| CPC B23K 26/342 (2015.10) [B23K 26/1464 (2013.01); B23K 26/147 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); C22C 1/04 (2013.01); B23K 2103/18 (2018.08)] | 21 Claims |
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1. A method comprising:
dispensing metal-based material from a plurality of material sources, each source operable to dispense the metal-based material at a variable rate;
mixing the metal-based material dispensed by the plurality of material sources, and conveying the mixed metal-based material using a material conduit coupled to the plurality of material sources; and
using a deposition tool coupled to receive the mixed metal-based material via the material conduit, the deposition tool having control circuitry, a nozzle, and an energy source, to:
deposit layers of a first combination of the materials on a substrate surface by: supplying a mixture of the first combination of materials from the plurality of material sources, conveying the mixture to the deposition tool via the material conduit, dispensing the first combination of materials from the nozzle, and melting a first portion of the dispensed materials via the energy source, each layer having a second portion of the dispensed materials that remains unmelted,
remelt a top one of the deposited layers via the energy source, including melting the second portion of the dispensed materials in the top layer, and
deposit layers of a second combination of materials relative to the surface, the second combination being different than the first combination, by: adjusting the rate at which at least one of the material sources dispenses metal-based material, supplying a mixture of the second combination of materials from the plurality of material sources via the adjusted rate, conveying the mixture of the second combination of materials to the deposition tool via the material conduit, dispensing the second combination of materials from the nozzle, melting the dispensed materials via the energy source, and remelting a top one of the deposited layers.
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