Method for making powder metal prototypes by 3-d printing

Abstract

It has been found that prototype parts having physical characteristics that mimic those of powder metal parts made utilizing conventional powder metal technology can be made by laser powder bed fusion techniques using direct reduced iron or sponge iron. More specifically, prototype parts can be manufactured by laser bed fusion of a metal bed in a selective laser melt process, wherein the metal bed is comprised of direct reduced iron or sponge iron, and the selective laser melt printing parameters are such that the target density of the prototype part is less than the theoretical density of the prototype part being 3-D printed and wherein the prototype part has a density which is within the range of 6.0 g/cc to 7.8 g/cc.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.