Patent ID: 8470234
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: B22F,B29C,B33Y,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a metallic article from high temperature solid freeform fabrication, comprising: building a support for the metallic article during manufacture of the metallic article such that at least a portion of the metallic article is held in tension by the support, the support having an outer frame connected to the metallic article by struts, a stiffness of the support being selected to inhibit permanent thermal deformation of the metallic article from stresses induced in the high temperature solid freeform fabrication of the metallic article, wherein the metallic article undergoes a post-manufacture heat treatment, and the arrangement of the support is altered from a manufactured configuration of the support following manufacture of the metallic article by solid freeform fabrication to a post-manufacture heat treatment configuration of the support before undergoing the post-manufacture heat treatment, the arrangement of the support being altered by breaking at least a portion of one of the struts and retaining one or more of the struts to react stresses created during the post-manufacture heat treatment, wherein the post-manufacture heat treatment stresses are different than the stresses induced in the high temperature solid freeform fabrication of the metallic article.