# US 12,179,265 B2 · Composites, tooling, dies and methods of manufacturing thereof

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- Number: US 12,179,265 B2
- Document ID: US12179265B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/496,310
- Filed: 2021-10-07
- Published: 2022-06-02
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-08
- Assignees: Markforged, Inc.
- Applicants: Markforged, Inc.
- Inventors: Maxim Seleznev; Joseph Roy-Mayhew
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179265B2

## CPC

- B22F 10/18: by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
- B22F 5/007: {of moulds}
- B22F 5/10: of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups
- B22F 7/00: Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting {wherein at least one part is obtained by sintering or compression (application of coating layers by use of metal powders, see C23C)}
- B22F 10/64: by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364)
- B22F 10/66: by mechanical means
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B21D 37/20: Making tools by operations not covered by a single other subclass
- B22F 2005/002: {Tools other than cutting tools}
- B22F 2201/01: Reducing atmosphere
- B22F 2301/35: Iron
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- 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
- B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Metal composites, tooling and methods of additively manufacturing these are disclosed. Metal objects and structures as provided herein are additively manufactured from metal having an infill pattern infiltrated with a metal powder. Also provided herein are methods of forming such objects and structures. Methods include additively manufacturing a metal structure having an interior printed using an infill. Steps can further include infiltrating the printed infill of the structure with a powder metal thereby forming a composite.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing an object, comprising steps of:
3D printing the object comprising a metal, wherein the metal forms an outer shell substantially enclosing an interior volume and an infill portion within the interior volume of the object, the infill portion having structures defining a pattern and space within the interior volume;
infiltrating the object with a metal powder such that the metal powder substantially surrounds and fills the structures defining the pattern and the space within the interior volume of the object;
separately printing a shell wall of the metal;
after infiltrating the object with the metal powder, enclosing the object with the shell wall; and
sintering the object and the shell wall such that the resultant object forms a near solid part.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal powder is a dry metal powder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises diamond, gyroid, hexagonal, honeycomb, rectangle, square, or triangle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is a filament.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises aluminum, copper, stainless steel, titanium, tool steel, or nickel-chromium-iron alloys.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal powder comprises aluminum, copper, stainless steel, titanium, tool steel, or nickel-chromium-iron alloys.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a percent infill is between about 30% and about 90%.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein when 3D printing the object, a surface of the outer shell of the object is unprinted to expose the space within the interior volume.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the infill portion is filled with a dry metal powder during the step of infiltrating.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein separately printing a shell wall of the metal comprises additively depositing a separate roof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the infiltrating step comprises a step of debinding the object to form a brown part.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sintering step comprises heating in a reducing argon atmosphere.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising vibrating the metal powder within the interior volume of the infill.