Multi-Material Processing By Lens

INTRODUCTION During the past few years, solid freeform fabrication has evolved into direct fabrication of metallic components using computer aided design (CAD) solid models. [1-4] Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENSTM) is one such technique [5-7] being developed at Sandia to fabricate high strength, near net shape metallic components. In the past two years a variety of components have been fabricated using LENSTM for applications ranging from prototype parts to injection mold tooling. [8]