Wire Removal for Sintered Powder in Electron Beam Melting Passages
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Solution Overview
Problem
The removal of dense, sintered powder from complex structures with internal features like passages or blind holes in additive manufacturing, particularly electron beam melting, is challenging and costly due to the sintering of non-melted particles, which complicates the process and increases production costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving forming a wire within internal passages of the part during the electron beam melting process, which is then exposed to an electron beam to harden and subsequently used to break up and remove the sintered powder using ultrasonic signals, allowing for efficient extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electron beam melting is used to form complex structures with internal features, then manufacturing capability is improved, but powder removal difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
A wire is formed during the electron beam melting process itself, before the part is completed. This wire is strategically positioned within internal passages to facilitate future powder removal. By preparing the removal mechanism during manufacturing, the patent eliminates the need for difficult post-processing of sintered powder from complex internal features.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire acts as an intermediary tool that is formed within the part during manufacturing, then used to break up and remove sintered powder from internal passages. This intermediary element enables powder removal without requiring direct access to deep or complex internal features, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing capability and powder removal ease.
2Strength
If sintering process is applied to non-melted particles, then mechanical strength is improved, but powder removal difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wire is formed during the electron beam melting and sintering process, maintaining the same mechanical properties as the surrounding sintered material. This preliminary formation ensures the wire can effectively break up and remove sintered powder while being compatible with the sintering process that provides mechanical strength to the part.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in material state and properties during the electron beam process. The wire is formed by controlled melting and sintering, creating a structure that can fracture and break up surrounding sintered powder when subjected to mechanical action, while the sintered material itself maintains its strength for structural integrity.
3Productivity
If wire is formed during electron beam melting to enable powder removal, then powder removal efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the wire formation process with the electron beam melting and sintering process. The same electron beam equipment used to manufacture the part is also used to form the wire within internal passages. This merging of processes eliminates the need for separate wire formation equipment, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high powder removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The electron beam equipment serves multiple functions: it melts and sinters the metal powder to form the part, and it also forms the wire within internal passages for future powder removal. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating dedicated equipment for wire formation, while still achieving efficient powder removal.
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 method significantly reduces the time and cost associated with powder removal from complex parts by integrating the removal process into the manufacturing step, enabling efficient clearance of internal surfaces and passages.
Implementation Method 1
an electron beam is used to melting metal powder layer by layer in a vacuum to form a product
Implementation Method 2
The sintering process binds the non-melted particles together providing additional mechanical strength during the build process
Implementation Method 3
applying a signal to the wire to break up sintered material in the passage
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A method for forming a part (100). The method includes: forming a first portion (102) of the part at a first level; forming a second portion (104) of the part at a second level; wherein forming the first and second portions includes exposing the first and second levels to a sintering process and portions of the first and second levels to an electron beam; forming a wire (110) in a passage (106) formed inside the first and second portions (102, 104) by exposing a portion of the passage (106) to the electron beam; applying a signal to the wire (110) to break up sintered material in the passage (106); and removing the wire (110).