# US 9,039,917 B2 · Methods for manufacturing components from articles formed by additive-manufacturing processes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,917 B2 - Document ID: US9039917B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/964,866 - Filed: 2013-08-12 - Published: 2013-11-28 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-16 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Andy Szuromi; Daniel Ryan; Donald G. Godfrey; Mark C. Morris - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039917B2 ## CPC - C23C 26/00: Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00 - B22F 3/15: Hot isostatic pressing - B22F 3/24: After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} - B22F 5/04: of turbine blades - B22F 7/06: of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools {(B22F7/002 takes precedence)} - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - C23C 10/60: After-treatment - B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 10/36: of energy beam parameters - B22F 10/62: by chemical means - B22F 10/64: by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364) - B22F 10/66: by mechanical means - B22F 12/49: Scanners - B22F 12/63: Rollers - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - F05D 2230/31: Layer deposition - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A method is provided for manufacturing a component. The method includes forming a diffusion coating on a first intermediate article formed by an additive manufacturing process. The diffusion coating is removed from the first intermediate article forming a second intermediate article. The diffusion coating is formed by applying a layer of coating material on at least one surface of the first intermediate article and diffusion heat treating the first intermediate article and the layer. The diffusion coating comprises a surface additive layer and a diffusion layer below the surface additive layer. The formation of the diffusion coating and removal thereof may be repeated at least once. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a component, the method comprising the steps of: forming a diffusion coating on a first intermediate article formed by an additive manufacturing process, the diffusion coating comprising a surface additive layer and a diffusion layer below the surface additive layer, the diffusion layer including an upper portion of a material substrate of the first intermediate article; and removing the diffusion coating from the first intermediate article forming a second intermediate article, the step of removing the diffusion coating includes removing the upper portion of the material substrate to a coating diffusion boundary, wherein the forming and removing steps comprise a forming and removing cycle that is repeated at least once during manufacture of the component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming a diffusion coating comprises: applying a layer of coating material on a surface of the first intermediate article; diffusion heat treating the first intermediate article and the layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming a diffusion coating on a first intermediate article comprising forming the diffusion coating on the first intermediate article formed from a build material comprising an alloy, a superalloy, titanium, chromium, stainless steels, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of applying a layer of coating material comprises applying the layer of coating material comprising a metallic material comprising one or more metallic elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of applying a layer of coating material comprises applying the layer of coating material layer to conform or deform to the contours of the first intermediate article. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein applying the layer of coating material on the surface comprises applying the layer of coating material on an internal passage surface, an external surface, or both the internal passage surface and the external surface of the first intermediate article. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of consolidating the first intermediate article by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process concurrently with the step of diffusion heat treating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of forming a diffusion coating on a first intermediate article provides an encapsulation layer on the first intermediate article, the encapsulation layer comprising the surface additive layer, the diffusion layer, or both the surface additive layer and the diffusion layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of consolidating the first intermediate article by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process concurrently with the step of diffusion heat treating or consolidating the second intermediate article by the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of consolidating the second intermediate article by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of: encapsulating the second intermediate article with an encapsulation layer to form an encapsulated article prior to the step of consolidating the second intermediate article; and optionally removing the encapsulation layer after the consolidating step. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of removing the diffusion coating removes the upper portion of the material substrate to the coating diffusion boundary defining an enhanced surface of the second intermediate article. ### Claim 13 A method for manufacturing a component from a first intermediate article formed by an additive manufacturing process, the method comprising: applying a coating material layer on a surface of the first intermediate article; diffusion heat treating the first intermediate article and the coating material layer to form a diffusion coating on the first intermediate article, the diffusion coating comprising a surface additive layer and a diffusion layer below the surface additive layer, the diffusion layer including an upper portion of a substrate of the first intermediate article; removing the diffusion coating including the upper portion of the substrate from the first intermediate article forming a second intermediate article; and if there is residual surface roughness or diffusion bonding failures remaining after the removing step, repeating the applying, diffusion heat treating, and removing steps at least once, the steps of applying, diffusion heat treating, and removing comprising a forming and removing cycle that is repeated at least once during manufacture of the component from the first intermediate article. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the substrate comprises a superalloy, an alloy, titanium, chromium, stainless steels, or combinations thereof and the coating material layer is metallic comprising one or more metallic elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the step of applying a coating material layer on a surface of the first intermediate article comprises applying the coating material layer on an internal passage surface, an external surface, or on both the internal passage surface and the external surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of consolidating the first intermediate article by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process concurrently with the step of diffusion heat treating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the steps of applying and diffusion heat treating provide an encapsulation layer on the first intermediate article, the encapsulation layer comprising the surface additive layer, the diffusion layer, or both the surface additive layer and the diffusion layer, the method further comprising the step of consolidating the first intermediate article by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process concurrently with the step of diffusion heat treating or the second intermediate article by the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of consolidating the second intermediate article by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of: encapsulating the second intermediate article with an encapsulation layer to form an encapsulated article prior to the step of consolidating the second intermediate article; and optionally removing the encapsulation layer after the consolidating step.