Process for producing a cutting die

A process for producing a cutting die having a metal base which carries a sharpened ridge extending along a predetermined path thereon, comprising the steps of;

• a) moving a laser beam along a said predetermined path to heat the base metal and simultaneously supplying powdered metal to said path via a tube moving concurrently with said laser beam, said tube and said laser beam each having an axis lying at 5.degree. to 45.degree. to the vertical, said axes being on opposite sides of said vertical, whereby said laser melts a thin layer of the metal base along said path and also melts the metal powder being delivered to the base to thus form a band of fused metal powder along said path;
• b) repeating step a) so as to heat and melt a thin layer of the previously deposited metal along with additional metal powder to form an additional layer metallurgically bonded to the first layer, and
• c) repeating step b) to produce multiple layers until a ridge of metal is formed along said path, said ridge having a substantially uniform height and width, and
• d) sharpening the ridge so formed to suit it for use in cutting.

A process for producing a cutting die having a metal base which carries a sharpened ridge extending along a predetermined path thereon, comprising the steps of;

• a) moving at least two laser beams along said path to heat the base metal and simultaneously supplying powdered metal to said path via a tube having a vertical axis and moving concurrently with said laser beams, said laser beams being positioned around said tube and directed inwardly towards a location at which the axis meets the base, with said laser beams being inclined at equal angles to said tube, whereby said laser beams melt a thin layer of the metal base along said path and also melt metal powder being delivered to the base and thus form a band of fused powder along said path,
• b) repeating step a) so as to heat and melt a thin layer of the previously deposited metal along with additional metal powder to form an additional layer metallurgically bonded to the first layer, and
• c) repeating step b) to produce multiple layers until a ridge of metal is formed along said path, said ridge having a substantially uniform height and width, and
• d) sharpening the ridge so formed to suit it for use in cutting.

A process for producing a cutting die having a metal base which carries a sharpened ridge extending along a predetermined path thereon, comprising the steps of;

• a) moving a laser beam along said path to heat the base metal and simultaneously supplying powdered metal to said path via a tube moving concurrently with said laser beam, said tube being coaxial with said laser beam, whereby said laser beam melts a thin layer of the metal base along said path and also melts metal powder being delivered to the base and thus forms a band of fused powder along said path,
• b) repeating step a) so as to heat and melt a thin layer of the previously deposited metal along with additional metal powder to form an additional layer metallurgically bonded to the first layer, and
• c) repeating step b) to produce multiple layers until a ridge of metal is formed along said path, said ridge having a substantially uniform height and width, and
• d) sharpening the ridge so formed to suit it for use in cutting.