Method for manufacturing binder jet parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11654484-B2
Application number	US-202017060231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2020
Priority date	Oct 1, 2020
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

A method of forming a part includes metal binder jet printing a first green component with a first attachment interface, de-powdering the first green component, assembling the first green component with a second component comprising a second attachment interface and forming an assembly such that the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface are adjacent to each other. The assembly is sintered such that volumetric shrinkage of at least the first green component creates a compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface, and the compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface and heat from the sintering results in a metallurgical bond across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface such that a monolithic part is formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a part, the method comprising:
metal binder jet (MBJ) printing a first green component with a first attachment interface;
de-powdering the first green component;
assembling the first green component with a second component comprising a second attachment interface and forming an assembly such that the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface are adjacent to each other; and
sintering the assembly such that volumetric shrinkage of at least the first green component creates a compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface,
wherein the compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface and heat from the sintering diffuses material across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface to form a metallurgical bond across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface such that a monolithic part is formed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first attachment interface comprises a surface of an aperture in a sidewall of the first green component and the second attachment interface comprises a surface of a plug positioned within the aperture when the first green component and the second component are assembled.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first green component is at least partially de-powdered through the aperture in the sidewall.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the plug closes and seals the aperture in the sidewall of the first green component.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first attachment interface comprises a surface of a slot in a sidewall of the first green component, the second component is a plug, and the second attachment interface comprises a surface of the plug positioned within the slot when the first green component and the second component are assembled.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the plug closes and seals the slot in the sidewall of the first green component.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first green component is an elongated component with an internal passageway extending along a length of the elongated component, the slot extends along the sidewall along the length of the elongated component, and the plug extends along the length of the elongated component within the slot.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the plug is a T-shaped plug extending along the length of the elongated component within the slot.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first green component is an elongated component with an internal passageway extending along a length of the elongated component, and the plug extends into the internal passageway transverse to the length of the elongated component.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the plug comprises a control orifice positioned in the internal passageway of the first green component when the first green component and the second component are assembled.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the plug comprises an insert made from a material different than the plug, the insert having the control orifice positioned in the internal passageway of the first green component when the first green component and the second component are assembled.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the sidewall comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall space apart from the first sidewall with the internal passageway between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the slot extends through the first sidewall and partially through the second sidewall, and the plug extends through the first sidewall and is embedded within the second sidewall.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first green component is MBJ printed within a build box of an MBJ printing machine and the assembly is larger than the build box such that assembly will not fit and cannot be MBJ printed as a single green component in the build box.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the second component is a second green component and the first green component and the second green component are MBJ printed in the build box of the MBJ printing machine.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the first green component and the second green component are MBJ printed in the build box of the MBJ printing machine during a single MBJ printing run.

16. A method for forming a part, the method comprising:
metal binder jet (MBJ) printing a first green component comprising an aperture with a first attachment interface and a second green component comprising a plug with a second attachment interface;
de-powdering the first green component through the aperture;
assembling the first green component and the second green component and forming an assembly such that the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface are adjacent to each other; and
sintering the assembly such that volumetric shrinkage of at least the first green component creates a compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface, wherein the compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface and heat from the sintering diffuses material across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface to form a metallurgical bond across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface such that a monolithic part is formed.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first green component is a tube comprising a first closed end, a second closed end, and a sidewall with the aperture.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the sidewall comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall space apart from the first sidewall, the aperture extends through the first sidewall and partially through the second sidewall, and the plug extends through the first sidewall and partially into the second sidewall.

19. A method of forming a part, the method comprising:
metal binder jet (MBJ) printing a first green component comprising a tube with a slot having a first attachment interface and a second green component comprising a plug with a second attachment interface;
de-powdering the first green component through the slot;
assembling the first green component and the second green component and forming an assembly such that the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface are adjacent to each other; and
sintering the assembly such that volumetric shrinkage of at least the first green component creates a compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface,
wherein the compressive force across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface and heat from the sintering diffuses material across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface to form a metallurgical bond across the first attachment interface and the second attachment interface such that a monolithic part is formed.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the slot extends through a sidewall of the tube and the plug has a control orifice positioned in the internal passageway of the first green component when the first green component and the second component are assembled.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cornell John
• Meinhart Mark
• Powell Jason
• Buschhaus Wolfram

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F1/10

  Metallic powder containing lubricating or binding agents; Metallic powder containing organic material · CPC title

• B22F3/1021 Primary

  Removal of binder or filler (removal of binder from ceramics C04B35/638) · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B22F10/14

  by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder · CPC title