APPLYING ELECTRIC PULSES THROUGH A LASER INDUCED PLASMA CHANNEL FOR USE IN A 3-D METAL PRINTING PROCESS

摘要

A method of fabricating an object by additive manufacturing is provided. Themethod includes irradiating a portion of powder in a powder bed, theirradiation creatingan ion channel extending to the powder. The method also includes applyingelectricalenergy to the ion channel, wherein the electrical energy is transmittedthrough the ionchannel to the powder in the powder bed, and energy from the irradiation andthe electricalenergy each contribute to melting or sintering the portion of the powder inthe powder bed.