Product Code: PIC06_M102

Micro Laser Sintering (microLS) for Rapid Prototyping of Metal-ceramics
Authors:
Peter Stippler, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Stefan Czerner, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Andreas Ostendorf, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Paolo Matteazzi, CSGI and MBN; Florence Italy
Gerrit Hohenhoff, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.Z.; Hannover Germany
Presented at PICALO 2006

The world market for micro system technology is constantly raising the technical demands for the production of metallic tools or functional parts. Currently, the methods of the rapid prototyping area are in relation to the product development one of the most essential instruments of the component manufacturing, in which particularly the macroscopic 3D laser beam processing technologies have proved their high potential with regard to flexible manufacturing of metallic components. New developments in the beam sources area open possibilities of using this method also for the production of micro components. Hence, the subject of the present work is the development of a suitable system concept for 3D micro cladding and/or sintering. This concept has been qualified by theoretical considerations as well as experimental investigations. The developed, fully automatically manageable facility contains a Yb:YAG fibre laser with a laser beam focus diameter to be set below 10 µm. As for quality assurance, a pyrometric temperature regulation has been integrated into the facility, which controls the temperatures in the welding bath with the help of a focusable measuring spot down to 50 µm. The process takes place in a likewise controlled protection gas chamber in which atmospheres with an oxygen content below 100 ppm can be guaranteed. The aerodynamic micro particle delivery will be possible with the help of developed combination procedures. The focusing in the melting pool occurs through a coaxial nozzle. Experimental investigations confirm the high potential of this method through which sintered layers smaller than 50 µm can be generated. Samples and machine technology will be presented.

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