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US 11,999,011 B1Granted
In situ alloying
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsMichael Joseph Moorehead, Adrien Couet, Dan J. Thoma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
As may be implemented in accordance with one or more approaches herein, a plurality of metal alloy samples are formed on a surface, in which each sample has a different metal alloy composition relative to the others. Elemental metal powders are provided from hoppers at respective delivery rates and mixed, such that the mixture for each sample is set via the respective delivery rates and is different than the mixture for the other samples. Multiple layers of each mixture are deposited by dispensing and melting the mixture to form the respective samples, and one or more layer of each of the samples is remelted
Claims21
A method comprising:
- dispensing metal-based material from a plurality of material sources, each source operable to dispense the metal-based material at a variable rate;
- mixing the metal-based material dispensed by the plurality of material sources, and conveying the mixed metal-based material using a material conduit coupled to the plurality of material sources;
- and
- using a deposition tool coupled to receive the mixed metal-based material via the material conduit, the deposition tool having control circuitry, a nozzle, and an energy source, to:
- deposit layers of a first combination of the materials on a substrate surface by:
- supplying a mixture of the first combination of materials from the plurality of material sources, conveying the mixture to the deposition tool via the material conduit, dispensing the first combination of materials from the nozzle, and melting a first portion of the dispensed materials via the energy source, each layer having a second portion of the dispensed materials that remains unmelted,
- remelt a top one of the deposited layers via the energy source, including melting the second portion of the dispensed materials in the top layer, and
- deposit layers of a second combination of materials relative to the surface, the second combination being different than the first combination, by:
- adjusting the rate at which at least one of the material sources dispenses metal-based material, supplying a mixture of the second combination of materials from the plurality of material sources via the adjusted rate, conveying the mixture of the second combination of materials to the deposition tool via the material conduit, dispensing the second combination of materials from the nozzle, melting the dispensed materials via the energy source, and remelting a top one of the deposited layers.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a plurality of metal alloy samples on a surface, each sample having a metal alloy composition that is different than a metal alloy composition of the other samples, by, for each sample:
- supplying elemental metal powders from a plurality of hoppers at respective delivery rates,
- mixing the supplied elemental powders to create a mixture, the mixture for each sample being set via the respective delivery rates and being different than the mixture for the other samples, and
- depositing multiple layers of the mixture by dispensing and melting the mixture;
- and
- for each sample, remelting a top one of the multiple layers.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of material sources configured to dispense metal-based material at a variable rate;
- a material conduit coupled to the plurality of material sources and configured to receive and mix the metal-based material dispensed by the plurality of material sources, and to convey the mixed metal-based material;
- and
- a deposition tool coupled to receive the mixed metal-based material via the material conduit, the deposition tool having control circuitry, a nozzle, and an energy source, and programmed and configured with the plurality of material sources to:
- deposit layers of a first combination of the materials on a substrate surface by:
- supplying a mixture of the first combination of materials from the plurality of material sources, conveying the mixture to the deposition tool via the material conduit, dispensing the first combination of materials from the nozzle, and melting a first portion of the dispensed materials via the energy source, each layer having a second portion of the dispensed materials that remains unmelted,
- remelt a top one of the deposited layers via the energy source, including melting the second portion of the dispensed materials in the top layer, and
- deposit layers of a second combination of materials relative to the surface, the second combination being different than the first combination, by:
- adjusting the rate at which at least one of the material sources dispenses metal-based material, supplying a mixture of the second combination of materials from the plurality of material sources via the adjusted rate, conveying the mixture of the second combination of materials to the deposition tool via the metal conduit, dispensing the second combination of materials from the nozzle, melting the dispensed materials via the energy source, and remelting a top one of the deposited layers.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.