High temperature additive manufacturing for organic matrix composites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016153102-A1
Application number	US-201414903924-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for fabricating a metal part with additive manufacturing includes additive manufacturing a resin into a desired shape having an outer surface, followed by preparing the outer surface to receive a catalyst, activating the outer surface with the catalyst; and then plating a first metal onto the outer surface and the catalyst to form a first layer to form a structure. The resin is selected from imidized polyimide, bismaleimide and combinations thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for fabricating a metal part, the method comprising:
additive manufacturing a resin into a desired shape having an outer surface; preparing the outer surface to receive a catalyst; activating the outer surface with the catalyst; and plating a first metal onto the outer surface and the catalyst to form a first layer to form a structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the resin is selected from the group consisting of imidized polyimide, bismaleimide and combinations thereof.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the imidized polyimide is solid at room temperature and is the appropriate size for powder bed processing (SLS).

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the imidized polyimide is solid at room temperature and is melted for liquid bed processing (SLA).

5 . The method of claim 2 wherein the bismaleimide is solid at room temperature and is the appropriate size for powder bed processing (SLS).

6 . The method of claim 2 wherein the bismaleimide is solid at room temperature and is melted for liquid bed processing (SLA).

7 . The method of claim 1 further including depositing a second metal onto the structure.

8 . The method of claim 7 further including depositing a third metal onto the structure.

9 . The method of claim 7 further including the alloying of the first and second metals.

10 . The method of claim 9 further including the alloying of the first, second and third metals.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the alloying is a process selected from the group consisting of transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding, brazing, diffusion bonding, heat treating, and combinations thereof.

12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the alloying is a process selected from the group consisting of transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding, brazing, diffusion bonding, heat treating, and combinations thereof.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the preparing of the outer surface to receive the catalyst includes a process selected from the group consisting of etching, abrading, reactive ion etching, ionic activation, and deposition of a conductive material.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, gold, and combinations thereof.

15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, gold, silver, graphite and combinations thereof.

16 . The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is deposited on the outer surface in an atomic layer thickness.

17 . A method for fabricating a hollow metal part, the method comprising:
additive manufacturing a resin into a desired shape having an outer surface; preparing the outer surface to receive an atomic layer of palladium; activating the outer surface with an atomic layer of palladium; electroless plating nickel onto the outer surface and the palladium to form a first layer having a thickness ranging from about 0.1 to about 10 microns to form a structure; electrolytically plating copper onto the structure; plating another metal onto the structure; and removing the resin.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the resin is selected from the group consisting of imidized polyimide, bismaleimide and combinations thereof.

19 . A method for fabricating a hollow metal part, the method comprising:
additive manufacturing a resin into a desired shape having an outer surface; preparing the outer surface to receive an atomic layer of palladium using a process selected from the group consisting of etching, abrading, reactive ion etching, and combinations thereof; activating the outer surface with palladium; electroless plating nickel onto the outer surface and the palladium to form a first layer having a thickness ranging from about 0.1 to about 10 microns; electrolytically plating copper onto the first layer to form a second layer; and plating a third metal onto the second layer to form a third layer using a process selected from the group consisting of electroless plating, electrolytic plating, electroforming, and combinations thereof.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the resin is selected from the group consisting of imidized polyimide, bismaleimide and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Watson Charles R
• Cook Grant O

Classifications

• C23C18/32

  Coating with nickel, cobalt or mixtures thereof with phosphorus or boron (C23C18/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C25D1/20

  Separation of the formed objects from the electrodes {with no destruction of said electrodes} · CPC title

• G01N2203/0298

  Manufacturing or preparing specimens · CPC title

• C25D7/04

  Tubes; Rings; Hollow bodies · CPC title

• B29K2105/251

  Particles, powder or granules (expandable particles B29K2105/046) · CPC title