Formation of internal cavities in powder components using removable inserts, produced by selective laser layer sintering

• Published in: Powder metallurgy and metal ceramics Vol. 37; no. 3-4; pp. 221 - 225
• Main Authors: Tolochko, N K, Mozzharov, S E, Sobolenko, N V, Yadroitsev, I A, Vysotskii, V K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer Nature B.V 01.03.1998
• ISSN: 1068-1302; 1573-9066
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02675987

While powder metallurgy is a simple and economical process for discs and short rods, many shapes require costly presses and molds for shaping internal cavities and inserts. Laser selective layer sintering (LSLS) is a promising process for efficient and economical preparation of inserts. In one version of this process a mixture of quartz sand (75%) and epoxy powder (25%) was deposited on a substrate and the powder was bonded and partially melted by laser irradiation with the sand grains sintering together to form 200 mu layers with multiple passes building up the desired insert size. The layer strength was increased by supplementing the laser heating with electric furnace heating. In the other version, the LSLS process was employed to produce polymer-sand patterns for fabricating inserts. This process has some common elements with CNC prototype plastic tooling schemes in which the desired shape is built up layer-by-layer instead of being sculpted out of a solid block following a computer-dictated tooling path. This LSLS process is described and discussed in detail in this paper. Materials discussed include copper and inserts made of low melting alloys.