VLPPS process opportunity to create well-defined components by additive manufacturing

VLPPS process opportunity to create well-defined components by additive manufacturing

Geoffrey DARUT^1*, Marie Pierre PLANCHE¹, Hanlin LIAO¹, Ghislain MONTAVON¹

¹ UBFC, ICB-PMDM-LERMPS UMR6303, Sevenans, France

Additive manufacturing deals with the component building by layers superposition of a depositing material. Mostly digital 3D design data is used to indicate the outlines to respect. The different technologies actually used are 3D Printing, Rapid Prototyping, etc. However, thermal spraying can play a role in this technology field like Cold Spray for repairing metallic components.

VLPPS and PS-PVD processes are both thermal spray processes using plasma technology in a very low-pressure controlled atmosphere. These conditions permit to get specific state of the precursor: molten droplets, vapor, etc. As a result, the microstructure of the coating is completely different (lower scale elements, pore architecture) leading to improved properties. In addition, the metallic vapor phase can react with gases to generate new phases as oxides or nitrides. But likely, the vapor mode existence can be also employed to fill mold.

The objective of this work is to demonstrate that VLPPS process can act as an additive manufacturing device. It will be shown that well-defined pieces can be manufactured depending on the operating parameters and the substrate.