AUTOMATED FABRICATION OF NET SHAPE MICROSTALLINE AND COMPOSITE METAL STRUCTURES WITHOUT MOLDS

THIS PROJECT INVOLVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE GENERATION OF COMPLEX THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES DIRECTLY FROM A CAD/CAM DATABASE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR PRELIMINARY PROCESSES (MOLDS) OR SUBSEQUENT MACHINING (THE PARTS ARE FABRICATED TO NET SHAPE). THE INNOVATION IS TO USE INDEPENDENTLY TARGETED PARTICLES OF METAL OR COMPOSITE METAL TO BUILD STRUCTURES UNDER COMPUTER CONTROL IN MUCH THESAME MANNER THAT A PRINTER PRODUCES TWO-DIMENSIONAL IMAGES. A STRUCTURE WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED BY "WRITING" MULTIPLE CROSS SECTIONS TO A TARGET OR SEED PARTICLE WITH COLD WELDING OR RAPID SOLIDIFICATION PROVIDING COHESION BETWEEN PARTICLES. THIS INNOVATION HOLDS THE PROMISE OF AUTOMATICALLY PRODUCING PARTS IN ONE STEP WHICH REQUIRE SEVERAL UNIT OPERATIONS USING PRESENT POWDER METALLURGICAL TECHNIQUES. MATERIAL PROPERTIES ASSOCIATED WITH RAPID SOLIDIFICATION PLASMA DEPOSITION (RSPD) COULD BE IMPARTED WITH MUCH GREATER ACCURACY AND BETTER CONTROL OF PROCESS PARAMETERS. BALLISTIC POWDER METALLURGY (BPM) IS THE NEW TERM GIVEN TO DESCRIBE THIS INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY.