Strategic Manufacturing Initiative: Three Dimensional Printing; Rapid Tooling and Prototypes Directly from a Computer Aided Design Model

这项研究涉及三维打印，这是一种直接从计算机模型制造工具和功能原型部件的过程。该工艺具有零件快速周转和模具投资最少的关键优势。三维打印的功能是将粉末材料层层沉积，并通过粘合剂材料的喷墨打印来选择性地粘合粉末。在层层连续施加之后，未结合的粉末被去除，从而产生复杂的三维部件。该工艺可应用于金属、陶瓷和金属/陶瓷复合材料零件的生产。最初，重点将放在陶瓷部件的制造上，并将应用于金属铸造模具的快速制造和金属基复合材料预制件的快速制造。

This research addresses Three Dimensional Printing, a process for the manufacture of tooling and functional prototype parts directly from computer models. The process offers the critical advantages of rapid part turnaround and minimal investment in tooling. Three Dimensional Printing functions by the deposition of powdered material in layers and the selective binding of the powder by "ink-jet" printing of a binder material. Following the sequential application of layers, the unbound powder is removed, resulting in a complex three dimensional part. The process may be applied to the production of metal, ceramic, and metal/ceramic composite parts. Initially, the focus will be on the manufacture of ceramic parts and will be applied to the rapid fabrication of molds for metal casting and the rapid fabrication of preforms for metal matrix composites.