Laminated Light Alloy Foil Bonding Without Adhesives or Inert Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional laminated object manufacturing (LOM) methods for metal parts face challenges with weak adhesive bonds, surface oxidation, and complex process controls, leading to inferior mechanical properties and the need for inert atmospheres.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the deposition and bonding of foil sheets using heat and pressure, without adhesives, through techniques like diffusion bonding and brazing, to create strong metallic bonds suitable for metal parts, with selective inhibition strategies to form complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is used to bond metal layers, then the bonding process is simpler and can be performed under normal conditions, but the bond strength is insufficient for high force or load applications
Solution Approach 1:
A metallization layer is introduced as an intermediary between the adhesive and the metal substrate. This metallization layer serves as a transition zone that provides both chemical bonding capability (for adhesive attachment) and mechanical bonding capability (for strong metal-to-metal adhesion), thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and bond strength
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding system becomes a composite structure consisting of multiple materials: the base metal layer, the metallization layer (with different compositional or structural properties), and the adhesive layer. This composite approach allows each layer to contribute its optimal properties, achieving both strong bonding and manufacturing feasibility
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional adhesive bonding is used, then manufacturing equipment and process controls are required to precisely deposit adhesive, but the mechanical properties of the final part are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The metallization layer acts as an intermediary that preserves the mechanical properties of the base metal while enabling adhesive bonding. It transfers and distributes stresses effectively, preventing stress concentration at the adhesive interface that would otherwise compromise the overall mechanical reliability of the part
3Object-affected harmful factors
If metal layers are bonded under inert atmosphere, then surface oxidation is prevented, but the process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The metallization layer is applied to the metal substrate in advance, before the bonding process. This preliminary metallization creates a protective barrier that prevents surface oxidation during subsequent processing steps, eliminating the need for complex inert atmosphere equipment while still achieving oxidation prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The metallization layer serves as an intermediary protective barrier between the metal substrate and the oxidizing environment. This intermediate layer provides oxidation resistance without requiring the entire bonding process to occur in an inert atmosphere, thereby reducing process complexity
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 enables the fabrication of metal objects with mechanical properties comparable to machined objects, reducing processing time and cost, and allows for the creation of complex geometries without the need for inert atmospheres.
Implementation Method 1
the first foil sheet is bonded to the second foil sheet using transient liquid phase diffusion bonding
Implementation Method 2
the first foil sheet is bonded to the second foil sheet using brazing
Implementation Method 3
the at least one support section is configured to conduct the at least one of heat or pressure through the layer stack to the object section
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the additive manufacturing of an object and a system for manufacturing an object. The method includes depositing a second foil sheet onto the first foil sheet, wherein the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet each comprise a structural layer, forming a layer stack comprising the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet, the layer stack comprising an object section and at least one support section configured to enclose the object section in the layer stack, and applying at least one of heat or pressure to opposite sides of the layer stack with a first plate and a second plate, wherein applying the at least one of heat or pressure increases the temperature of the layer stack to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the structural layer, and the at least one of heat or pressure bonds the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet in the layer stack, the first plate and the second plate are in contact with the at least one support section, and the at least one support section is configured to conduct the at least one of heat or pressure through the layer stack to the object section.