# 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. - **Patent:** US 11311959 - **Original title:** Solid-state additive manufacturing system and material compositions and structures - **Owner:** Meld Manufacturing - **Granted:** 2022 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 18 - **Field:** manufacturing, materials, aerospace, automotive, mechanical ## What it does 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. ## 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). ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Repairing worn aerospace components with new material layers 2. Adding specialized features to existing metal parts 3. Building custom metal prototypes with enhanced strength 4. Creating multi-material components with tailored properties 5. Manufacturing high-performance parts for defense applications ## Why it matters 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. ## 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. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11311959/solid-state-additive-manufacturing-system-and-material-compositions-and-structur **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US11311959 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How to Precisely Control Solid-State 3D Printing for Stronger Materials](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20240109245/process-control-systems-and-methods-using-a-solid-state-additive-manufacturing-s) — This patent describes a system for precisely controlling solid-state additive manufacturing, allowing real-time adjustments to create specific material structures without melting, using continuous material feeds. - [How to Improve 3D Printing Using Cold Spray Metal Deposition](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12233456/mars-colonial-transporter-architecture) — A method for perfecting metal 3D printing by analyzing how spray angles affect material quality and adjusting the printer's path to fix errors. - [How to 3D Print Metal Parts with Easy-to-Remove Supports](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12358049/interface-layers-for-removable-supports) — This patent describes a method for 3D printing complex metal objects with support structures that can be easily removed after the final part is made solid, by using a special non-stick layer in between. - [How Machines Build 3D Objects Layer by Layer from Melting Plastic](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5121329/fdm-3d-printing-stratasys) — This patent describes a method and machine for creating three-dimensional objects by precisely depositing melted material, layer by layer, from a movable nozzle onto a base. - [How Boeing 3D Prints Strong Lightweight Spacecraft Panels](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11794927/starship-life-support-system) — A method for printing a single-piece, high-strength spacecraft panel using 3D printing to create complex internal trusses that eliminate the need for bolts or welds.