LAMINATED OBJECT MANUFACTURING

HYDRONETICS PROPOSES RESEARCH ON ITS RECENTLY DEVELOPED AND PATENTED LAMINATED OBJECT MANUFACTURING SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM USES A COMPUTER GENERATED DATABASE CONSISTING OF THINLY SLICED CROSS-SECTIONS OF A THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT TO RECREATE THE OBJECT, USING METAL OR PLASTIC POWDER AS A RAW MATERIAL. THE OBJECT IS CREATED BY SUCCESSIVE DEPOSITION OFTHIN LAYERS OF POWDER AND THEIR SELECTIVE MELTING OR SINTERING WITH A SCANNING LASER BEAM. THE PROPOSED RESEARCHAIMS AT OPTIMIZING SCANNING PARAMETERS OF THE PROCESS. IT WILL ALSO SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE PROCESS. METHODS FOR REDUCING SHRINKAGE, WARPAGE, EXCESSIVEHEAT, AND SURFACE GRANULARITY IN THE OBJECT PRODUCED BY THE SYSTEM WILL BE EVALUATED. THE COMPANY IS GOING TO INVESTIGATE A SIMILAR PROCESS BASED ON ITS SHEET LOM TECHNOLOGY. THIS LASER PROCESS USES CROSS-SECTIONS CUT OUT OF SHEETS OF PLASTIC, METAL, CERAMIC, COMPOSITES, PAPER, ETC. IN PRODUCTION OF THREE DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS.