Particulates for additive manufacturing techniques

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144061-B2
Application number	US-201414585504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A globule for an additive manufacturing process includes a plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles respectively having a submicron size. A binder fixes the plurality of submicron size additive manufacturing stock particles to one another such that the particles form a globule having a size of less than fifty microns.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additive manufacturing method, comprising:
making pre-sintered globules for the additive manufacturing method, the method of making the pre-sintered globules comprising:
introducing a plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles of submicron size into a spray chamber;
wetting surfaces of the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles with a binder by spraying the binder into the spray chamber and intersecting a flow of additive manufacturing stock particles with a flow of binder, wherein the binder material includes water;
agglomerating the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles into globules having sizes of less than 10 microns and greater than 1 micron; and
strengthening the globules by pre-sintering the globules) wherein pre-sintering the globules includes completely evaporating the binder from the globules;

depositing the plurality of pre-sintered globules into a development module of a powder bed fusing system;
compressing the plurality of globules within the development module; and
selectively applying thermal energy to the plurality of globules using an electron beam or laser system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further including:
fusing a portion of the plurality of the globules into an integral structure; withdrawing a piston of the development module;
depositing a second plurality of globules as recited in claim 1 into the development module;
compressing the second plurality of globules into the development module; selectively applying thermal energy to a portion of the second plurality of globules using the electron beam or laser system; and
fusing the portion of the second plurality of globules to form a layer of the integral structure.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein compressing the plurality of globules within the development module includes spreading and compressing the globules using a roller.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing stock particles include at least one of a metallic material, a ceramic material, and a polymeric material.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein agglomerating the particles includes defining a plurality of pendular bonds fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein agglomerating the particles includes defining a plurality of funicular bonds fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein agglomerating the particles includes defining a plurality of capillary bonds fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising fixing the plurality of additive manufacturing stock particles to one another within an encapsulating droplet with the binder.

Assignees

• Delavan Inc
• Delavan Inc

Inventors

• Mironets Sergey

Classifications

• B29B13/021 Primary

  Heat treatment of powders · CPC title

• B22F1/148

  Agglomerating · CPC title

• B22F12/63

  Rollers · CPC title

• B22F10/34

  of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title