System and method for powder manufacturing
AssigneeMetal Powder Works, LLC
InventorsJohn E. Barnes, Christopher B. Aldridge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powder production method includes providing an elongated workpiece and repeatedly contacting an outer surface of the elongated workpiece with a reciprocating cutter according to a predetermined at least one frequency to produce a powder. The powder includes a plurality of particles, wherein at least 95% of the produced particles have a diameter or maximum dimension ranging from about 10 μm to about 200 μm. A system for producing powders having a plurality of particles including a cutter and at least one controller is also provided herein.
Claims20
A system for producing a powder comprising a plurality of particles, the system comprising:
- at least one cutter configured to contact a side surface of a wrought, cast, or extruded workpiece to remove particles from the workpiece, wherein the workpiece comprises a first end, a second end, and the side surface extending therebetween;
- at least one driver mechanically coupled to the at least one cutter configured to reciprocally move the at least one cutter into contact with and away from the workpiece at a selected frequency of at least 10 kHz;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to the at least one driver comprising a visual display that provides a user interface, the controller being configured to cause the at least one driver to move the at least one cutter reciprocally into contact with and away from the workpiece according to one or more operating parameters determined by the controller based on inputs received via the user interface,
- wherein the repeated contact between the workpiece and the at least one cutter produces the powder comprising the plurality of particles, and wherein at least 95% of the plurality of particles have a diameter ranging from about 10 μm to about 200 μm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.