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US 10,821,521 B2Granted
Article surface finishing method
AssigneeHamilton Sunstrand Corporation
InventorsMark R. Jaworowski, Sergey Mironets, Gary M. Lomasney, Weilong Zhang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Manufacturing methods are disclosed that can electropolish a metal surface by disposing an electrode over the metal surface, and a permeable dielectric spacer between the metal surface and the electrode. An electrolyte is infiltrated into the permeable dielectric spacer, and an electrical voltage differential is applied to the electrode and the metal surface.
Claims20
A method for making an article, comprising
- inputting a digital model of the article into an additive manufacturing apparatus or system comprising an energy source;
- forming the article by repeatedly applying energy from the energy source to fuse successively applied incremental quantities of a metal powder corresponding to the digital model of the article;
- disposing an electrode over a fused metal surface of the article, and a permeable dielectric spacer between the fused metal surface and the electrode;
- infiltrating a liquid electrolyte into the permeable dielectric spacer;
- and
- applying an electrical voltage differential to the electrode and the fused metal surface, and wherein disposing the electrode and permeable dielectric spacer comprises:
- applying a layer comprising dielectric particles and a removable binder on the fused metal surface;
- applying the electrode over the layer;
- and
- removing the removable binder.
7 more elements
A method of making a heat exchanger, comprising
- forming a heat exchanger core comprising a plurality of internal fluid flow passages;
- disposing an electrode over an internal metal surface of the internal fluid flow passages, and a permeable dielectric spacer between the internal metal surface and the electrode;
- infiltrating a liquid electrolyte into the permeable dielectric spacer;
- applying an electrical voltage differential to the electrode and the internal metal surface;
- and
- removing the electrode and the permeable dielectric spacer from the internal metal surface subsequent to application of the voltage differential,
- wherein disposing the electrode and permeable dielectric spacer comprises:
- applying a layer comprising dielectric particles and a removable binder on the internal metal surface;
- applying the electrode over the layer;
- and
- removing the removable binder.
8 more elements
A method of electropolishing a metal surface, comprising:
- disposing an electrode over the metal surface, and a permeable dielectric spacer between the metal surface and the electrode;
- infiltrating a liquid electrolyte into the permeable dielectric spacer;
- and
- applying an electrical voltage differential to the electrode and the metal surface to electropolish the metal surface,
- wherein disposing the electrode and permeable dielectric spacer comprises:
- applying a layer comprising dielectric particles and a removable binder on the metal surface;
- applying the electrode over the layer;
- and
- removing the removable binder.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.