Jetting performance of molten metal alloys by controlling the concentration of key alloying elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025214143-A1
Application number	US-202519084800-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2025
Priority date	Feb 12, 2021
Publication date	Jul 3, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for improving part quality in additive manufacturing involving jetting liquid metal. Limiting the amounts of magnesium and zinc in a meniscus material to below predetermined thresholds improves jetting quality. Further, ensuring an amount of Strontium is above a predetermined threshold further improves jetting of the liquid metal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for improving part quality in additive manufacturing, comprising:
supplying a liquid metal aluminum alloy feedstock to an alumina nozzle of an additive manufacturing jetting system; forming at a face of the alumina nozzle a meniscus of liquid meniscus material, wherein the meniscus material contains greater than or equal to 10 ppmw Strontium such that the Strontium concentration is sufficient to promote wetting of the liquid meniscus on the face of the alumina nozzle; and jetting a pattern of build material from the alumina nozzle.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid metal aluminum alloy feedstock includes a plurality of feedstock inputs combined to form the meniscus material.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the meniscus material contains greater than or equal to 50 ppmw Strontium.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the meniscus material contains greater than or equal to 100 ppmw Strontium.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the meniscus wets to an alumina nozzle stem face.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the alumina nozzle has a non-wetted surface surrounding a discharge orifice.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of a throat material contains greater than or equal to 10 ppmw Strontium.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the meniscus material contains less than or equal to 0.5 W % Magnesium and less than or equal to 1000 ppmw zinc.

9 . A method for improving part quality in additive manufacturing, comprising:
supplying a liquid metal aluminum alloy feedstock to an alumina nozzle an additive manufacturing jetting system; forming at a face of the alumina nozzle a meniscus of liquid meniscus material wherein the meniscus material contains less than or equal to 0.5 W % Magnesium greater than or equal to 10 ppmw Strontium such that the Strontium concentration is sufficient to promote wetting of the liquid meniscus on the face of the alumina nozzle; jetting a pattern of build material from the alumina nozzle.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the metal alloy feedstock includes a plurality of feedstock inputs combined to form the meniscus material.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the meniscus material contains less than or equal to 0.1 Wt % Magnesium.

12 . The method of claim 9 wherein the meniscus material contains less than or equal to 100 ppmw Magnesium.

13 . The method of claim 9 wherein the meniscus wets to an alumina nozzle stem face.

14 . The method of claim 9 wherein the alumina nozzle has a non-wetted surface surrounding a discharge orifice.

15 . A method for improving part quality in additive manufacturing, comprising:
supplying a liquid metal aluminum alloy feedstock to an alumina nozzle an additive manufacturing jetting system; forming at a face of the alumina nozzle a meniscus of liquid meniscus material wherein the meniscus material contains less than or equal to 1000 ppmw zinc and greater than or equal to 10 ppmw Strontium such that the Strontium concentration is sufficient to promote wetting of the liquid meniscus on the face of the alumina nozzle; jetting a pattern of build material from the alumina nozzle.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the metal alloy feedstock includes a plurality of feedstock inputs feeds combined to form the meniscus material.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the meniscus material contains less than or equal to 100 ppmw Zinc.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the meniscus wets to an alumina nozzle stem face.

19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alumina nozzle has a non-wetted surface surrounding a discharge orifice.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Bauer Uwe
• Gibson Mark
• Sachs Emanuel
• Barbati Robert
• Barbati Alexander
• Kernan Brian

Classifications

• B22D23/003 Primary

  Moulding by spraying metal on a surface · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• C22C21/06

  with magnesium as the next major constituent · CPC title

• B33Y70/00

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title