CA1284868C

CA1284868C - Method and apparatus for producing parts by selective sintering

Info

Publication number: CA1284868C
Application number: CA000549388A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Carl R. Deckard
Original assignee: University of Texas System
Current assignee: University of Texas System
Priority date: 1986-10-17
Filing date: 1987-10-15
Publication date: 1991-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-18
Also published as: US4938816A; US4863538A

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for selectively sintering a layer of powder to produce a part comprising a plurality of sintered layers. The apparatus includes a computer controlling a laser to direct the laser energy onto the powder to produce a sintered mass. The computer either determines or is programmed with the boundaries of the desired cross-sectional regions of the part. For each cross-section, the aim of the laser beam is scanned over a layer of powder and the beam is switched on to sinter only the powder within the boundaries of the cross-section.
Powder is applied and successive layers sintered until a completed part is formed. The powder can comprise either plastic, metal, ceramic, or polymer substance. In the preferred embodiment, the aim of the laser is directed in a continuous raster scan and the laser turned on when the beam is aimed within the boundaries of the particular cross-section being formed.

Description

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UTSB:17B

MET~OD AND APPARATUS FOR PROD~CI~G
PAR~S BY SELEC~IVE SINTERING

This invention relates to a method and apparatus which uses a directed energy beam to selectively sinter a powder to produce a part. In particular, this invention relates to a computer aided laser apparatus which sequen-tially sinters a plurality of powder layers to build the desired part in a layer-by-layer fashion.

The economies associated with conventional part production methods are generally related directly to the quantity of parts to be produced and the desired material characteristics of the finished parts. For example, large scale manufacture casting and extrusion techniques are often cost effective, but these production methods are ~enerally unaceptable for small quantities - i.e.
replacement parts or prototype production. Many such conventional part production methods require expensive part specific tooling. Even powder metallurgy requires a die for shaping the powder, making powder metallurgy unattractive as a method for producing a small number of parts.

~k Where only a small number of parts are desired, conventional production methods involving a subtractive machining method are usually used to produce the desired part. In such substractive methods, material is cut away from a starting block of material to produce a more complex shape. Examples of substractive machine tool methods include: milling, drilling, grinding, lathe cut-ting, flame cutting, electric discharge machine, etc.
While such conventional machine tool substractive methods are usually effective in producing the desired part, they are deficient in many respects.

First, such conventional machine tool substractive methods produce a large amount of waste material for disposal. Further, such machine tool methods usually involve a large initial expense for setting up the proper machining protocol and tools. As such, the set-up time is not only expensive, but relies a great deal on human judg-ment and expertise. These problems are, of course, exacerbated when only a small number of parts are to be produced.

Another difficulty a~sociated with such conventional machining techniques involves tool wear - which not only involves the cost of replacement, but also reduces machin-ing accuracy as the tool wears. Another limit on the accuracy and tolerance of any part produced by conven-tional machining techniques is the tolerance limits inherent in the particular machine tool. For example, in a conventional milling machine or lathe, the lead screws and ways are manufactured to a certain tolerance, which limits the tolerances obtainable in manufacturing a part on the machine tool. Of course, the tolerances attainable are reduced with age of the machine tool.

The final difficulty associated with such conven-tional machine tool subtractive processes is the diffi-culty or impossibility of making many part configurations.
That is, conventional machining methods are usually best suited for producing symmetrical parts and parts where only the exterior part is machined. However, where a desired part is unusual in shape or has internal features, the machining becomes more difficult and quite often, the part must be divided into segments for production. In many cases, a particular part configuration is not pos-sible because of the limitations imposed upon the tool placement on the part. Thus, the size and configuration of the cutting tool do not permit access of the tool to produce the desired configuration.
There are other machining processes which are addi-tive, for example, plating, cladding, and some welding processes are additive in that material is added to a starting substrate~ In recent years, other additive-type machining methods have been developed which use a laser beam to coat or deposit material on a starting articleO
Examples include U.S. Patent Nos. 4,117,302; 4,474,861;
4,300,474; and 4,323,756. These recent uses of lasers have been primarily limited to adding a coating to a previously machined article. Often such laser coating methods have been employed to achieve certain metallurgic properties obtainable only by such coating methods.
Typically, in such laser coating methods the starting article is rotated and the laser directed at a fixed loca tion with the coating material sprayed onto the article so that the laser will melt the coating onto the article.

The problems outlined above are in large major solved by the method and apparatus of the present invention. The present invention includes a directed energy beam - such as a laser - and is adaptable to produce almost any three _4_ dimensional part. The method of the present invention is an additive process, with the powder beiny dispensed into a target area where the la~er selectively sinters the powder to producP a sintered layer. The invention is a layer-wise process in which the layers are joined together until the completed part is formed. The method of the present invention is not limited to a particular type of powder, but rather is adaptable to plastic, metal, polymer~ ceramic powders, or composite materials.

The invention may bP incorporated into a method for producing a part, and an apparatus for accomplishing the same. A layer of a powder is dispensed into a target area, and selected portions thareof corresponding to a cross-section of the part to be produc~d are exposed to an energy beam, so that the powder in the selected portions is bonded or sintered together i~to a mass. Successive layers of powder are dispensed and similarly exposed and bonded, resulting in a three-dimensional part which is produced in layer-wise fashion.

The part formed by this invention may be quite complex in shape, including interior portions and other complexities which would preclude its formation by conventional machining or other subtractive methods.
In addition, the invention is particularly beneficial as it provides direct translation of a part design from a computer-aided design data base into the actual part, as the selected portions of the layer exposed to the energy beam may be defined, and thP energy beam controlled, according to such a computer data base.
In addition, parts may be produced according to this invention from a wide range of materials.

-4a-Broadly speaking, the apparatus includes a laser or other directed energy source which is selectable for emit-ting a beam in a target area where the p~rt is produced, A powder dispenser system deposits powder into the tarqet area. A laser control mechanism operates to move the aim of the laser beam and modulates the laser to selectively sinter a layer of powder dispensed into the target area.
The control mechanism operates to selectively sinter only the powder disposed within defined boundaries to produce lo the desired layer of the part. The control mechanism operates the laser to selectively sinter sequential layers of powder, producing a completed part comprising a plurality of layers sintered together. The defined boundaries of each layer correspond to respective cross sectional regions of the part. Preferably, the control mechanism includes a computer - e.g. a CAD/CAM system - to determine the defined boundaries for each layer. That is, given the overall ~imensions and configuration of the part, the computer determines the defined boundaries for 20 each layer and operates the laser control mechanism in accordance with the defined boundaries. Alternatively, the computer can be initially programmed with the defined boundaries of each layer.

In a preferred form, the laser control mechanism includes a mechanism for directing the laser beam in the target area and a mechanism for modulating the laser beam on and off to selectively sinter the powder in the target area. In one embodiment, the directing mechanism operates to move the aim of the laser beam in a continuous raster scan of target area. The modulating mechanism turns the laser beam on and off so that the powder is sintered only when the aim of the laser beam is within the defined boundaries for the particular layer. Alternatively, the directing mechanism aims the laser beam only within the defined boundaries for the particular layer so that the laser beam can be left on continuously to sinter the powder within the defined boundaries for the particular layer.

In a preferred embodiment, the directing mechanism moves the laser beam in a repetitive raster scan of the target area using a pair of mirrors driven by galvono-meters. The first mirror reflects the laser beam to the second mirror which reflects the beam into the target area. Shifting movement of the first mirror by its galvonometer shifts the laser beam generally in on~
direction in the target area. Similarly, shifting move-ment of the second mirror by its galvonometer shifts the - laser beam in the target area in a second direction.
Preferably, the mirrors are oriented relative to each - other so that the first and second directions are generally perpendicular to each other. Such an arrange-ment allows for many different types of scanning patterns of the laser beam in the target area, including the raster scan pattern of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The method of part production of the present inven-tion includes the steps of depositing a first portion of powder onto a target surface, scanning the aim of a directed energy beam (preferably a laser) over the target 3'~8~

surface, and sintering a first layer of the first powder portion on the target surface. The first layer corres-ponds to a first cross-sectional region of the part. The powder is sintered by operating the directed energy source when the aim of the beam is within the boundaries defining the first layers. A second portion of powder is deposited onto the first sintered layer and the aim of the laser beam scanned over the first sintered layerO A second layer of the second powdered portion i5 sintered by operating the directed energy source when the aim of the beam is within the boundaries defining the second layer.
Sintering of the second layer also joins the first and second layers into a cohesive mas~. Successive portions of powder are deposited onto the previously sintered layers, each layer being sintered in turn. In one embodi-ment, the powder is deposited continuously into the target.

In a preferred embodiment, the laser beam is modu-lated on and off during the raster scan so that the powder is sintered when the aim of the beam is directed within the boundaries of the particular layer. Preferably, the laser is controlled by a computer; the computer may include a CAD/CAM system, where the computer is given the overall dimensions and configuration of the part to be made and the computer determines the boundaries of each cross-sectional region of the part. Using the determined boundaries, the computer controls the sintering of each layer corresponding to the cross-sectional regions of the part. In an alternative embodiment, the computer is simply programmed with the boundaries of each cross-sectional region of the part.

As can be appreciated from the above general descrip-tion, the method and apparatus of the present invention solves many of the problems associated with known part production methods. First, the present invention is well suited for prototype part production or replacement part production of limited quantities. Further, the method and apparatus hereof are capable of making parts of complex configurations unobtainable by conventional production methods. Further, the present invention eliminates tool wear and machine design as limiting factors on the tolerances obtainable in producing the part. Finally, with the apparatus of the present invention incorporated into a CAD/CAM environment, a large number of replacement parts can be programmed into the computer and can be easily produced with little set-up or human intervention.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic showing a portion of the layered build up of a part produced in accordance with the present invention, and illustrating the raster scan pattern of the laser beam in the target area;

FIGURE 3 is a block diagram depicting the interface hardware between the computer, laser and galvonometers of the present invention;
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an example part produced in accordance with the present invention:

FIGURE S is a sectional view with parts broken away and in phantom, of the part illustrated in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a flow chart of the data metering program in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 4; and FIGURE 8 illustrates in diagram form the correlation between a single sweep of the laser across the layer of FIGURE 7 and the control signals of the present invention.

Turning now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 broadly illus-trates the apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention. Broadly speaking, the apparatus 10 includes a laser 12, powder dispenser 14, and laser control means 16.
In more detail, the powder dispenser 14 includes a hopper 20 for receiving the powder 22 and having an outlet 24.
The outlet 24 is oriented for dispensing the powder to a target area 26, which in FIGURE 1 is generally defined by the confinement structure 28. Of course, many alterna-tives exist for dispensing the powder 22.
The components of the laser 12 are shown somewhat schematically in FIGURE 1 and include a laser head 30, a safety shutter 32, and a front mirror assembly 34. The type of laser used is dependent upon many factors, and in particular upon the type of powder 22 that is to be sintered. In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, a Nd:YAG laser (Lasermetrics 9500Q) was used which can operate in a continuous or pulsed mode with a hundred-watt maximum outlet power in the continuous mode. The laser beam out-put of the laser 12 has a wavelength of approximately 1060nM, which is near infrared. The laser 12 illustrated in FIGURE 1 includes an internal pulse rate generator with a selectable range of about one kiloHertz to forty kiloHertz, and an approximately six nanosecond pulse dura-tion. In either the pulsed or continuous mode, the laser12 can be modulated on or off to selectively produce a laser beam which travels generall,y along the path shown by the arrows in FIGURE 1.

To focus the laser beam, a diverging lens 36 and converging lens 38 are disposed along the path of travel .... ... . .

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_9_ of the laser beam as shown in FIGURE 1. Using just the converging lens 38, the location of the true focal point is not easily controlled by varying the distance between the converging lens 38 and the laser 12. The diverging lens 36 placed between the laser 12 and convening lens 38 creates a virtual focal point between the diverging lens 36 and the laser 12. Varying the distance between the converging lens 38 and the virtual vocal point, allows control of the true focal point along the laser beam path of travel on the side of the converging lens 38 remote from the laser 12. In recent years there have been many advances in the field of optics, and it is recognized that many alternatives are available to efficiently focus the laser beam at a known location.
In more detail, the laser control means 16 includes computer 40 and scanning system 42. In a preferred embodiment, the computer 40 includes a microprocessor for controlling the laser 12 and a CAD/CAM system for generat-ing the data. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1,a personal computer is used ~Commodore*64) whose primary attributes include an accessible interface port and a flag line which generates a nonmaskable interrupt.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the scanning system 42 includes a prism 44 for redirecting the path of travel of the laser beam. Of course, physical layout of the apparatus 10 is the primary consideration in determining whether a prism 44, or a plurality of prisms 44, are needed to manipulate the path of travel of the laser beam. The scanning system 42 also includes a pair of mirrors 46, 47 driven by respective galvonometers 48, 49. The galvonometers 48, 49 coupled to their respective mirrors 46, 47 to selectively orientate the mirrors 46, 47. The galvonometers 46, 47 are mounted perpendicular to each other such that the mirrors 46, 47 are mounted nominally at a right angle to * a trade-mark ,, ,: ~, . .,:

each other. A function generator driver 50 controls the movement of the galvonometer 48 (galvonometer 49 is slaved to the movement of galvonometer 48) so that the aim of the laser beam (represented by the arrows in FIGURE 13 can be controlled in the target area 26. The driver 50 is operatively coupled to the computer 40 as shown in FIGURE
l. It will be appreciated that alternative scanning methods are available for use as the scanning system 42, including acusto-optic scanners, rotating polygon mirrors, and resonant mirror scanners.

Turning to FIGURE 2 of the drawing, a portion of a part 52 is schematically illustrated and shows four layers 54-57. The aim of the laser beam, labeled 64 in FIGURE 2, is directed in a raster scan pattern as at 66. As used herein, "aim" is used as a neutral term indicating direction, but does not imply the modulation state of the laser 12. For convenience, the axis 68 is considered the fast scan axis, while the axis 70 is referred to as the slow scan axis. Axis 72 is the direction of part build-up .

A fundamental concept of the present invention is thebuild up of a part in a layer-by-layer manner. That is, a part is considered a plurality of discrete cross-sectional regions which cumulatively comprise the three-dimensional configuration of th~ part. Each discrete cross-sectional region has defined two-dimensional boundaries - of course, each region may have unique boundaries. Preferably, the thickness (dimension in the axis 72 direction) of each layer is constant.

In the method, a first portion of powder 22 is deposited in the target area 25 and selectively sintered by the laser beam 64 to produce a first sintered layer 54 (FIGURE 2). The first sintered layer 54 corresponds to a ~3~

first cross-sectional region of the desired part. The laser beam selectively sinters only the deposited powder 22 within the confines of the defined boundaries.

There are, of course, alternative methods of selec-tively sintering the powder 22. One method is for the aim of the beam to be directed in a "vector" fashion - that is, the beam would actually trace the outline and interior of each cross-sectional region of the desired part.
Alternatively, the aim of the beam 64 is scanned in a repetitive pattern and the laser 12 modulated. In FIGURE

2, a raster scan pattern 66 is used and is advantageous over the vector mode primarily in its simplicity of implementation. Another possibility is to combine the vector and raster scan methods o that the desired boundaries of the layex are traced in a vector mode and the interior irradiated in a raster scan mode. There are, of course, trade-offs associated with the method chosen.
For example, the raster mode has a disadvanta~e when compared to the vector mode in that arcs and lines which are not parallel to the axes 68, 70 of the raster pa~tern 66 of the laser beam 64 are only approximated. Thus, in some cases resolution of the part can be degraded when produced in the raster pattern mode. However, the raster mode is advantageous over the vector mode in the simplicity of implementation.

Turning to FIGURE 1, the aim of the laser beam 64 is scanned in the target area 26 in a continuous raster pat-tern. Broadly speaking, the driver 50 controls galvon-ometers 48, 49 to made the raster pattern 66 (see FIGURE
2). Shifting movement of the mirror 46 controls movement of the aim of the laser beam 64 in the fast scan axis 68 ~FIGURE 2), while movement of the mirror 47 controls move-ment of the aim of the laser beam 64 in the slow scanaccess 70.

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The present position of the aim of the beam 64 is fed back through the driver 50 to the computer 40 (see FIGURE 3). As described below, in more detail, the computer 40 possesses information relating to the desired cross-sectional region of the part then being produced.
That is, a portion of loose powder 22 is dispensed into the target area 26 and the aim of the laser beam 64 moved in its continuous raster pattern. The computer 40 modu-lates the laser 12 to selectively produce a laser beam at desired intervals in the raster pattern 66. In this fashion, the directed beam of the laser 12 selectively sinters the powder 22 in the target area 26 to produce the desired sintered layer with the defined boundaries of the desired cross-sectional region. This process is repeated layer-by-layer with the individual layers sintered together to produce a cohesive part - e.g. part 52 vf FIGURE 2.

Because of the relatively low output power of the laser head 30 illustrated in FIGURE l, the powder 22 consisted of a plastic material (e.g. ABS), based on the lower heat of fusion of most plastics, which is compatible with the lower power laser. Several post formation treat-ments are contemplated for the parts produced by the apparatus lO of the present invention. For example, if such a produced part is to be used only as a prototype model or as a die for sandcast or lost wax casting, then post-formation treatment may not be necessary. In some situations, certain surfaces of the parts produced may be designed for close tolerances, in which case some post-fabrication machining would be accomplished. Alterna-tively, some types of parts may require certain material properties which can be achieved by heat-treating and/or chemically treating the part. For example, the granule size of the powder 22 could be such to produce a part having an open porosity and epoxy or similar substance -13~

injected into the part could achieve the desired material properties - 2.9. compression strength, abrasion resis-tance, homoqeneity, etc.

The interface hardware operatively interconnects the computer 40 with the laser 12 and galvonometers 47, 48.
The output port of the computer 40 (see FIGURES 1 and 3) is directly connected to the laser 12 to selectively modu-late the laser 12. When operated in the pulsed mode, the laser 12 is easily controlled by digital inputs to the pulsed gate input of the laser. Galvonometer 48 is driven by the function generator driver 50 to drive the beam in the fast scan axis 68 independent of any control signals from the computer 40. However, a position feedback signal from the galvonometer 48 is fed to a voltage comparator 74 as shown in FIGURE 3. The other input to the comparator is connected to the digital-to-analog convertor 76 which is indicative of the least significant six bits (bits 0-5) of the user port of the computer 40. As shown in FIGURE

3, the output of the voltage comparator 74 is connected to the flag line on the user port of the computer 40. When the voltage comparator determines that the feedback signal from the galvonometer 48 crosses the signal from the digital-to-analog convertor 76, the flag line goes low causing a nonmaskable interrupt. As discussed below, the nonmaskable interrupt cau es the next byte of data to put out on the user port of a computer 40.

Finally, as shown in FIGURE 3, the galvonometer 49 driving the aim of the laser beam 64 in the slow scan axis 70, îs controlled by a second digital to analoq convertor 78. The digital-to-analog convertor 78 is driven by a counter 79 which increments with each sweep of the aim of the beam 64 in the fast scan axis 68. The eight byte counter i9 designed to overflow after 256 scans in the fast scan axis 68 to start a new cycle or raster scan pattern 66.

Preferably, the control information (i.e. defined boundaries of the cross-sectional regions) data for each raster pattern 66 would be determined by a CAD syst~m given the overall dimensions and configuration of the part to be produced. Whether programmed or derived, the control information data for each raster pattern 66 is stored in the computer memory as a series of eight bit words. The data format represents a pattern of "on" and "off" regions of the laser 12, versus distance along the raster pattern 66 traveled by the aim of the beam 64. The data is stored in a "toggle-point" format where the data represents the distance along each raster scan pattern 66 where the laser is modulated li.e~ turned from on to off or from off to on). Although a "bit map" format might be used, the toggle point format has been found more e~ficient for the production of high resolution parts.
For each eight bit word, the least significant six bits (bits 0-5) represent the location of the next toggle point - i.e. the next location for modulation of the laser 12. The next bit (bit 6) represents whether the laser is on or off immediately before the toggle point identified in the least significant six bitc. The most significant bit (MSB or bit 7) is used for looping and for controlling the slow scan axis 70 of the aim of the beam 64. Because the Commodore 64 had limited memory, looping was required - it being understood that a computer 40 with more memory would not require looping.

FIGURE 6 represents the flow chart for the data metering program. The data metering program is run when-ever the flagline goes low causing a non-maskable inter-rupt (see FIGURE 3). The interrupt causes the micro-. .

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processor of the computer 40 to retrieve a two byte inter-rupt vector which points to the location in memory where program control is transferred at interrupt. As shown in FIGURE 6, the data metering program first pushes the registers onto the stack and then loads the next byte of data into the accumulator. The data word is also output to the user port with the sixth bit used to modulate the laser 12 (FIGURE 3).

As shown in FIGURE 6, the most significant bit (MSB
or bit 7) of the data word in the accumulator i5 examined.
If the value of the most significant bit i5 one, that means the end of the loop has not been reached; therefore the data pointer is incremented, registers are restored from the stack, and the data metering program ~s exited, returning control to the microprocessor at the location of interrupt. If the most significant bit in the accumulator is zero, the data word is the last word in the loop. If the data word i5 the last word in the loop, the next bit in memory is a loop counter and the following two bytes are a vector pointing to the top of the loop. As can be seen from FIGURE 6, if the most significant bit equals zero (end of the loop) the loop counter (next bit~ i9 decremented and analyzed. If the loop counter is still greater than zero, the data pointer assumes the value from the next two memory bytes after the loop counter, regis-ters are pulled from thç stack and program control returns to the location of interrupt. On the other hand, if loop counter is zero, the data pointer is incremented by three and the loop counter is reset to ten before exiting the program. It can be appreciated that the need for such looping is absolved if the memory size of the computer 40 is adequate.

~3~

Exam~le In FIGURES 4 and 5, an example part 52 is illus-trated. As can be seen from the drawing, the example part 52 assumes an unusual shape in that it is not symmetrical and would be difficult to fabricate using conventional machining methods. For reference purposes, the part 52 includes an outer base structure 80 having an interior cavity 82 and a pillar 84 disposed within the cavity 82 (see FIGURE 4). FIGURE 5 shows the part 52 within the confinement structure 28 defining the target area 26 illustrated in FIGURE 1. As shown in FIGURE 5, some of the powder 22 is loose, while the remainder of the powder is selectively sintered to comprise the structure of the part 52. FIGURE S is shown in vertical section with parts broken away and outlined in phantom to show the sintered cohesive portions of the part 520 FIGURE 7 shows a horizontal cross-sectional region, taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 4. FIGURE 7 represents a discrete layer 86 associated with the cross-sectional region of the part being produced. As such, the sintered layer 86 of FIGURE 7 is a product of a single raster pat-tern 66 as illustrated in FIGURE 2.
For reference purposes, a sweep line through the sintered layer 86 has been labeled "L." FIGURE 8 illus-trates the software and hardware interface operation during the sweep L. The top graph shows the position of feedback signal from the fast axis galvo 48 and the output signal of the first digital to analog convertor 76 (com-pare FIGURE 3). The voltage comparator 74 generates an output signal to the flag line of the computer 40 every time the feedback signal and first D/A output signal cross.

In the top graph of FI5URE 8, these points are labeled T to represent toggle points. As can be seen from the bottom graph of FIGURE 8, the flag line ~enerates a nonmaskable interrupt corresponding to each toggle point T. The sixth bit of each data word is analyzed and the current state of the laser 12 will reflect the value. The penultimate graph of FIGURE 8 shows the laser modulation signal for the sweep line L of FIGURE 7. The second graph of FIGU~E 8 shows that a hiyh-going edge in the most significant bit will be encountered at the end of each sweep of the aim of the laser beam 64 in the fast scan axis 68. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, the counter 79 increments on a high going edge, and outputs a signal to the second digital-analog convertor 78 to drive the slow axis galvonometer 49.

* * *

As can be seen from the example illustrated in the drawing, parts of complex shape can b~ produced with rela-tive ease. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the part 52 illustrated in FIGURÆ 4 would be difficult to produce using conventional machining methods. In particu-lar, machine tool access would make the fabrication of cavity 82 and pillar 84 difficult, if not impossible, to produce if the part 52 were of a relatively small size.

In addition to avoiding the access problem, it will be appreciated that the production accuracy is not depen-dent upon machine tool wear and the accuracy of mechanicalcomponents found in conventional machine tools. That is, the accuracy and tolerances of the parts produced by the method and apparatus of the present invention are primarily a function of the quality of the electronics, the optics, and the implementing software. Of course, heat transfer and material considerations do affect the tolerances obtainable.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that conven-tional machining techniques require considerable humanintervention and judgment. For example, a conventional machining process, such as milling, would require creativity to make such decisions as tool selection, part segmenting, sequence of cuts, etc. Such decisions would even be more important when producing a control tape for a tape control milling machine. On the other hand, the apparatus of the present invention only reguires the data relating to each cross-sectional region of the part being produced. While such data can be simply programmed into the computer 40, preferably, the computer 40 includes a CAD/CAM system. That is, the CAD/CAM portion of the computer 40 i5 given the overall dimensions and configura-tions of the desirPd part to be produced and the computer 40 determines the boundaries for each discrete cross-sectional region of the part. Thuso a vast inventory ofpart information can be stored and fed to the computer 40 on a selectable basis. ~he apparatus 10 produces a selected part without set-up time, part specific tooling, or human intervention. Even the complex and expensive dies associated with powder metallargy and conventional casting techniques are avoided.

While large quantity production runs and certain part material characteristics might be most advantageously made using conventional fabrication techniques, the method and apparatus 10 of the present invention is useful in many contexts. In particular, prototype models and casting patterns are easily and inexpensively produced. For example, casting patterns are easily made for use in sand casting, lost wax casting, or other forming techniques.
Further, where desired ~uantities are very small, such as 6~

with obsolete replacement parts, production o. such replacement parts using the apparatus 10 of the present invention has many advantages. Finally, the use of the apparatus 10 may be useful where size of production facilities is a major constraint, such as on-ship or in outerspace.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An apparatus for producing a part comprising:

laser means for selectively emitting a laser beam;

structure for providing a target area for producing the part;

means for dispensing a powder into said target area; and laser control means for moving the aim of the laser beam and for modulating the laser to selectively sinter within defined boundaries a layer of powder dispensed in said target area, the control means being operable to effect selective sintering of sequential layers of powder within respective defined boundaries to produce a part comprising a plurality of layers sintered together.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, the control means including means for directing the aim of the laser beam in said target area and means for modulating the laser by turning the beam on and off to selectively sinter the powder in the target area.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, the directing means being operable to move the aim of the laser beam in a raster scan of the target area.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, the directing means including one or more lenses to focus the laser.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, the directing means including a prism to change the direction of the laser beam emitted from the laser means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, the directing means including a scanning system to move the aim of the laser beam in said target area in a repetitive pattern.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, the scanning system including a pair of mirrors driven by respective galvanometers.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, the control means including a computer and interface hardware to turn on and off the laser beam as the aim of the beam is moved in the target area.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, the computer being programmed with the defined boundaries of each layer of the part to turn on the laser beam with the aim of the beam within the defined boundaries for each layer.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, the computer being operable to determine the defined boundaries of each layer of the part given the overall dimensions of the part.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, the powder dispensing means including a hopper for receiving powder and a metered outlet directing the powder to the target area.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1; said dispensing means being operable to dispense plastic, ceramic, polymer, or metal powder.

13. A method of producing a part comprising the steps of:

depositing a first portion of powder onto a target surface;

scanning the aim of a directed energy beam over the target surface;

sintering a first layer of the first powder portion corresponding to a first cross-sectional region of the part by operating the beam when the aim of the beam is within boundaries defined by said first cross-sectional region;

depositing a second portion of powder onto the first sintered layer;

scanning the aim of a directed energy beam over the first sintered layer;

sintering a second layer of the second powder portion corresponding to a second cross-sectional region of the part by operating the beam when the aim of the beam is within boundaries defined by said second cross-sectional region, the first and second layers being joined during the sintering of said second layer; and depositing successive portions of powder onto the previous sintered layers and sintering a layer of each successive portion to produce a part comprising a plurality of sintered layers.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising the further steps of:

providing a control means operably connected to the directed energy mechanism; and supplying the control means with the boundaries of each cross-sectional region of the part.

15. The method according to claim 13, comprising the further steps of:

providing a control means having a computer; and supplying the overall dimensions of the part to the computer, the computer determining the boundaries of each cross sectional region of the part.

16. The method according to claim 13, the scanning steps including directing the aim of the beam only within the respective boundaries of the respective cross-sectional regions.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the scan-ning and sintering steps include the steps of moving the aim of the beam in a raster scan and turning on and off the beam during the raster scan when the aim is within the boundaries.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the raster scan is produced by redirecting the beam in a first direction and redirecting the beam from the first direction to a second direction to impact a generally planar target area.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the beam is redirected using a pair of mirrors coupled to respective galvonometers, the first mirror being shifted to produce movement of the beam in the target area in a first general direction, and the second mirror being shifted to produce movement of the beam in the target area in a second general direction perpendicular to the first direction.

20. The method according to claim 13, including impreg-nating the part with an adhesive.

21. The method according to claim 13, wherein the powder is continuously deposited onto the target surface.

22. The method according to claim 13, wherein the powder is deposited onto the target surface in a series of discrete steps.

23. An apparatus for producing a part comprising:
a laser;

a powder dispenser having an outlet directed to a target area;

means for directing the laser beam to the target area and for scanning the target area with the aim of the laser beam in a repetitive pattern;

means for modulating the operation of the laser to selectively laser the target area during the scanning pattern, including computer means operatively coupled to the directing means to monitor the aim of the laser beam during the scanning pattern, the computer means being programmed with information indicative of the desired boundaries of a cross-sectional region of the part being produced, the computer means being operable to modulate the laser to laser the target area when the beam is aimed within the boundaries in the target area, the beam selec-tively sintering powder dispensed in the target area to form a cohesive sintered layer defined by the boundaries.

24. An apparatus in accordance with claim 23, the computer means being programmed with the desired boundaries of a plurality of serially-arranged, parallel, cross-sectional regions of the part being produced.

25. The apparatus in accordance with claim 23, the computer means being programmed with the overall dimensions and configuration of the part being produced, the computer means being operative to numerically divide the part into a plurality of serial, parallel, discrete, cross-sectional regions and to derive the desired boundaries for each region.

26. The apparatus in accordance with claim 23, the programmed information being indicative of the boundaries of a plurality of serial, parallel, discrete, cross-sectional regions of the part being produced, the comper means being operable to modulate the laser to sequentially form a plurality of cohesive, sintered layers corresponding to the cross-sectional regions.