This process, with minimal heating, results in a solid-state atomic bond or weld between the thin metal tape and the substrate. Multiple layers are welded together one after the other to build up height. Photo Credit: Fabrisonic

Ultrasonic additive manufacturing works by layering thin metal sheets or tape which are then vibrated together until they fuse. 

In UAM, material is not melted, but instead joined through ultrasonic welding. This welding uses high-frequency vibration to join surfaces while the metal remains solid. By welding layer upon layer upon layer in this way, the process builds solid, dense metal parts.

While under high-frequency ultrasonic vibration and constant pressure, the ultrasonic motion breaks up oxides through friction, enabling the direct contact of metal on metal. 

And as Mark Norfolk of Fabrisonic said in the first episode of The Cool Parts Show, “As soon as you have virgin metal touching virgin metal, mother nature takes over and you get a solid-state bond.”

This solid-state bond can be formed even between dissimilar metals, allowing for the creation of multimaterial parts that combine materials, like copper for cooling inside an aluminum part. The process repeats until a solid part has been built. 

Can Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing Be Combined with Other Processes?

UAM can be combined with CNC machining in a hybrid format to enable cutting features and finish machining during the manufacturing process. Hybrid machines are available for this process that offer CNC contour milling to obtain required tolerances and optimal surface finish.

Ultrasonic additive manufacturing can also be used in conjunction with other additive manufacturing processes, such as augmenting an intricate part made via laser powder bed fusion with layers of similar or dissimilar materials.