Additive manufacturing by ultrasonic welding of metal foil which is then milled to the required geometry. Beskrivning The process In UC-processing both welding and milling operations are performed in multiple steps. A: Metal foil [1] is rolled out one by one under a sonotrode [2], which is a cylindrical tool that welds the foil against the previous layers of foil using ultrasonic vibration under high pressure. This sequence is repeated until the target surface is covered by a layer of metal foil. B: With conventional milling excess foil is removed before a new layer of foil is applied. A and B are repeated until the detail is completed. Often coarse milling is done until a built thickness of 5mm is reached. Then fine milling is carried out to achieve better tolerances. There is thus no post-processing of the finished part. Ultrasonic Consolidation, UC Process films Advantages and disadvantages In comparison with alternative methods Smooth surface finish No atmosphere control required Low energy consumption High wastage
