Bonding methods for laminated light alloy parts

Abstract

A method for the additive manufacturing of an object and a system for manufacturing an object. The method includes depositing a second foil sheet onto the first foil sheet, wherein the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet each comprise a structural layer, forming a layer stack comprising the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet, the layer stack comprising an object section and at least one support section configured to enclose the object section in the layer stack, and applying at least one of heat or pressure to opposite sides of the layer stack with a first plate and a second plate, wherein applying the at least one of heat or pressure increases he temperature of the layer stack to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the structural layer, and the at least one of at or pressure bonds the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet in the layer stack, the first plate and the second plate are in contact with the at least one support section, and the at least one support section is configured to conduct the at least one of heat or pressure through the layer stack to the object section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for additive manufacturing of an object, the method comprising:
 depositing a first foil sheet;   depositing a second foil sheet onto the first foil sheet, wherein the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet each comprise a structural layer;   forming a layer stack comprising the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet, the layer stack comprising an object section and at least one support section configured to enclose the object section in the layer stack; and   applying at least one of heat or pressure to opposite sides of the layer stack with a first plate and a second plate, wherein:
 applying the at least one of heat or pressure increases the temperature of the layer stack to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the structural layer; 
 the at least one of heat or pressure bonds the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet in the layer stack; 
 the first plate and the second plate are in contact with the at least one support section; and 
 the at least one support section is configured to conduct the at least one of heat or pressure through the layer stack to the object section. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first foil sheet is bonded to the second foil sheet using transient liquid phase diffusion bonding. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first foil sheet is bonded to the second foil sheet using brazing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate and the second plate are not in contact with the object section. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet comprise an interlayer material layer; and   the temperature of the layer stack is greater than the melting temperature of the interlayer material layer when bonding the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet comprise an interlayer material; and   the temperature of the layer stack is less than the melting temperature of the interlayer material layer when bonding the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein no powder is deposited on the first foil sheet or the second foil sheet to promote bonding. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structural layer comprises at least one of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, or titanium alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the interlayer material layer comprises at least one of aluminum, copper, lithium, magnesium, silicon, zinc, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, or titanium alloy. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate and the second plate are heated or pressurized plates. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first foil sheet or the second foil sheet is a patterned foil sheet, wherein the pattern is configured to create microscopic voids between the foil sheets in the layer stack. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising deforming the microscopic voids and bonding the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet without surface oxides. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sanding at least one of the first foil sheet or the second foil sheet before bonding the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first foil sheet comprises a first object region and a first support region connected to the first object region;   the second foil sheet comprises a second object region and a second support region connected to the second object region; and   the method further comprises:
 attaching the second object region to the first object region; and 
 attaching the first support region to the second support region, the first support region and the second support region comprising the at least one support section. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the layer stack comprises a top layer, at least one middle layer, and a bottom layer;   the at least one middle layer comprises an object region and a first support region;   the top layer is a second support region;   the bottom layer is a third support region; and   the first support region, the second support region, and the third support region are configured to enclose the object region in the layer stack.   
     
     
         16 . A system for manufacturing an object, the system comprising:
 an additive manufacturing device configured to:
 deposit a first foil sheet; 
 deposit a second foil sheet onto the first foil sheet, wherein the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet each comprise a structural layer; and 
 form a layer stack comprising the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet, the layer stack comprising an object section and at least one support section configured to enclose the object section in the layer stack; and 
   at least one of heated or pressurized plates configured to:
 contact the at least one support section; and 
 apply at least one of heat or pressure to opposite sides of the layer stack, wherein: 
 the at least one support section is configured to conduct the at least one of heat or pressure through the layer stack to the object section; 
 applying the at least one of heat or pressure increases the temperature of the layer stack to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the structural layer; and 
 the at least one of heat or pressure bonds the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet in the layer stack. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of heat or pressure bonds the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet in the layer stack using transient liquid phase diffusion bonding. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of heat or pressure bonds the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet in the layer stack using brazing. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of heated or pressurized plates are not in contact with the object section. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 at least one of the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet comprise an interlayer material layer; and   the temperature of the layer stack is greater than the melting temperature of the interlayer material layer when the first foil sheet bonds to the second foil sheet.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 at least one of the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet comprise an interlayer material; and   the temperature of the layer stack is less than the melting temperature of the interlayer material layer when the first foil sheet bonds to the second foil sheet.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein no powder is deposited on the first foil sheet or the second foil sheet to promote bonding. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the structural layer comprises at least one of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, or titanium alloy. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the interlayer material layer comprises at least one of aluminum, copper, lithium, magnesium, silicon, zinc, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, or titanium alloy. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the first foil sheet or the second foil sheet is a patterned foil sheet, wherein the pattern is configured to create microscopic voids between the foil sheets in the layer stack. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the additive manufacturing device is configured to deform the microscopic voids; and   the at least one of heated or pressurized plates are configured to bond the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet without surface oxides.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a sander configured to sand at least one of the first foil sheet or the second foil sheet. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first foil sheet comprises a first object region and a first support region connected to the first object region;   the second foil sheet comprises a second object region and a second support region connected to the second object region; and   the additive manufacturing device is further configured to:
 attach the second object region to the first object region; and 
 attach the first support region to the second support region, the first support region and the second support region comprising the at least one support section. 
   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the layer stack comprises a top layer, at least one middle layer, and a bottom layer;   the at least one middle layer comprises an object region and a first support region;   the top layer is a second support region;   the bottom layer is a third support region; and   the first support region, the second support region, and the third support region are configured to enclose the object region in the layer stack.