3D Printed Voxel Property Tailoring via Local Laser Parameters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing processes for forming three-dimensional articles face challenges in locally tailoring properties such as mechanical properties, transition temperatures, and microstructures within the same article, as existing methods lack precision in controlling energy beam parameters to achieve distinct properties in different voxels or portions.
Innovation Solution
The process involves controlling energy beam parameters like power, exposure time, point distance, hatch spacing, and energy density during the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional articles to create localized thermal profiles, allowing for the manipulation of properties in selected voxels or portions, and applying secondary heat treatments to further adjust these properties below the melting point of the material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If uniform energy beam parameters are used throughout the additive manufacturing process, then the manufacturing process is simple and efficient, but the article cannot have locally tailored properties in different voxels or portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling different regions (voxels or portions) of the three-dimensional article to have different properties through localized thermal exposure. The energy beam parameters (power, exposure time, velocity, hatch spacing) are selectively adjusted for specific regions to create desired local properties such as different microstructures, mechanical properties, or transition temperatures in different portions of the article.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by dynamically modifying energy beam parameters during the additive manufacturing process. The system varies power, exposure time, beam velocity, and hatch spacing to control the thermal profile applied to different regions, thereby achieving localized property tailoring without changing the alloy composition.
2Manufacturing precision
If high energy beam parameters are used to achieve desired properties in selected voxels, then property control is improved, but the risk of melting or damaging surrounding material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the energy beam exposure into discrete voxel-level or portion-level treatments. This allows precise control of thermal energy delivery to specific regions, enabling property tailoring in selected voxels while minimizing thermal diffusion to surrounding material that could cause unwanted melting or damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic action through pulsed or intermittent energy beam exposure rather than continuous heating. By controlling exposure time and using periodic thermal cycles, the system achieves desired property changes in target regions while allowing heat dissipation between pulses, preventing excessive thermal accumulation and damage to surrounding material.
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 creation of three-dimensional articles with voxels or portions exhibiting different properties, such as varying transition temperatures, tensile strengths, and microstructures, enhancing the control over mechanical properties and functional characteristics without altering the alloy composition.
Implementation Method 1
thermally exposing a selected voxel and/or portion of the three-dimensional article with an energy beam at a temperature less than a melting point of the three-dimensional article to effect a localized change in at least one property
Implementation Method 2
a typical feedstock is a powdered metal composition of one or more metals that is sintered or fully melted by the energy input of a laser or electron beam, and as a result, is transformed layer by layer into a solid three-dimensional part
Data Source
AI summary
Additive manufacturing processes, systems and three-dimensional articles include the formation of voxels and/or portions of three-dimensional articles with different properties relative to other voxels and/or portions. The processes generally include changing one or more laser beam parameters including power level, exposure time, hatch spacing, point distance, velocity, and energy density during the formation of selected voxels and/or portions of the three-dimensional articles. Also disclosed are processes that include an additive manufacturing process that provides localized secondary heat treatment of certain voxels and/or regions at a temperature below the melting point of the three-dimensional article but high enough to effect a localized property change.