Patent ID: 6508980
Filing Date: 2003-01-21
Classification: B22F,B33Y,Y02P

Abstract:
A method for forming a body from powder using a three-dimensional printing process, comprising the steps of:a. providing a layer of powder of a first material, granules of said powder layer contacting one another; b. printing on said layer of powder, at one or more selected regions, a liquid vehicle that contains a metal salt that will cause said powder granules to be bound together at said selected regions; c. repeating said steps a and b of providing a layer of powder and printing a liquid on said layer additional times until a desired amount of printed powder has been provided, said selected regions defining a body; and d. maintaining said printed liquid and powder under conditions such that a metal, which is different from said first material, and which originates from said salt solution, forms at interfaces between said powder granules, and binds adjacent granules to each other within each layer and between layers, said maintaining step comprising further processing said body at a temperature above which metal from said salt, reduces onto said powder granules at said interfaces.