Metal Laminating Device Surface Melting for Complex Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for forming metal shaped articles with complex structures require large molds and significant thermal energy, making them costly and inefficient, especially when using high-melting-point metals.
Innovation Solution
A metal laminating/shaping device that heats a metal piece to raise its interior temperature below the melting point and its surface to the melting point, allowing only the surface to be melted for welding, without the need for a furnace or large mold, and optionally uses auxiliary materials for more complex structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional casting method is used to form metal shaped articles with complicated structures, then the articles can be manufactured, but large molds are required and thermal energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The metal article is manufactured layer by layer through sequential injection of metal pieces, rather than forming the entire complex structure in a single casting process. Each layer is built upon the previous one, enabling complicated structures to be constructed incrementally without requiring large molds
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the thermal processing parameter from complete melting to surface-only melting. By heating only the surface of metal pieces to the melting point while keeping the interior solid, the thermal energy required is dramatically reduced compared to conventional casting that requires complete melting of large metal volumes
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional casting method is used to form metal shaped articles with complicated structures, then the articles can be manufactured, but large molds are required
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into sequential layer deposition steps, where each layer is formed by injecting metal pieces in a controlled manner. This eliminates the need for a single large mold, as each layer can be formed in a compact injection zone
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from volumetric forming (casting) to layered deposition (laminating). By building the article in layers along the Z-axis rather than forming the entire volume simultaneously, the horizontal footprint and mold size are dramatically reduced
3Reliability
If complete melting of metal is required for casting, then metal shaped articles can be formed, but a large amount of thermal energy is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly heating the entire metal piece to complete melting, the invention applies heat locally only to the surface layer that contacts the previous layer. This localized surface melting provides sufficient welding quality at the interface while minimizing overall thermal energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses partial melting (only the surface layer) rather than complete melting of the entire metal piece. This partial action is sufficient to achieve the welding function at the interface between layers, while avoiding the excessive energy consumption of melting the entire volume
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 cost-effective formation of metal shaped articles with complex structures by reducing thermal energy consumption and eliminating the need for large molds, while allowing for adjustable metal composition through thermal treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a base material heating unit that heats a base material that is a metal piece having a fixed shape in such a way that a temperature of an interior of the base material is raised to a temperature below a melting point and a temperature of a surface of the base material is raised to the melting point
Implementation Method 2
The injected base materials, in each of which only the surface is melted and the interior of the base material remains solid
Data Source
AI summary
A metal laminating/shaping device includes a base, a head unit including a base material injection device, and drive devices that change a positional relationship between the base and the head unit in a spatial coordinate system. The base material injection device includes a base material heating unit that heats a base material that is a metal piece having a fixed shape such that a temperature of an interior of the base material is raised to a temperature below a melting point and a temperature of a surface of the base material is raised to the melting point, and a base material injection unit that injects the heated base material toward the base. The metal laminating/shaping device can form a metal shaped article having a complicated structure at a low cost.