초록 ▼

Processes for providing enhanced thermal properties of tooling, particularly metal and metal/ceramic molds, made by solid free form fabrication techniques, such as the three dimensional printing process, and the tooling made by these processes are disclosed. The methods of enhancing thermal properti

Processes for providing enhanced thermal properties of tooling, particularly metal and metal/ceramic molds, made by solid free form fabrication techniques, such as the three dimensional printing process, and the tooling made by these processes are disclosed. The methods of enhancing thermal properties include incorporating integral contour coolant channels into the mold, adding surface textures to the coolant channels, creating high thermal conductivity paths between the surfaces and the coolant channels, and creating low thermal inertia regions in the mold.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A process for fabricating a part having an internal void, comprising the steps of:depositing a powder onto a surface in layers;selectively binding regions of each layer of the powder and leaving other regions of each layer of the powder unbound to provide an intermediate part havin

[ We claim:] [1.] A process for fabricating a part having an internal void, comprising the steps of:depositing a powder onto a surface in layers;selectively binding regions of each layer of the powder and leaving other regions of each layer of the powder unbound to provide an intermediate part having an internal void;substantially simultaneously with said selectively binding step, selectively depositing an infiltration stop material adjacent the region defining a wall of the internal void;providing an outlet from said unbound regions that will form said void;removing any unbound powder to form said void; andprocessing the intermediate part to attain full density by infiltrating the intermediate part with an infiltrant, whereby said infiltration stop material prevents infiltration of the infiltrant into the internal void, to provide a finished part having an internal void. [22.] A process for fabricating tooling having enhanced thermal properties, comprising the steps of:depositing a powder onto a surface in layers;selectively binding regions of each layer of the powder and leaving the powder unbound in other regions to provide an intermediate part with a heat transfer channel having an inlet and an outlet and a configuration that conforms to a surface portion of a finished tool element;removing said unbound powder to form said heat transfer channel; andprocessing the intermediate part to provide the finished tool element having regions of different thermal properties, by infiltrating the intermediate part with an infiltrant while providing a pressure differential of a value preselected to prevent infiltration of the infiltrant into the heat transfer channel, the pressure differential being provided by disposing the intermediate part on a stilt assembly formed of a material through which the infiltrant rises by capillarity, a lower portion of the stilt assembly being placed in a pool of the infiltrant, the stilt assembly having a height preselected to cause the infiltrant to infiltrate the intermediate part and to maintain the heat transfer channel free of infiltrant. [27.] A process for fabricating a part having an internal void, said process, comprising the steps of:depositing a powder onto a surface in layers;selectively binding regions of each layer of the powder and leaving other regions of each layer of the powder unbound to provide an intermediate part having an internal void;providing at least one opening to said unbound regions that will form said void; andremoving unbound powder to form the void by immersing the intermediate part in a vessel of water and CO.sub.2 dissolved in the water and reducing the pressure inside the vessel to cause the CO.sub.2 to come out of solution as bubbles, thereby pushing the powder out of at least one opening to provide the intermediate part having an internal void; andinfiltrating said intermediate part with an infiltrant to form a finished part having said internal void.