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OwnerWenyou ZHANG, Rocco LUPOI +4inventors
InventorsWenyou ZHANG, Rocco LUPOI, Ramesh PADAMATI BABU, Arnoldas SASNAUKAS, William ABBOTT, Asli DOBAN
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A method for optimising transfer of metal from a metal powder-polymer matrix to an object's surface in a three-dimensional additive manufacturing printing or coating process, the method comprising the step of irradiating a metal powder-polymer matrix flexible film using a heat source to vaporise the polymer and melt the metal particles together to form a layer of solid metal on the surface of the object, wherein the heat source has a focal plane that converges below the surface of the metal powder-polymer matrix flexible film.
A method for optimising transfer of metal from a metal powder-polymer matrix to an object's surface in a three-dimensional additive manufacturing printing or coating process, the method comprising the steps of irradiating a metal powder-polymer matrix flexible film using a heat source to vaporise the polymer and melt the metal particles together to form a layer of metal on the object's surface, wherein the heat source has a focal plane that converges below the surface of the metal powder-polymer matrix flexible film.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat source is selected from, a laser, an ion beam, an electron beam, a source of electromagnetic radiation, and ultrasonic vibration.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat source scans the metal powder-polymer matrix flexible film at a velocity of between about 20 mm/s to about 3 m/s.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the metal powder-polymer matrix flexible film has a thickness of between about 20 μm to about 2000 μm.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an additional step of irradiating the formed metal layer at least once to vaporise any residual polymer that may be left over from the irradiation step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.