The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 2023
Filed:
Mar. 26, 2021
University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated, Gainesville, FL (US);
Yong Huang, Gainesville, FL (US);
Marc Sole Gras, Gainesville, FL (US);
Bing Ren, Gainesville, FL (US);
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED, Gainesville, FL (US);
Abstract
A three-dimensional (3D) printing method and apparatus are disclosed for freeform fabrication of metal articles. 3D printed articles are formed from a build material comprising metal powder(s), polymer(s), and solvent(s). A coagulation agent, such as a nebulized non-solvent, is disposed onto/about the build material during 3D printing to cause at least partial solidification of the build material to form a green body structure. Multiple build materials can be mixed at a variable ratio to achieve a composition gradient through the green body structure. The 3D printed green body structure can be heated to remove some or all of the polymer, solvent, and/or for debinding. The debinded green body structure can be sintered at a specific sintering temperature or over a temperature gradient, for a period of time, in accordance with the sintering properties of the particular metal powder in the debinded green body structure, to form a finished metal part.