Method and arrangement for building metallic objects by solid freeform fabrication
AssigneeNorsk Titanium AS
InventorsFerdinand Stempfer, Hilde Løken Larsen, Pedro Almeida, Martin Mathisen
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Abstract
Provided are a systems and methods for manufacturing objects by solid freeform fabrication, especially titanium and titanium alloy objects, wherein the deposition rate is increased by using two separate heat sources, one heat source for heating the deposition area on the base material and one heat source for heating and melting a metallic material, such as a metal wire or a powdered metallic material.
Claims20
A system for building metallic objects by solid freeform fabrication, comprising:
- a first welding gun directed exclusively toward a portion of a surface of a base material for pre-heating said portion of the surface of the base material onto which metallic material melted from a source of metal is to be deposited;
- a second welding gun directed toward the source of metal for melting the source of metal into droplets of the metallic material that are deposited onto the preheated surface of the base material;
- and
- a deposition profile of an object to be formed such that the object is built by fusing successive deposits of the metallic material onto the base material.
A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object of a metallic material by solid freeform fabrication, where the object is made by fusing together successive deposits of the metallic material onto a base material, the method comprising:
- defining a deposition profile of the object;
- using a first welding gun directed exclusively toward a portion of a surface of the base material to preheat at least the portion of the surface of the base material to form a preheated surface;
- and
- using a second welding gun to heat and melt a metallic material such that molten metallic material is deposited onto the preheated surface to form the object by fusing successive deposits of the melted metallic material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.