated until the polymer binder melts and adheres the metal particles to form a green part. The green part is removed from the mold and placed in a crucible, and loose ceramic powder is packed around the part to support it. The supported green part is then heated as needed to vaporize the binder and consolidate the part via liquid phase sintering. Once cool, the consolidated part can be machined to meet precise dimensional tolerances, if necessary.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.