Materials Solutions Limited

Siemens Energy Global Gmbh & Co. Kg

Trevor John Illston

Pratik Yatin Vora

A method of additive manufacturing metallic components, the method includes: forming a component in a layer by layer process, the component being formed integrally with at least one non-perforated support structure to be separated from the component after the layer by layer process, the support structure being formed with at least one wall that is non-perforated; and wherein after completion of the layer by layer process, the method includes exposing the component and support structure to at least one thermal pulse so as to weaken, or break, the interface(s) between the support structure and component prior to removal of the support.

Additive manufacturing

From one aspect, a method of forming a support for use in a selective sintering or melting process includes forming a body on a platen having a plurality of generally parallel channels each channel being open at least one end. The base of the channels may be formed by the platen. Preferably the support is formed by a selective sintering or melting process.

Method of forming an article

Methods of additive manufacturing a superalloy component are disclosed. In one method a powder bed of superalloy powder is selectively scanned with a focused laser beam in a line-by-line manner; and the spacing between adjacent scan lines is no more than twice the layer thickness being formed. In another method a compressive stress treatment is applied to the surface of the final component prior to separation of said component from the substrate. In a further method a superalloy component is formed on a substrate and the method includes Hot Isostatic Processing of the component wherein the mass of the substrate is reduced prior to the Hot Isostatic Processing. The methods may be combined in a multi-step process.

A method of forming an article in a layer wise manufacturing process from a computer software file representing the article includes dividing the file into sub files in dependence of the size or other characteristics of features of the article to be created, applying a process characteristic selected independence on a characteristic feature to each sub file and manufacturing the article in accordance with the subfiles.

A method of making an article having at least one re-entrance surface includes the steps of (a) forming a layer of metal powder on a base, (b) selectively laser fusing portions of the layer, and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) to form the article, each step (a) being performed on the preceding layer characterised in that prior to performing step (a) in a layer which will initiate the formation of a re-entrant feature reversibly bonding at least some of the unfused underlying powder such that it is stable under the application of the laser.

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Malvern, United Kingdom

Trevor John Illston