Method and apparatus for metal solid freeform fabrication utilizing partially solidified metal slurry
OwnerStuart B. Browninventor
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for rapidly producing a metal component from partially solidified metal slurry. A source of metal alloy slurry is provided and maintained under conditions to maintain the slurry state, for example by shearing at a temperature between a liquidus and solidus thereof. The slurry is dispensed through a source nozzle and deposited upon a substrate or upon previously dispensed slurry in a predetermined, controlled manner to produce a component of desired geometry. The substrate may be planar or contoured and may comprise an element of the component being produced. A temperature, pressure or chemical composition controlled deposition environment may be provided to facilitate producing a component having desired characteristics.
Claims42
An apparatus for producing a component at least in part from partially solidified metal slurry, said apparatus comprising:
- a source of said slurry;
- a nozzle through which said slurry is dispensed;
- a substrate upon which dispensed slurry is at least partially deposited, at least one of said substrate and said nozzle movable relative to the each other in at least two degrees of freedom;
- and
- a controller for controlling relative movement between said nozzle and said substrate to produce the component.
A method for producing at least a portion of a near net-shape component from partially solidified metal slurry comprising the steps of:
- providing said slurry;
- dispensing said slurry through a nozzle and onto a substrate;
- and
- shaping said portion of said component by moving said nozzle relative to said substrate in at least two degrees of freedom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.