Additive Manufacturing and Spark Plasma Sintering: Fabrication of Powder Components with Internal Channels
TORRESANI E. 1, CARRILLO M. 1, OLEVSKY E. 1, HAINES C. 2, MARTIN D. 3
1 San Diego State University, San Diego, United States; 2 US Army DEVCOM - Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, United States; 3 US Army DEVCOM – Armaments Center, Picatinny Arsenal, United States
A novel method combining Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique of solvent jetting and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) of producing complex ceramic and metallic parts with designed internal channels is developed. This novel net shaping approach synergistically combines the capabilities of AM and SPS in producing complex components with internal channels. Along with geometric customization of the 3D printed mold, a major advantage of this method is the removal of the need for a long debinding process, usually necessary with other 3D printing methods, by using the SPS. High density ceramic and metallic complex parts with internal channels were successfully produced with close to theoretical densities. The conducted studies include the development of a model that can predict the evolution and/or distortions of the complex-shaped powder assembly during the sintering process. The model is based on the continuum theory of sintering formulations embedded in a finite element code
