# US 11,077,524 B2 · Additive manufacturing utilizing metallic wire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,524 B2 - Document ID: US11077524B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/416,254 - Filed: 2017-01-26 - Published: 2017-07-27 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-27 - Assignees: H.C. Starck GmbH - Applicants: H.C. Starck Inc. - Inventors: David B. Smathers; Patrick Hogan; Michael Thomas Stawovy; Maria B. Winnicka; Gary A. Rozak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077524B2 ## CPC - B23K 26/342: Build-up welding - B21C 1/02: Drawing metal wire or like flexible metallic material by drawing machines or apparatus in which the drawing action is effected by drums - B22F 1/068: Flake-like particles - B22F 3/02: Compacting only - B22F 7/06: of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools {(B22F7/002 takes precedence)} - B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] - B22F 10/34: of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability - B23K 9/04: Welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding - B23K 15/0086: {welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding} - B23K 15/0093: {characterised by the properties of the materials to be welded} - B23K 26/0006: {taking account of the properties of the material involved (B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence)} - B23K 35/0272: {with more than one layer of coating or sheathing material} - B23K 35/32: with the principal constituent melting at more than 1550°C - B23K 35/406: {Filled tubular wire or rods (B23K35/402 takes precedence)} - B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing - C22C 27/02: Alloys based on vanadium, niobium, or tantalum - C22C 30/00: Alloys containing less than 50% by weight of each constituent - B21C 1/003: {Drawing materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special drawing methods or sequences} - B21C 23/002: {Extruding materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special extruding methods of sequences} - B22F 1/065: Spherical particles - B22F 5/12: of wires {(of tubes B22F5/10)} - B22F 10/66: by mechanical means - B22F 2301/20: Refractory metals - B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - C23F 1/00: Etching metallic material by chemical means (manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K) - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B21C: MANUFACTURE OF METAL SHEETS, WIRE, RODS, TUBES, PROFILES OR LIKE SEMI-MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS OTHERWISE THAN BY ROLLING; AUXILIARY OPERATIONS USED IN CONNECTION WITH METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract In various embodiments, additive manufacturing is utilized to fabricate three-dimensional metallic parts using metallic alloy wire as a feedstock material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a three-dimensional part comprising a high-entropy alloy or a multi-principal element alloy by additive manufacturing, wherein the high-entropy alloy or multi-principal element alloy comprises four or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ti, Hf, V, Zr, Al, and Cr, the method comprising: (a) providing a wire consisting essentially of the four or more metallic elements, the wire comprising an assemblage of (i) one or more first metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each first metal powder are substantially spherical, and (ii) one or more second metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each second metal powder are non-spherical; (b) translating a tip of the wire relative to a platform; (c) thereduring, melting a tip of the wire with an energy source to form a molten bead comprising the four or more metallic elements, whereby the bead cools to form at least a portion of a layer of a three-dimensional part; and (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) one or more times to produce the three-dimensional part, wherein the three-dimensional part comprises the high-entropy alloy or the multi-principal element alloy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, at least one of the second metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-spherical particles of at least one of the second metal powders are angular flakes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wire comprises one or more metallic tubes surrounding the one or more first metal powders and the one or more second metal powders, each metallic tube comprising at least one of the metallic elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an oxygen concentration of the wire is 300 ppm or less. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A three-dimensional part fabricated by the method of claim 1. ### Claim 10 A method of forming a three-dimensional part comprising a high-entropy alloy or a multi-principal element alloy by additive manufacturing, wherein the high-entropy alloy or multi-principal element alloy comprises four or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ti, Hf, V, Zr, Al, and Cr, the method comprising: (a) providing a wire preform consisting essentially of the four or more metallic elements, the wire preform comprising an assemblage of (i) one or more first metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each first metal powder are substantially spherical, and (ii) one or more second metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each second metal powder are non-spherical; (b) reducing a diameter of the wire preform via one or more mechanical deformation processes, thereby forming a metallic wire; (c) translating a tip of the wire relative to a platform; (d) thereduring, melting a tip of the wire with an energy source to form a molten bead comprising the four or more metallic elements, whereby the bead cools to form at least a portion of a layer of a three-dimensional part; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times to produce the three-dimensional part, wherein the three-dimensional part comprises the high-entropy alloy or the multi-principal element alloy. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, at least one of the second metal powders is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the second metal powders is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the non-spherical particles of at least one of the second metal powders are angular flakes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the wire preform comprises one or more metallic tubes surrounding the one or more first metal powders and the one or more second metal powders, each metallic tube comprising at least one of the metallic elements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein an oxygen concentration of the wire is 300 ppm or less. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more mechanical deformation processes comprise at least one of drawing, pilgering, swaging, extrusion, or rolling. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) A three-dimensional part fabricated by the method of claim 10. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional part consists essentially of four or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ti, Hf, V, Zr, Al, and Cr.