Fabrication of metallic parts by additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730089-B2
Application number	US-201715446489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2017
Priority date	Mar 3, 2016
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

In various embodiments, wire composed at least partially of arc-melted refractory metal material is utilized to fabricate three-dimensional parts by additive manufacturing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional part comprising molybdenum, the method comprising:
(a) compacting powder to form a feed electrode, the powder comprising molybdenum;
(b) arc-melting the feed electrode in a processing ambient comprising a vacuum or one or more inert gases, thereby forming a billet;
(c) mechanically deforming the billet into wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the billet;
(d) translating a tip of the wire relative to a platform;
(e) while the tip of the wire is being translated, melting the tip of the wire with an energy source to form a molten bead, whereby the molten bead cools to form at least a portion of a layer of a three-dimensional part; and
(f) repeating steps (d) and (e) one or more times to produce the three-dimensional part,
wherein the three-dimensional part comprises molybdenum.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a concentration within the wire of at least one of sodium, calcium, antimony, magnesium, phosphorous, or potassium is less than 5 ppm by weight.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of oxygen within the wire is less than 20 ppm by weight.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a density of the three-dimensional part is greater than 97% of a theoretical density of molybdenum.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a density of the three-dimensional part is greater than 99% of a theoretical density of molybdenum.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises at least one of drawing, rolling, swaging, extruding, or pilgering.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises sintering the compacted powder at a temperature greater than 900° C.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step (e) the energy source comprises an electron beam and/or a laser beam.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (a), providing the powder by a process comprising at least one of plasma densification or plasma atomization.

10. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional part comprising molybdenum utilizing wire produced by a process comprising (i) compacting powder to form a feed electrode, the powder comprising molybdenum, (ii) arc-melting the feed electrode in a processing ambient comprising a vacuum or one or more inert gases, thereby forming a billet, and (iii) mechanically deforming the billet into wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the billet, the method comprising:
(a) translating a tip of the wire relative to a platform;
(b) while the tip of the wire is being translated, melting the tip of the wire with an energy source to form a molten bead, whereby the molten bead cools to form at least a portion of a layer of a three-dimensional part; and
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) one or more times to produce the three-dimensional part,
wherein the three-dimensional part comprises molybdenum.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a concentration within the wire of at least one of sodium, calcium, antimony, magnesium, phosphorous, or potassium is less than 5 ppm by weight.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a concentration of oxygen within the wire is less than 20 ppm by weight.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein a density of the three-dimensional part is greater than 97% of a theoretical density of molybdenum.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein a density of the three-dimensional part is greater than 99% of a theoretical density of molybdenum.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein mechanically deforming the billet into wire comprises at least one of drawing, rolling, swaging, extruding, or pilgering.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the process of producing the wire comprises sintering the compacted powder at a temperature greater than 900° C.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein in step (b) the energy source comprises an electron beam and/or a laser beam.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the process of producing the wire comprises providing the powder by a process comprising at least one of plasma densification or plasma atomization.

Assignees

• Stawovy Michael Thomas
• Starck H C Inc

Inventors

• Stawovy Michael Thomas

Classifications

• B22F10/20

  Direct sintering or melting · CPC title

• B22D7/005 Primary

  from non-ferrous metals · CPC title

• B21C1/02 Primary

  Drawing metal wire or like flexible metallic material by drawing machines or apparatus in which the drawing action is effected by drums · CPC title

• B22F10/38

  to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures · CPC title

• B22F10/25

  Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] · CPC title