The laser forming of metallic components using particulate materials

• Published in: JOM (1989) Vol. 49; no. 5; pp. 51 - 54
• Main Authors: Keicher, D. M., Smugeresky, John E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer Nature B.V 01.05.1997
• Subjects: Algorithms; Lasers; Manufacturers; Manufacturing; Mechanical properties; Methods; Rapid prototyping; Raw materials; Solids; Technology
• ISSN: 1047-4838; 1543-1851
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02914686

Direct fabrication technology, which utilizes computer-aided design solid models to automatically control the manufacture of functional piece parts, is rapidly gaining popularity as a means to significantly reduce the time to market of new concepts.Since the introduction of stereolithography in 1982, several different rapid prototypeing technologies have evolved using surrogate rather than actual materials of construction. Most recently, researchers have begun to develop laser-based methods to obtain fully dense metallic components directly from a computer-aided design solid model. Each of these methods is unique, but possesses aspects that are similar to the others. Many of these methods hold a great deal of promise for applications; however, none have been developed into a commercial product. Laser-Aided Direct Metal Deposition (LADMD), a direct fabrication (DF) method based on the use of metal powder or fine wire feedstock, and two specific DF designs - LENS (for laser engineered net shaping and DLF for directed light fabrication - are discussed. Tensile properties fore LENS manufactured 316 stainless steel and Inconel 625 specimens are given.