Additive layer manufacturing

Abstract

A method for the manufacture of a component of defined geometry from two or more materials using a powder bed ALM process includes providing a bed of a first powdered material, selectively fusing portions of the first powdered material to build up a first three dimensional portion of the component geometry and fusing a powder containment bund from the first material to contain unfused first powdered material. A bed of a second powdered material is deposited onto the powder containment bund and selectively fused to build up a second three dimensional portion of the component geometry. Unfused first powdered material can subsequently be removed from a first side of the bund and unfused second powder from a second side of the bund. Remaining parts of the bund which do not form part of the defined geometry of the component can be removed to provide the net shape component.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.