Voxel Bonding for Microscale Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing methods face challenges in achieving high-resolution, high-density metal deposition with a wide range of materials, particularly in microscale applications, due to limitations in material quality, range, and multi-material capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The method involves laser-induced solid-state bonding of microscale voxels or microparticles onto a substrate, allowing for high-velocity impact and bonding without heating, enabling the creation of dense metal coatings and structures with microscale resolution and access to a broad range of materials, including metals and polymers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional additive manufacturing methods are used for metal deposition, then manufacturing capability is achieved, but material quality and density are insufficient at microscale
Solution Approach 1:
The material is segmented into discrete microparticles or voxels that are individually manipulated and deposited. This segmentation enables precise control over material placement at microscale while maintaining high material quality, as each particle can be selectively accelerated and bonded to the substrate without the compromises of conventional bulk deposition methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional thermal or chemical bonding mechanisms with kinetic bonding through high-velocity impact. Microparticles are accelerated to high speeds and bonded to the substrate through mechanical impact forces, eliminating the need for heating or chemical agents that limit microscale resolution and material quality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional additive manufacturing is used, then deposition is achieved, but material range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The kinetic bonding system serves as a universal deposition mechanism that can accommodate a wide variety of materials including metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. The high-velocity impact bonding process is material-agnostic, allowing the same system to deposit diverse materials with consistent microscale precision without requiring material-specific process adjustments.
3Reliability
If high-velocity impact bonding is used, then bonding density is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes a phase transition in the bonding process - converting laser energy into kinetic energy of the microparticles through ablation-driven acceleration. This phase transition from thermal to mechanical energy enables high-density bonding through controlled impact, where the energy is efficiently transferred to achieve dense bonding only at the particle-substrate interface rather than heating the entire system.
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 achieves high-density, high-resolution additive manufacturing with a wide range of accessible materials, overcoming limitations in material quality and multi-material deposition, suitable for applications such as micro-magnets, medical devices, and complex 3D structures.
Implementation Method 1
accelerating the first voxel into the substrate to induce bonding of the first voxel to the substrate
Implementation Method 2
neither the voxel nor the substrate is heated by the laser... wherein the laser induces solid-state bonding of the voxel to the metal substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Additive manufacturing using bonding of voxels and related systems, devices, and articles are generally described. Certain embodiments are related to additive manufacturing with microscale resolution using solid-state kinetic bonding of microparticles or microfabricated thin-film voxels.