Metal Shaped Article Production Method Using Support Material Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing metal shaped articles face challenges in cutting metal materials, as they are hard and prone to deformation during processing, especially when cutting before degreasing and sintering.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a constituent material layer with metal particles and a support material layer containing ceramic particles, where the support material layer is strategically positioned to support the cut face and stacking direction face, allowing for precise cutting and reduced deformation, followed by degreasing and sintering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If cutting is performed on the metal shaped article before degreasing and sintering, then the load involved in cutting is reduced, but the metal shaped article may be deformed during cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The support material layer is formed in advance during the layer formation step, before cutting is performed. This preliminary structural preparation provides the necessary support to prevent deformation during subsequent cutting operations, while still allowing cutting to be done at the binder resin stage when the material is more manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The support material layer acts as an intermediary structure between the constituent material layer and the cutting tool. It provides mechanical support during cutting, distributing the cutting loads and preventing deformation of the metal shaped article, while being removable after the cutting process.
2Manufacturing precision
If cutting is performed on the metal shaped article after degreasing and sintering, then shape adjustment is achieved, but the hardness of metal makes cutting difficult and increases processing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
Cutting is performed preliminarily at the binder resin stage before degreasing and sintering, when the material is still soft and easily processable. The support material layer is also formed preliminarily to enable this early cutting to produce the desired shape without deformation, avoiding the need for difficult post-sintering cutting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting operation is performed at a different material state (binder resin phase with thermoplastic properties) rather than after sintering when the metal is hard. This parameter change in material state makes cutting feasible while the support material layer ensures shape accuracy is maintained.
3Manufacturing precision
If the support material layer is formed to support the face to be supported, then deformation during cutting is suppressed, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The support material layer serves multiple functions: it provides structural support during cutting to prevent deformation, maintains the shape of the metal shaped article during the layer formation process, and can be selectively removed after cutting. This multi-functionality justifies the additional structural element.
Solution Approach 2:
The support material layer is a temporary structure that is discarded after serving its purpose of preventing deformation during cutting. It is removed in the finalization step after the cutting is complete, so its complexity is only present temporarily during manufacturing.
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 effectively suppresses deformation during cutting and enables accurate formation of both the cut face and stacking direction face, improving the surface quality and precision of the metal shaped articles.
Implementation Method 1
a heated treatment unit that performs a heated treatment on the stacked body in a heating atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
a degreasing unit that performs a degreasing treatment on the stacked body by heating the stacked body in a degreasing atmosphere at a temperature equal to or higher than a decomposition temperature of the thermoplastic resin
Implementation Method 3
a sintering unit that performs a sintering treatment on the stacked body from which the thermoplastic resin has been removed
Data Source
AI summary
A metal shaped article production method includes a shaping data input step, a step of forming a constituent material layer using a constituent material, a step of forming a support material layer using a support material, a step of cutting a cut face in the constituent material layer of a stacked body formed by performing the constituent material layer forming step and the support material layer forming step, a step of degreasing a thermoplastic resin contained in the stacked body for which the cut face cutting step was performed, and a step of sintering metal particles by heating the stacked body, wherein in the support material layer forming step, the support material layer is formed so that a support face comes into contact with a face to be supported at an opposite side to the cut face at a position of the constituent material layer based on the shaping data.