Method and apparatus for making products by sintering and/or melting
US8502107B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 6, 2011 |
| Grant date | Aug 6, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 14, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P10/25
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for making metallic and/or non-metallic products 2, in particular dental products, by freeform sintering and/or melting, in which the products 2 are fabricated layer by layer from a material 5 that is applied layer by layer by means of a computer-controlled high-energy beam 7, in particular a laser or electron beam. In order to reduce production times, beam 7 irradiates predetermined positions P1 to P6 of a layer of a material 5 a plurality of time, namely m times, where m is a whole integer greater than 1. Each of said positions P1 to P6 is initially heated during the first irradiation to a temperature below the melting point Tmelt of the material 5, and during the mth irradiation to a temperature above said melting point and is completely melted over the entire thickness of the layer in such a way that the material (5) fuses at said position to the layer thereunder. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing said method.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.