WELDABLE ALUMINIUM ALLOYS COMPRISING ZN AS MAIN ALLOYING ELEMENT FOR DIRECT METAL LASER SINTERING

摘要

The invention concerns powder mixtures for use in the manufacture of three dimensional objects by means of additive manufacturing, wherein the powder mixture comprises a first material and a second material. In the respective powder mixtures, the first material comprises an aluminium alloy or a mixture of elemental precursors thereof, and is in powder form and the second material comprises a metal powder of Zr and/or Hf. By means of the addition of the second material, it is possible to prepare three dimensional objects with high ultimate tensile strength and yield strength by additive manufacturing. The invention further concerns processes for the preparation of corresponding powder mixtures and three dimensional objects, three dimensional objects prepared accordingly and devices for implementing processes for the preparation of such objects, as well as a use of a corresponding powder mixture to improve one or more of the ultimate tensile strength and the yield strength of an aluminium alloy based three-dimensional object.