Patent ID: 11926091
Assignee: SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A process for producing a sintered powder manufactured item, comprising the steps:
STEP 1-performing 3D printing of a polymer shell model, of a manufactured item, the polymer shell model prepared using an organic material selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polylactic acid (PLA), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), PC/ABS, polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS);
STEP 2-placing the polymer shell model in a die chamber having a tool punch;
STEP 3-loading powder sintering material into the die chamber on the polymer shell model to create a powder-encased polymer shell model, the powder sintering material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel powder, titanium alloy powder, chromium alloy powder, nickel alloy powder, aluminum alloy powder, mixed metal powder, and ceramic powder, the powder sintering material having a particle size of 20-200 microns;
STEP 4-vacuum or oxygen/hydrogen free atmosphere heating of the powder-encased polymer shell model to decompose the polymer shell model creating a graphite interface layer, said heating at 600-1000° C. for metal powder sintering material and 1000-2200° C. for ceramic powder sintering material;
STEP 5-sintering of the powder-encased polymer shell model; and
STEP 6-releasing a sinter-powder cast manufactured item from the die chamber using the tool punch.