Metal-Ceramic Matrix for Additive Manufacturing Hardness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metal material compositions for additive manufacturing methods like SLM, SLS, and FDM do not necessarily improve the hardness and abrasiveness of workpieces, despite increasing melting temperature, due to inadequate microstructure uniformity and material properties.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating ceramic powder, such as XW0625, into steel powder compositions up to 15% or 30% by mass, ensuring ceramic particles are not melted and are evenly embedded in the steel matrix, creating a metal-ceramic matrix with enhanced hardness and toughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If ceramic powder is added to steel powder composition, then hardness and abrasiveness are improved, but microstructure uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the ceramic powder content within 1-15 mass% of the total powder composition, and controlling particle size distribution where ceramic particles are 1-45 μm and steel particles are 5-53 μm. This optimized parameter range ensures uniform microstructure while achieving enhanced hardness and abrasiveness in the additively manufactured workpiece.
2Strength
If ceramic powder is added to steel powder composition, then abrasiveness is improved, but material homogeneity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the ceramic powder content within 1-15 mass% of the total powder composition, and controlling particle size distribution where ceramic particles are 1-45 μm and steel particles are 5-53 μm. This optimized parameter range ensures uniform microstructure while achieving enhanced hardness and abrasiveness in the additively manufactured workpiece.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system by combining steel powder with ceramic powder (such as Al2O3, SiC, or TiC) in specific proportions. This metal-ceramic composite powder composition leverages the complementary properties of both materials to achieve enhanced abrasiveness and hardness while maintaining processability through additive manufacturing.
3Strength
If ceramic particles are embedded in steel matrix, then a new metal-ceramic matrix is created, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the ceramic powder content within 1-15 mass% of the total powder composition, and controlling particle size distribution where ceramic particles are 1-45 μm and steel particles are 5-53 μm. This optimized parameter range ensures uniform microstructure while achieving enhanced hardness and abrasiveness in the additively manufactured workpiece.
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
The resulting metal-ceramic matrix exhibits improved hardness and abrasiveness while maintaining the toughness of steel, achieving superior material properties comparable to hard metal composites without altering the fundamental properties of the starting materials.
Implementation Method 1
the ceramic particles are not melted by the laser, only the metal particles are melted, and therefore the unmelted ceramic particles are evenly embedded in the molten metal microstructure
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing precise components, preferably machining tools or cold forming tools, cold extrusion punches and dies, by laser melting or laser sintering or laser deposit welding or FDM or binder jetting of a powder material, which consists of a mixture of at least two powder elements, the powder mixture being formed by the primary component iron powder and additional powder alloying elements, which are present in elemental, pre-alloyed or partially pre-alloyed form, the powder elements each being added separately or in arbitrary combination in the following quantities according to the standard DIN EN 10027-2 no. 1.33XX or DIN EN 10027-2 no. 1.27XX, in particular according to the standard DIN EN 10027-2 no. 1.3343 with the short name HS6-5-2C or DIN EN 10027-2 no. 1.2709, a powder alloy being created from said powder elements over the course of the laser sintering process, wherein the following powder elements, present in elemental, alloyed or pre-alloyed form, are each additionally added to the alloy separately or in arbitrary combination: tungsten in the range of between 35, 10 and 0.7 mass%, preferably 10 mass%, titanium in the range of between 0.2, 3.2 to 10.7 mass%, preferably 3.2 mass%, carbon in the range of between 0.08, 1.23 up to 4.1 mass%, preferably 1.23 mass%, O in the range of between 0.00 up to 0.02 mass%, N in the range of between 0.00 up to 0.02 mass%, undefined residual substances at less than 0.1 mass%.