Support for a fired article

摘要

An article produced using, among other techniques, free-form fabrication having a binder matrix and particles can be supported during a temperature processing, such as burn-out of the binder matrix, with a support composition to maintain geometry and/or alleviate changes in geometry of the article. The support composition can take a variety of forms such as foams, two phase materials, plastic powders, carbon powders, etc. The support material is sacrificed during the thermal processing, such as through decomposition. Such a decomposition can occur when the support composition evolves into a carbonaceous structure. The support composition can also oxidize to a gas, melt, or vaporize, among other types of sacrificial action.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a free-form fabricated ceramic mold article capable of being thermally processed from a pre-fired shaped to a fired-shape to produce a fired ceramic mold; and a sacrificial structural material that is a separate component comprised of different material from that of the free-form fabricated ceramic mold article, the sacrificial structural material coupled with the free-form fabricated ceramic mold article to stabilize an orientation of the free-form fabricated ceramic mold article, wherein the sacrificial structural material is configured to evolve into a rigid structure during a part of the time when the free-form fabricated ceramic mold article is thermally processed from the pre-fired shape to the fired shape to produce the fired ceramic article; the sacrificial structural material configured to be dispersible during a part of the time when the free-form fabricated ceramic mold article is thermally processed from the pre-fired shaped to the fired shape to produce the fired ceramic article.