Additive Manufacturing Hardening via Localized Curing Agent Dispensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing methods for producing machine components with high mechanical stress and high hardness are inefficient, lacking design freedom and requiring complex post-processing steps like carburizing, which prolongs production time and increases the risk of edge oxidations and material inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a dispensing device to apply a material layer with a base material and a hardening agent, where the hardening agent is locally adjustable, allowing for variable hardness distribution through laser irradiation and subsequent diffusion, enabling precise control over hardness gradients and reducing production time and material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional additive manufacturing methods are used to produce hardened machine components, then production time is reduced and design freedom is increased, but the components require complex post-processing steps like carburizing which prolong production time and increase the risk of edge oxidations
Solution Approach 1:
The hardening agent is incorporated into the material layer before laser irradiation, performing the hardening preparation in advance during the additive manufacturing process itself. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent carburizing post-processing steps, thereby reducing total production time while avoiding edge oxidation risks associated with traditional post-processing methods
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the additive manufacturing process with the hardening preparation process by incorporating the hardening agent into the material layer before laser irradiation. This combination integrates two previously separate processes (manufacturing and hardening preparation) into one unified process, eliminating the need for separate post-processing steps and reducing overall production time
2Ease of manufacture
If a uniform material composition is used in additive manufacturing, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the component lacks localized hardness variation required for high mechanical stress areas
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by enabling spatially variable composition of the material layer through controlled distribution of the hardening agent. The laser irradiation parameters can be adjusted locally to melt and enclose varying amounts of hardening agent in different regions, creating localized hardness variations that match the mechanical stress requirements of specific component areas while maintaining a relatively simple overall manufacturing process
3Strength
If carburizing post-processing is applied to additively manufactured components, then the components achieve required hardness, but production time is prolonged and material efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hardening agent is incorporated into the material layer before laser irradiation, performing the hardening preparation in advance during the additive manufacturing process itself. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent carburizing post-processing steps, thereby reducing total production time while avoiding edge oxidation risks associated with traditional post-processing methods
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the hardening preparation step from the traditional post-processing sequence and integrates it into the additive manufacturing process. By taking out the carburizing step entirely and replacing it with preliminary hardening agent incorporation, the method eliminates prolonged production time and improves material efficiency while achieving the same hardness results
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the rapid production of machine components with customizable hardness, reducing production time, minimizing edge oxidations, and enhancing mechanical performance and reliability by enabling precise control over hardness distribution, thus simplifying the manufacturing process and improving material efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A laser beam acts on the metal powder layer to melt it
Implementation Method 2
The laser irradiation melts the material layer locally
Implementation Method 3
The thermal energy locally introduced by the laser enables diffusion of the enclosed hardener into the base material
Implementation Method 4
The locally melted area solidifies automatically after laser irradiation through heat release
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a method (100) for the additive production of a machine component (10). The method (100) comprises a first step (110) in which at least one material ply (12) is provided. A second step (120) follows, in which the material ply (12) is irradiated with a laser (20) until the material ply (12) melts locally. According to the invention, in the first step (110) a curing agent (42) is added in a locally adjustable manner to the base material (30) of the material ply (12) and in the second step (120) the curing agent (42) is at least enclosed in the base material (30) by irradiation with the laser (20).