Braze cladding for direct metal laser sintered materials

Abstract

A direct metal laser sintered material including a substrate formed from a laser sintering process, the substrate having at least one surface, and a cladding material brazed onto at least a portion of the surface.

1 . A direct metal laser sintered material comprising: 
 a substrate formed from a laser sintering process, said substrate having at least one surface; and    a cladding material brazed onto at least a portion of said surface.    
   
   
       2 . The material of  claim 1  wherein said substrate includes at least one of a steel-based material and a bronze-based material.  
   
   
       3 . The material of  claim 2  wherein said steel-based material and said bronze-based material are generally non-shrinking.  
   
   
       4 . The material of  claim 1  wherein said substrate includes is at least one of DirectSteel 50, DirectSteel 20, DirectSteel H20, DirectMetal 50 and DirectMetal 20.  
   
   
       5 . The material of  claim 1  wherein said substrate is formed from a direct metal laser sintering process.  
   
   
       6 . The material of  claim 1  wherein said cladding material is adapted to wet said surface when said cladding material is in a molten state.  
   
   
       7 . The material of  claim 1  wherein said cladding material has a composition selected such that said cladding material is corrosion resistant.  
   
   
       8 . The material of  claim 1  wherein said cladding material has the following composition: about 82 wt % gold and about 18 wt % nickel.  
   
   
       9 . The material of  claim 1  wherein said cladding material is an alloy selected from the group consisting of AMS 4765, AMS 4772, AMS 4777, AMS 4778, AMS 4779, AMS 4782, AMS 4787, AMS 4784, AMS 4785, AMS 4786, B50TF145 and B50TF198.  
   
   
       10 . A method for treating a surface of a laser sintered material comprising the steps of: 
 applying a cladding material to at least a portion of said surface of said laser sintered material; and    heating said cladding material such that said cladding material melts and wets said surface.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said cladding material is applied to said surface as a powder.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said applying step includes generally evenly distributing said cladding material on said surface.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said laser sintered material is a material formed during a direct metal laser sintering process.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said laser sintered material includes at least one of DirectSteel 50, DirectSteel 20, DirectSteel H20, DirectMetal 50 and DirectMetal 20.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said cladding material has a composition selected such that said cladding material is corrosion resistant.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said cladding material has the following composition: about 82 wt % gold and about 18 wt % nickel.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said cladding material is an alloy selected from the group consisting of AMS 4765, AMS 4772, AMS 4777, AMS 4778, AMS 4779, AMS 4782, AMS 4787, AMS 4784, AMS 4785, AMS 4786, B50TF145 and B50TF198.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said heating step includes heating said cladding material to a temperature in excess of a liquidus temperature of said cladding material.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said heating step is conducted under a protective atmosphere, said protective atmosphere including at least one of a vacuum, an argon atmosphere and a hydrogen atmosphere.  
   
   
       20 . A direct metal laser sintered material comprising: 
 a substrate formed by laser sintering a steel-based powder; and    a gold/nickel alloy cladding material brazed onto at least a portion of said substrate.