摘要：
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a three dimensional component. An outer shell 400 is formed by an additive manufacturing process and the shell is filled with a core material. The method may include forming, by the additive manufacturing process, an internal member 402 extending across at least of portion of an internal space defined by the shell. The filling may include depositing the core material within the shell by a casting process, for example, an injection casting process, a vacuum casting process, and a vacuum pressure casting process. The additive manufacturing process may comprises one or more of: a laser melting process, an electron beam melting process, a direct metal laser sintering process, a blown powder process, and a wire extrusion process. The shell may be made from a metal material, for example titanium, aluminium, and/or steel. The core may be comprise the same or a different material as the shell. A finishing process may be included, for example a machining process, a peening process, a forging process, a drilling process, a filing process, a sanding process, a grinding process, an abrasive polishing process, and/or a hot isostatic pressure process. The component may be a vehicle component, such as an aircraft component.
权利要求：
CLAIMS:
1 A method of manufacturing a three dimensional component, the method comprising fabricating, by an additive manufacturing process, an outer shell and filling the shell with a core material
2. A method according to claim 1, comprising forming, by the additive manufacturing process, an internal member extending across at least of portion of an internal space defined by the shell.
3. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filling comprises depositing the core material within the shell by a casting process.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the casting process comprises one or more of: an injection casting process, a vacuum casting process, and a vacuum pressure casting process.
3. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising controlling the temperature of the shell during the filling.
6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising cooling the shell during the filling.
7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising controlling the temperature of the core material during the filling.
8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising cooling the core material, after filling the shell with the core material, at a rate lower rate than a rate at which the shell cools.
9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising fusing the shell with the core material.
10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising melting the shell with the core material.
11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the additive manufacturing process comprises one or more of: a laser melting process, an electron beam melting process, a direct metal laser sintering process, a blown powder process, and a wire extrusion process.
12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell is formed of substantially the same material as the core material.
13. A method according to any one of claim 1 to claim 11, wherein the shell is formed of a different material to the core material
14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell is formed of a metal material.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the metal material of the shell comprises one or more of: titanium, aluminium, and steel.
16. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the core is formed of a metal material.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the metal material of the core comprises one or more of: titanium, aluminium, and steel.
18. A method according to any one of claim 1 to claim 16, wherein the core is formed of a plastics material, a resin material or a composite material.
19. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising performing the additive manufacturing process to form the shell such that a maximum dimension
of the component is orientated to be parallel with a build plane of an additive manufacturing apparatus and/or such that a minimum dimension of the component is orientated to be perpendicular with the build plane of the additive manufacturing apparatus.
20. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabricating comprises:
forming, by the additive manufacturing process, a first shell portion and a second shell portion; and
assembling the first shell portion with the second shell portion to form the shell.
21. A method according to claim 20, comprising bonding the first shell portion to the second shell portion via the core material.
22. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the shell is formed with a thickness less than 5 mm.
23. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the shell is formed with a thickness less than 3 mm.
24. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the shell is formed with a thickness less than 2 mm.
25. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising externally supporting the shell when depositing the core material within the shell.
26. A method according to claim 25, comprising externally supporting the shell with foundry sand and/or a ceramic coat.
27. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a finishing process.
28. A method according to claim 27, in which the finishing process comprises one or more of: a riser removal process, a machining process, a peening process, a forging process, a drilling process, a filing process, a sanding process, a grinding process, an abrasive polishing process, and a hot isostatic pressure process.
29. A component manufactured according to a method according to any one of the preceding claims.
30. A component according to claim 29, comprising an interface layer between the shell and the core material, wherein the interface layer comprises a mixture of material from the shell and the core material
31. A component according to claim 29, comprising a distinct interface between the shell and the core material.
32. A component according to any one of claim 29 to claim 31, wherein the component is a vehicle component.
33. A component according to any one of claim 29 to claim 32, wherein the component is an aircraft component.
34. A vehicle comprising a component according to any one of claim 29 to claim 33
35. A vehicle according to claim 34, wherein the vehicle 1s an aircraft.
36. A method, component or vehicle as described herein with reference to Figures 2to0 7.