Spark plug electrode having thermally resilient joint and method of manufacturing the same

A spark plug electrode, comprising:

• an electrode base;
• an electrode tip that is formed on the electrode base and includes a precious metal-based material;
• and
• a thermally resilient joint that is located between the electrode base and the electrode tip and includes material from both the electrode base and the electrode tip, wherein the electrode tip and the thermally resilient joint together include a plurality of laser deposition layers, and at least some of the precious metal-based material from one or more laser deposition layer(s) of the thermally resilient joint is embedded into the electrode base,
• wherein at least one of the plurality of laser deposition layers includes rows formed by a laser as it moves across the spark plug electrode in a first direction and columns formed by the laser as it moves across the spark plug electrode in a second direction, where the laser forms the rows and columns during the creation of a single layer to form a lattice or grid-like pattern.

An additive manufacturing process for manufacturing a spark plug electrode, comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrode base;
• providing powder that includes a precious metal-based material;
• positioning the electrode base in a tool and covering an end surface of the electrode base with the powder;
• directing a laser or an electron beam at the end surface of the electrode base such that it melts or sinters at least some of the powder and forms a thermally resilient joint on the electrode base;
• covering an end surface of the thermally resilient joint with the powder;
• and
• directing the laser or the electron beam at the end surface of the thermally resilient joint such that it melts or sinters at least some of the powder and forms an electrode tip,
• wherein the electrode tip is formed on the electrode base and includes the precious metal-based material;
• the thermally resilient joint is located between the electrode base and the electrode tip and includes material from the electrode base and the precious metal-based material from the electrode tip;
• the material from the electrode base and the precious metal-based material from the electrode tip has melted, intermixed together, and solidified in the thermally resilient joint during the additive manufacturing process;
• the electrode tip and the thermally resilient joint together include a plurality of laser deposition layers;
• and at least some of the melted, intermixed, and solidified precious metal-based material from the thermally resilient joint is embedded into the electrode base.