Steel powder mixture for the additive manufacture of a component, preferably for manufacturing components for the construction of machines and for automobile manufacture
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2024704092
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-02-27
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing steel powder mixtures for additive manufacturing in mechanical and vehicle construction lack specific properties such as high elongation and yield strength, requiring subsequent heat treatment and being unsuitable for complex geometries and hybrid production.
A low-alloy steel powder mixture with a specific composition (0.05% C, 0.5% Si, 1.1% Mn, 0.01P, 0.002% S, 0.01% Al, 0.002% Ti, 0.01% V, 0.06% Nb, 0.04% N, 0.04% O, balance Fe) and particle size distribution (D10 ~ 23pm, D50 ~ 34pm, D90 ~ 50pm) that achieves high tensile strength and weldability, eliminating the need for heat treatment and enabling complex geometries.
The steel powder mixture allows for the production of components with high elongation and yield strength, easy machinability, and excellent weldability, suitable for machine and vehicle parts, reducing production time and costs, and enabling the creation of complex, lightweight lattice structures.
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Abstract
Description
[0001] Steel powder mixture for the additive manufacturing of a component, preferably for the production of components for mechanical and vehicle engineering
[0002] The invention relates to a steel powder mixture for the additive manufacturing of a component, preferably for the production of components, e.g. for mechanical and vehicle engineering, agricultural and forestry machinery and steel construction.
[0003] It is well known that additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, produces components using selective laser melting (SLM) in a powder bed process. The component structure is created by melting and curing a steel powder mixture layer by layer.
[0004] EP 3 591 078 A1 discloses the use of a steel powder for an additive manufacturing process with an average grain size of 5-150 pm of the provided steel, which consists of (in wt. %) 0.008-0.35% C, up to 0.80% Si, 0.20-2.00% Mn, up to 4.00% Cr, 0.3-3.0% Mo, 0.004 - 0.020% N, up to 0.40% S, 0.004 - 0.050% Al, up to 0.0025% B, up to 0.20% Nb, up to 0.02% Ti, up to 0.40% V, up to 1.5% Ni, up to 0.3% Cu, up to 2.0% Co and the remainder of iron and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Al content %AI, Nb content %Nb, Ti content %Ti, V content %V and N content %N of the steel meet the following condition: %AI / 27 + %Nb / 45 + %Ti / 48 + %V / 25 > %N / 3.5.
[0005] From WO 2020221812 A1, a steel material in powder form is known which is used for printing in additive manufacturing processes, such as selective laser melting, wherein the material has the following composition: C 0.17-0.23; Si 0.10-0.80; Mn 0.15-0.45, P < 0.03; S < 0.015; Cr 0.8-2.0; Mo 0.15-0.8; Ni 0.1-2.0; V 0.1-2.0, balance iron.
[0006] These well-known steel materials are predominantly stainless or tool steels that are used in toolmaking.
[0007] The object of the invention is to provide a steel powder mixture for the additive manufacturing of a component which particularly meets the requirements of mechanical and vehicle engineering.
[0008] The invention is based on the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and refinements are the subject of the dependent claims. Further features, possible applications, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the explanation of exemplary embodiments of the invention.
[0009] The problem is solved by the subject matter of patent claim 1.
[0010] The steel powder mixture explained at the beginning consists of a low-alloy steel with a high elongation and yield strength of at least 800 N / mm 2 , a breaking strength of up to 18%, a tensile strength of up to 900 N / mm 2and a hardness of ~30 HRC. These properties make the powder particularly suitable for the production of machine and vehicle parts, agricultural and forestry equipment parts, and steel construction, as no subsequent heat treatment is required. Machine and vehicle parts, agricultural and forestry equipment parts can be produced in any quantity, eliminating expensive warehousing. Scrapping costs are also reduced (resource conservation).
[0011] Advantageously, the low-alloy steel consists of (in wt.%) 0.05% C, 0.5% Si, 1.1% Mn, 0.01 P, 0.002% S, 0.01% AI, 0.002% Ti, 0.01% V, 0.06% Nb, 0.04% N and 0.04% O, balance Fe.
[0012] In one embodiment, the powder has particles with a grain size of 23 pm to 50 pm. The particle size distribution is D10 ~ 23 pm, D50 ~ 34.0 pm, and D90 ~ 50 pm.
[0013] The components manufactured from the described steel powder mixture using additive manufacturing are easy to machine, form, and are characterized by excellent weldability. They are therefore particularly suitable for hybrid manufacturing.
[0014] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for the additive manufacturing of components, in which selective laser melting is used as 3D printing in the powder bed process, in which the component structure is produced by layer-by-layer melting and hardening of a steel powder mixture, in which a steel powder mixture according to at least one of the features described in this patent application is used. Such a method enables short production times, whereby products manufactured with this method are ready for further use within a very short time without complex toolmaking. Advantageously, the components can be manufactured upon customer request. This also makes it possible to bridge downtimes caused by supply gaps in conventional production.
[0015] Bionically adapted products can be created according to individual requirements. The additively manufactured lattice structures reduce component weight. Due to the high complexity of the structures, selective laser melting is ideal for the production of additively manufactured lattice structures, particularly due to the targeted geometric influence. Due to the layered build-up, the components to be manufactured can take on any shape. The process-related design freedom allows for the production of parts that cannot be manufactured conventionally. Furthermore, it is possible to design new products with performance characteristics that traditional production methods can never achieve.
[0016] Further advantages, features, and details will become apparent from the following description, which describes at least one exemplary embodiment in detail. Described and / or illustrated features may form the subject matter of the invention alone or in any meaningful combination, possibly independently of the claims, and may, in particular, also be the subject matter of one or more separate applications.
[0017] Table 1 further illustrates an example of the steel powder mixture according to the invention, which is used in mechanical and vehicle engineering, agricultural and forestry vehicles, steel construction, etc. for the additive manufacturing of components using 3D printing. Production takes place using a powder bed process in which the steel powder mixture is melted layer by layer by a laser beam and then cured.
[0018]
[0019] Table 1
[0020] A particle size distribution occurs in which 10% (D10) of the particles are smaller than 23 pm, 50% (D50) of the particles are smaller than 34 pm and 90% (D90) of the particles are smaller than 50 pm.
[0021] The metal components manufactured with this steel powder mixture exhibit outstanding yield strengths for the production of machinery and vehicle parts. They also achieve elongation at break of up to 18% and tensile strength of up to 900 N / mm². 2 No subsequent heat treatment is necessary. The metal alloy has a hardness (HRC) of approximately 30.
Claims
Patent claims 1. Steel powder mixture for the additive manufacturing of a component, preferably for the production of components for mechanical and vehicle engineering, consisting of a low-alloy steel with a high elongation and yield strength of at least 800 N / mm 2 , a breaking strength of up to 18%, a tensile strength of up to 900 N / mm 2 and a hardness of ~ 30 HRC.
2. Steel powder mixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the low-alloy steel consists of (in wt. %) 0.05% C, 0.5% Si, 1.1% Mn, 0.01 P, 0.002% S, 0.01% AI, 0.002% Ti, 0.01% V, 0.06% Nb, 0.04% N and 0.04% O, remainder Fe.
3. Steel powder mixture according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by Particles with a grain size of 23 pm to 50 pm.
4. Steel powder mixture according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the powder has a particle size distribution D10 ~ 23pm, D50 ~ 34.0 pm and D90 ~ 50 pm.
5. A method for the generative production of components, in which selective laser melting is used as 3D printing in the powder bed process, in which the component structure is produced by layer-by-layer melting and hardening of a steel powder mixture, characterized in that a steel powder mixture according to the preceding claims is used.