Introduction

This technology allows to control the additive manufacturing process in order to design one or more sections of the material with different mechanical and thermal properties. Using process control parameters it is possible to concentrate fracture points in predetermined areas or introduce a continuity solution in the thermal flow, obtaining a component with programmed mechanical and thermal behaviour.

Technical features

Additive manufacturing processes are optimized to obtain a uniform and homogeneous product in every portion of the object. The variation of the properties, such as the mechanical ones, is nowadays obtained through the variation of the process parameters to vary the microstructure or with subsequent post process treatments such as heat treatments. Similarly in terms of design, it is possible to modify the properties of the component through geometric variations by inserting thickenings, lightening or external geometric structures. The invention allows, through the subdivision of the model of the object into areas with different densities, to obtain products including internal portions with a lower level of densification than the surrounding portions, allowing to modify the physical properties of the object without the need for further post-printing treatments and allowing to keep the design characteristics of the product unaltered.

Possible Applications

• Production of heat exchangers;
• Mechanical components with advanced properties for the Automotive and Aerospace fields;
• Creation of specimens for tensile tests.

Advantages

• Possibility of keeping the external design of the object unchanged;
• Creation of specific fracture paths in the component;
• Creation of components with programmed mechanical properties;
• Creating thermal flow paths in the component.