THREE-DIMENSIONAL FREE SHAPING METHOD, FREE COATING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a three-dimensional shaping method which can be applied to the production of a component in a final product stage, by using metals, alloys, intermetallic compounds and composite compounds containing these compositions. SOLUTION: This free shaping method comprises forming a fine molten pool by melting a metallic substrate or a thin metallic wire with an electrical micro-arc, melting a thin metallic wire made of a different material, and adding it into the molten pool to form a composite compound or an alloy in an area of several tens of micrometers to several millimeters. A combustion synthesis process takes an advantage of an exothermic reaction occurring while an intermetallic compound such as NiAl is formed, so that the process can produce a highly functional material having superior high-temperature strength and corrosion resistance at a low cost in a short period of time without consuming much energy. A multilayer shaping process using three-dimensional CAD data can freely form a shaped article made from a refractory material while continuously forming a molten bead, and produces a metallic component with a three-dimensionally complicated arbitrary shape. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI