Abstract: A steel powder metal skeleton is infiltrated with an infiltrant composition similar to the skeleton, with an additional agent that depresses the melting point of the infiltrant relative to the skeleton. Infiltration is driven primarily by capillary pressure. The powder and infiltrant compositions differ primarily only in a higher concentration of a melting point depressant agent “MPD” in the infiltrant. Carbon (C) and silicon (Si) and several other elements can be elements in an MPD, either alone or in combination. Certain steel target compositions are such that a complementary infiltrant, and skeleton can be chosen such that a skeleton will remain solid at an infiltration temperature at which the infiltrant can be melted and fully infiltrated, and further where there is a persistent two phase field, with a liquid phase that is large enough (greater than 7% vol, and typically between 20 and 40 vol %) so that flow can be maintained without choke off from diffusional solidification.

Abstract: In infiltrating a porous metal skeleton an infiltrant composition is used similar to that of the powder skeleton, but with the addition of a melting point depressant. The infiltrant quickly fills the skeleton. As the melting point depressant diffuses into the base powder, the liquid may undergo diffusional solidification and the material eventually homogenizes. Maintaining the infiltrant at a liquidus composition for the infiltration temperature typically ensures that the bulk composition or properties will remain uniform throughout the part, particularly in the direction of infiltration. Success of such an infiltration is enhanced by effective means of maintaining the molten infiltrant at a liquidus composition. It is also beneficial, in some cases, for the time scale of the infiltration to be much faster than the time scale of the diffusion of the melting point depressant and the subsequent solidification and homogenization.

Abstract: In infiltrating a porous metal skeleton an infiltrant composition is used similar to that of the powder skeleton, but with the addition of a melting point depressant. The infiltrant quickly fills the skeleton. As the melting point depressant diffuses into the base powder, the liquid may undergo diffusional solidification and the material eventually homogenizes. Maintaining the infiltrant at a liquidus composition for the infiltration temperature typically ensures that the bulk composition or properties will remain uniform throughout the part, particularly in the direction of infiltration. Success of such an infiltration is enhanced by effective means of maintaining the molten infiltrant at a liquidus composition. It is also beneficial, in some cases, for the time scale of the infiltration to be much faster than the time scale of the diffusion of the melting point depressant and the subsequent solidification and homogenization.

Abstract: In infiltrating a porous metal skeleton an infiltrant composition is used similar to that of the powder skeleton, but with the addition of a melting point depressant. The infiltrant quickly fills the skeleton. As the melting point depressant diffuses into the base powder, the liquid, may undergo diffusional solidification and the material eventually homogenizes. Maintaining the infiltrant at a liquidus composition for the infiltration temperature typically ensures that the bulk composition or properties will remain uniform throughout the part, particularly in the direction of infiltration. Success of such an infiltration is enhanced by effective means of maintaining the molten infiltrant at a liquidus composition. It is also beneficial, in some cases, for the time scale of the infiltration to be much faster than the time scale of the diffusion of the melting point depressant and the subsequent solidification and homogenization.

Abstract: Processes for providing enhanced thermal properties of tooling, particularly metal and metal/ceramic molds, made by solid free form fabrication techniques, such as the three dimensional printing process, and the tooling made by these processes are disclosed. The methods of enhancing thermal properties include incorporating integral contour coolant channels into the mold, adding surface textures to the coolant channels, creating high thermal conductivity paths between the surfaces and the coolant channels, and creating low thermal inertia regions in the mold.

Abstract: Processes for providing enhanced thermal properties of tooling, particularly metal and metal/ceramic molds, made by solid free form fabrication techniques, such as the three dimensional printing process, and the tooling made by these processes are disclosed. The methods of enhancing thermal properties include incorporating integral contour coolant channels into the mold, adding surface textures to the coolant channels, creating high thermal conductivity paths between the surfaces and the coolant channels, and creating low thermal inertia regions in the mold.

Abstract: Processes for providing enhanced thermal properties of tooling, particularly metal and metal/ceramic molds, made by solid free form fabrication techniques, such as the three dimensional printing process, and the tooling made by these processes are disclosed. The methods of enhancing thermal properties include incorporating integral contour coolant channels into the mold, adding surface textures to the coolant channels, creating high thermal conductivity paths between the surfaces and the coolant channels, and creating low thermal inertia regions in the mold.