Laser sintering powder, method for producing structure, apparatus for producing structure

Abstract

A laser sintering powder to be sintered by irradiation with a laser light is provided. The sintering powder includes a plurality of metal particles and a binder which binds the metal particles to one another. The binder is sublimated by the irradiation with the laser light. The average particle diameter of the metal particles is 5 μm or more and 10 μm or less, and the average particle diameter of the laser sintering powder is 30 μm or more and 50 μm or less. Further, after a powder layer is formed using the laser sintering powder, this powder layer may be compressed in the thickness direction before or after irradiation with the laser light.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laser sintering powder which is sintered by irradiation with a laser light, comprising:
 a plurality of metal particles; and   a binder which binds the metal particles to one another, wherein   the binder contains a material which is decomposed and vaporized by the laser light.   
     
     
         2 . The laser sintering powder according to  claim 1 , wherein an average particle diameter of the metal particles is 5 μm or more and 10 μm or less, and an average particle diameter of the laser sintering powder is 30 μm or more and 50 μm or less. 
     
     
         3 . The laser sintering powder according to  claim 1 , wherein an average particle diameter of the laser sintering powder is 3 times or more and 10 times or less larger than an average particle diameter of the metal particles. 
     
     
         4 . The laser sintering powder according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal particles contain any one of iron, nickel, and cobalt as a principal component and are produced by an atomization method. 
     
     
         5 . The laser sintering powder according to  claim 4 , wherein the metal particles contain iron as a principal component, and at least one of nickel, chromium, molybdenum, and carbon. 
     
     
         6 . The laser sintering powder according to  claim 1 , wherein the binder is polyvinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         7 . A method for producing a structure, comprising:
 forming a powder layer composed of a laser sintering powder in which a plurality of metal particles are bound to one another by a binder; and   sintering the metal particles by emitting a laser light to the powder layer to draw a given pattern and vaporizing the binder, wherein   a structure in which the metal particles are sintered is formed by alternately repeating the forming of a powder layer so as to overlap with the powder layer having the pattern drawn thereon and the sintering.   
     
     
         8 . The method for producing a structure according to  claim 7 , wherein the metal particles irradiated with the laser light are sintered by heating to a temperature at which the metal particles do not melt. 
     
     
         9 . The method for producing a structure according to  claim 7 , further comprising compressing the powder layer in a thickness direction. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for producing a structure, comprising:
 a powder layer forming unit which forms a powder layer using a laser sintering powder in which a plurality of metal particles are bound to one another by a binder; and   a laser light source which emits a laser light to the powder layer.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for producing a structure according to  claim 10 , further comprising a compressing unit which compresses the powder layer in a thickness direction. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for producing a structure according to  claim 11 , wherein the compressing unit includes a roller selectively coming in contact with the powder layer.