Energy-beam-driven rapid fabrication system

Patent · 01 January 2002

OSTI ID:874861

Keicher, David M ^[1]; Atwood, Clinton L ^[1]; Greene, Donald L ^[2]; Griffith, Michelle L ^[1]; Harwell, Lane D ^[1]; Jeantette, Francisco P ^[1]; Romero, Joseph A ^[1]; Schanwald, Lee P ^[1]; Schmale, David T ^[1]

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1. Albuquerque, NM
2. Corrales, NM

An energy beam driven rapid fabrication system, in which an energy beam strikes a growth surface to form a molten puddle thereon. Feed powder is then injected into the molten puddle from a converging flow of feed powder. A portion of the feed powder becomes incorporated into the molten puddle, forcing some of the puddle contents to freeze on the growth surface, thereby adding an additional layer of material. By scanning the energy beam and the converging flow of feed powder across the growth surface, complex three-dimensional shapes can be formed, ready or nearly ready for use. Nearly any class of material can be fabricated using this system.

• Research Organization: SANDIA CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 6476343
• OSTI ID: 874861
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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additional
beam
complex
contents
converging
driven
energy
energy beam
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fabricated
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feed
flow
forcing
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freeze
growth
growth surface
incorporated
injected
layer
material
molten
nearly
portion
powder
puddle
rapid
scanning
shapes
strikes
surface
three-dimensional