Building Metal Parts Without Melting: Solid-State 3D Printing System
This patent describes a system for building or repairing metal parts by frictionally heating and stirring materials together without melting them, precisely controlling the material's internal structure as it's made.
Original patent title: “Solid-state additive manufacturing system and material compositions and structures”
This patent describes a system for building or repairing metal parts by frictionally heating and stirring materials together without melting them, precisely controlling the material's internal structure as it's made. Granted to Meld Manufacturing in 2022 with 25 claims and 18 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2038.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This system builds 3D structures, coats surfaces, or repairs objects by feeding a filler material, like metal powder or wire, through a spinning tool onto a workpiece. Unlike traditional 3D printing that melts material, this system uses friction and mechanical stirring from the tool's rotation and movement to heat and join the materials in a solid state (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). A control unit, monitoring unit, and sensors work together, using temperature feedback to adjust how the material is deposited layer by layer (Claim 1). This process creates a “tailored microstructure” where the internal grains of the material are made at least five times smaller than in the original filler or workpiece, making the final part stronger (Claim 1). For example, it could add a new, stronger metal layer to a worn engine part without damaging the original structure with high heat.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover additive manufacturing processes that rely on melting and then solidifying the material, such as laser powder bed fusion or arc welding.
- Does not cover systems that do not actively refine the microstructure of the deposited material to achieve at least a five-fold reduction in grain size (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that lack temperature feedback controls to adjust processing parameters during layer-by-layer deposition (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover methods of joining materials without the use of a rotating and/or translating tool that provides friction, heating, or mechanical stirring (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that only dispense filler material without also providing coordinated movement of the spindle, tool, or workpiece (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever bit is precisely controlling the material's internal structure, specifically refining its grains by at least five times, during the solid-state deposition process. This is achieved by combining friction-based heating and mechanical stirring with real-time temperature feedback, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments to create stronger, more durable parts without ever melting the metal.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Repairing worn aerospace components with new material layers
Adding specialized features to existing metal parts
Building custom metal prototypes with enhanced strength
Creating multi-material components with tailored properties
Manufacturing high-performance parts for defense applications
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Traditional metal manufacturing often involves melting, which can weaken materials or introduce defects. This solid-state approach avoids melting, allowing for stronger, more durable parts with refined internal structures. It enables the creation of gradient materials, where properties change smoothly, and the repair of existing components without extensive heat damage. This technology is important for industries needing high-performance metal components, especially for critical applications in aerospace or defense.
Filed
October 31, 2018
Granted
April 26, 2022
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Meld Manufacturing Corp, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is actively developing and commercializing this solid-state additive manufacturing technology. Other companies in the broader additive manufacturing space, particularly those focused on metal printing and repair, are also exploring and advancing similar friction-stir deposition techniques for high-performance applications.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the growing field of solid-state additive manufacturing, offering an alternative to traditional fusion-based methods. Its ability to create parts with superior material properties, such as refined microstructures, can open new possibilities for repairing high-value components and manufacturing parts for demanding environments. It enables industries to extend the life of existing equipment and design components with previously unattainable material characteristics, potentially reducing waste and improving performance in sectors like aerospace and heavy industry.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This system builds 3D structures, coats surfaces, or repairs objects by feeding a filler material, like metal powder or wire, through a spinning tool onto a workpiece. Unlike traditional 3D printing that melts material, this system uses friction and mechanical stirring from the tool's rotation and movement to heat and join the materials in a solid state (Claim 1). A control unit, monitoring unit, and sensors work together, using temperature feedback to adjust how the material is deposited layer by layer (Claim 1). This process creates a “tailored microstructure” where the internal grains of the material are made at least five times smaller than in the original filler or workpiece, making the final part stronger (Claim 1). For example, it could add a new, stronger metal layer to a worn engine part without damaging the original structure with high heat.
The clever bit
The clever bit is precisely controlling the material's internal structure, specifically refining its grains by at least five times, during the solid-state deposition process. This is achieved by combining friction-based heating and mechanical stirring with real-time temperature feedback, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments to create stronger, more durable parts without ever melting the metal.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover additive manufacturing processes that rely on melting and then solidifying the material, such as laser powder bed fusion or arc welding.
- Does not cover systems that do not actively refine the microstructure of the deposited material to achieve at least a five-fold reduction in grain size (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that lack temperature feedback controls to adjust processing parameters during layer-by-layer deposition (Claim 1).
- Does not cover methods of joining materials without the use of a rotating and/or translating tool that provides friction, heating, or mechanical stirring (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that only dispense filler material without also providing coordinated movement of the spindle, tool, or workpiece (Claim 1).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
26/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
17/20
Very broad protection
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$158K – $505K
Midpoint $316K · 12.2 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
25 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Hubbard, W., Broach, A. T., Cox, C., & Hardwick, N. (2022). Building Metal Parts Without Melting: Solid-State 3D Printing System (U.S. Patent No. 11,311,959). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11311959/solid-state-additive-manufacturing-system-and-material-compositions-and-structur
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Building Metal Parts Without Melting: Solid-State 3D Printing System cover?
This patent describes a system for building or repairing metal parts by frictionally heating and stirring materials together without melting them, precisely controlling the material's internal structure as it's made.
Who owns patent US 11311959?
Meld Manufacturing owns this patent, granted in 2022.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 31, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11311959 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 18 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Traditional metal manufacturing often involves melting, which can weaken materials or introduce defects. This solid-state approach avoids melting, allowing for stronger, more durable parts with refined internal structures. It enables the creation of gradient materials, where properties change smoothly, and the repair of existing components without extensive heat damage. This technology is important for industries needing high-performance metal components, especially for critical applications in aerospace or defense.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover additive manufacturing processes that rely on melting and then solidifying the material, such as laser powder bed fusion or arc welding.
Patent monitoring