SBIR Phase I: Novel Material Systems for Rapid Prototyping Titanium and Titanium Alloys

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9860948 This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop novel material systems for rapid prototyping of fully dense titanium and titanium alloy shapes that are functionally qualified. Using a unique blend of tri-modal passivated powders and polymer, the Direct Metal Fabrication (DMF) process can obtain a very high packing density in a Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) powder bed. With supersolidus liquid phase sintering, the process can provide uniform shrinkage and a fully dense sintered part. This approach makes possible the direct prototyping of high strength reactive materials such as titanium and its alloys. Potentially, the technology may be extended to other types of reactive material systems and alloys. Phase I will attempt to achieve reproducible baseline titanium and alloy properties in such components. A solid free form fabrication technique for titanium and its alloys has an estimated market of $ 1-2 billion dollars per year in the medical, sporting, golf clubs, and bicycle components for use as improved structural integrity prototypes. It is anticipated that this rapid prototyping technology will have extensive other applications in titanium as well as other reactive metals and alloys.