Patent ID: 9545669
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: A61C,B22F,B28B,B29C,B33Y,C22C,H05K,Y02P

Claim:
1. A method for additive layer manufacturing of objects comprised of a plurality of materials with free-form capability for each material, the method including the steps of: providing a flat substrate as a platform, forming a support for building a powder object; hydrophobizing selected parts of the flat substrate by applying a hydrophobic solution, forming at least one hydrophobic area; spreading a water-based powder suspension comprised of particles with a size less than 5 micrometers (μm) in a powder layer with a thickness less than 50 μm; applying a binder to parts of the powder layer that are retained in the powder object; applying at least one of a powder suspension or a powder paste as a secondary material to gaps in the powder layer, wherein the gaps are created by a hydrophobic repulsion of the water-based powder suspension; repeatedly adding other powder layers, other hydrophobic areas, the binder, and at least one of the secondary materials to build the powder object of a desired shape and size; clearing loose powder from the powder object; and performing thermal treatment to remove the binder from the powder object and to sinter the powder object to a solid body.