Additive Manufacturing Thermal Control for Localized Hardness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing methods using liquid metal struggle to replicate the material properties of components produced by deformation processes, such as stamping or forging, due to differences in microstructure and mechanical properties caused by varying stress levels during production.
Innovation Solution
A method involving layerwise application of liquid metal onto a base with controlled thermal influencing to adjust local material properties, using a fixed alignment of the application device and thermal influencing device to mimic the microstructure and hardness profiles of deformed metal parts, allowing for precise control of temperature development and microstructure formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing is used to produce components, then production flexibility and suitability for prototypes/small batches is improved, but material properties such as hardness and strength become uniform and cannot replicate the localized properties of deformed metal parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing region-specific thermal influencing parameters during additive manufacturing. Different zones of the workpiece receive tailored thermal treatment (heating, cooling rates, temperature gradients) to create localized microstructure variations. This enables certain regions to develop higher hardness or strength similar to deformed metal parts, while other regions maintain different properties, thus resolving the contradiction between production flexibility and localized material properties.
2Strength
If deformation processes are used to produce metal parts, then localized material properties such as hardness and tensile strength are improved through work hardening, but production is less economical for prototypes and small batch numbers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by dynamically adjusting thermal influencing parameters (temperature, heating rate, cooling rate, hold time) during the additive manufacturing process. By varying these parameters in different regions and at different stages of layer construction, the method achieves work hardening-like effects without mechanical deformation. This allows economical production of prototypes and small batches while attaining localized high strength and hardness properties.
3Manufacturing precision
If thermal influencing is applied during additive manufacturing, then microstructure and mechanical properties can be controlled, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the additive manufacturing process with thermal influencing operations into an integrated system. The thermal influencing device is combined with the deposition system, allowing simultaneous or sequential application of material layers and thermal treatment. This integration enables precise microstructure control through coordinated thermal parameters while avoiding the need for separate post-processing steps, thus managing process complexity despite the enhanced manufacturing precision achieved.
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
Enables the production of components with mechanical properties similar to those produced by deformation processes, achieving localized hardness and strength profiles that match deformed metal parts, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional additive manufacturing in replicating material properties.
Implementation Method 1
the temperature development of the applied metal is influenced by at least one thermal influencing device aligned with the processing zone in order to locally adjust mechanical properties of the object
Implementation Method 2
liquid metal being locally applied in one of the different processing zones and solidifying there
Data Source
AI summary
A method of additive manufacturing an object by applying metal layerwise on a base with an application device successively aligned with different processing zones in relation to the base includes locally applying liquid metal in a processing zone. The liquid metal solidifies in the processing zone and precise adjustment of local material properties of the object are controlled by influencing or controlling temperature development as a function of time of the solidified metal with at least one thermal influencing device aligned with the processing zone and fixed relative to the application device. The thermal influencing device is at least one of a heating device and a cooling device.