Liquid-phase sintering of tungsten carbide-cobalt by laser radiation

Laser Sintering is a powder metallurgical process. The principle of Laser Sintering is based on a local densification of powdered materials as a result of the absorption of laser radiation. Through a cyclic repetition of material application, densification and the lowering of a build-up plate, a three dimensional geometry develops Within the Laser Sintering (liquid-phase sintering) of tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) the low melting material, the metal binder phase cobalt, is temporarily transferred into the liquid phase. The high melting WC-phase is not melted and remains fine dispersed in the metal binder phase after cooling of the material.