Selective laser sintering with assisted powder handling
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsJoseph J. Beaman, Carl R. Deckard
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for selectively sintering a layer of powder to produce a part comprising a plurality of sintered layers. The apparatus includes a computer controlling a laser to direct the laser energy onto the powder to produce a sintered mass. The computer either determines or is programmed with the boundaries of the desired cross-sectional regions of the part. For each cross-section, the aim of the laser beam is scanned over a layer of powder and the beam is switched on to sinter only the powder within the boundaries of the cross-section. Powder is applied and successive layers sintered until a completed part is formed. Preferably, the powder is deposited to the target area of the laser and attains high bulk density during sintering.
Claims30
An apparatus for producing a part comprising:
- beam means for selectively emitting a directed energy beam;
- structure for providing a target area for producing the part;
- means for depositing a powder into said target area;
- control means for moving the aim of the beam and for modulating the beam means to selectively sinter within defined boundaries a layer of powder deposited in said target area,
- the control means being operable to effect selective sintering of sequential layers of powder within respective defined boundaries to produce a part comprising a plurality of layers sintered together;
- and
- means for attaining a high bulk density in said powder in said target area.
A method of producing a part comprising the steps of:
- depositing a first portion of powder onto a target surface;
- scanning the aim of a directed energy beam over the target surface;
- sintering a first layer of the first powder portion corresponding to a first cross-sectional region of the part by operating the beam when the aim of the beam is within boundaries defined by said first cross-sectional region;
- depositing a second portion of powder onto the first sintered layer;
- scanning the aim of a directed energy beam over the first sintered layer;
- sintering a second layer of the second powder portion corresponding to a second cross-sectional region of the part by operating the beam when the aim of the beam is within boundaries defined by said second cross-sectional region,
- the first and second layers being joined during the sintering of said second layer;
- depositing successive portions of powder in high bulk density onto the previous sintered layers and sintering a layer of each successive portion to produce a part comprising a plurality of sintered layers;
- and
- attaining high bulk density in each said portion of powder in said target area.
A method of applying a layer of powder in a region comprising the steps of:
- depositing a mound of powder proximate one end of said region;
- moving an electrically charged drum in a direction from said one end of said region towards another end of the region;
- rotating the drum counter to the direction of movement from said one end towards the other end;
- contacting the mound of powder with the counter-rotating drum as it moves towards said other end;
- ejecting powder from said mound in the direction of movement from contact between said drum and mound, a layer of powder being left behind said moving drum between the drum and said one end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.