System and Method for Depositing a Metal to Form a Three-Dimensional Part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017239753-A1
Application number	US-201615052034-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Feb 24, 2016
Publication date	Aug 24, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method depositing metal to form a three-dimensional (3D) part on a substrate. A wire is moved relative to a location on the substrate while a laser heats a proximal end of the wire at the location using a laser beam. The laser causes the wire and substrate to reach a melting point of the wire to fuse the wire at the location on the substrate. The wire can be preheated by passing a current through the wire.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A system for depositing a metal to form a three-dimensional (3D) part, comprising:
an electrically conductive substrate; a wire made of the metal; means for moving the wire relative to a location on the substrate; means for providing an electrical current through the wire into the substrate; and a laser beam, wherein the wire and substrate are heated to reach a melting point of the wire to fuse the wire at the location on the substrate.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for moving the wire and the means for providing the electrical current to the wire are combined into an electrically conductive tube.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
means for heating the wire using an electrical current applied to the means for moving the wire.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the means for moving, the laser beam, and the electric current are controlled independently.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the means for moving, the laser beam, and the electric current are in coordination to cause the wire and the substrate to reach a melting point of the metal to fuse the wire at the location of the substrate.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the coordination is controlled to optimize the fusion of the wire to the base substrate and prior deposited metal while minimizing vaporization and spattering of melted metal.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current open circuit voltage is below the arc initiation and arc sustain voltages of the wire to substrate junction.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the wire is in a range of 0.003 to 0.010 inch.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric current is less than 10 amperes.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a rate of the depositing of the metal is a nominal 1 Kg/hour.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for moving includes means for moving the substrate.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for moving includes means for moving the wire.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the means for moving the wire includes motor-driven rollers.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the moving of the substrate includes means for translating and means for rotating the substrate.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the moving of the wire includes means for extending and retracting the wire.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for moving includes means for moving the wire, the substrate and the laser beam.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein relative motions of the wire, the laser beam, and laser beam power are coordinated to optimize fusion of the wire to the substrate, and to minimize vaporization of the wire and substrate, and spatter.

18 . A method for depositing a metal to form a three-dimensional (3D) part, comprising steps:
moving a wire relative to a substrate; and heating a proximal end of the wire at a location on the substrate using a laser beam and an electrical current to cause the wire and substrate to reach a melting point of the wire to fuse the wire at the location on the substrate.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Res Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• Yerazunis William S
• Barnwell Iii John C
• Vetterling William T

Classifications

• B23K26/1423 Primary

  the flow carrying an electric current · CPC title

• B23K26/346 Primary

  in combination with welding or cutting covered by groups B23K5/00 - B23K25/00, e.g. in combination with resistance welding · CPC title

• B23K26/342

  Build-up welding · CPC title

• B23K26/083

  Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title