Importance

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Abstract

A model making method and apparatus projects a linearly polarized laser beam from a laser source onto a mirror for circularly polarizing the beam and directing the circularly polarized beam vertically toward a rectilinearly movable stage for fusing a rectangular wire to a substrate or a previously fused wire layer on the stage. The circularly polarized beam projects through a center of a spool and a rotary stage and a support for the rotary stage and a rotary arm which is mounted on the rotary stage. The rotary arm supports a stepper feeder which draws the wire from the spool and pushes the wire through a nozzle, which radiuses the wire so that it lies flat and releases the wire near a focused spot of the circularly polarized laser beam. The rotating arm carries a lens mount on a pivot so that the lens which focuses the beam may traverse the wire for cutting the wire. Movement of the rectilinearly movable stage in a X-Y direction is controlled by a computer and stepper motors to follow a predetermined pattern of a cross-section of the model. The rotary arm turns on the rotary stage to release the wire tangentially to curvatures in the model outline. After each complete layer, the stage is stepped downward one wire thickness and the next layer is formed. The nozzle includes a gas jet passage for flooding the wire with inert gas as it is fused.

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First Claim