Methods for additively manufacturing composite parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124570-B2
Application number	US-201614995742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The method comprises applying a thermosetting resin to a non-resin component of a continuous flexible line while pushing the non-resin component through a delivery guide and pushing the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide. The continuous flexible line further comprises a thermosetting resin component that comprises at least some of the thermosetting resin applied to the non-resin component. The method further comprises depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of additively manufacturing a composite part, the method comprising:
engaging a non-resin component and pushing the non-resin component into a delivery guide by a feed mechanism;
separately injecting a first part of a thermosetting resin and a second part of the thermosetting resin into the delivery guide;
mixing the first part of the thermosetting resin and the second part of the thermosetting resin within the delivery guide; and
applying the first part of the thermosetting resin and the second part of the thermosetting resin to the non-resin component to create a continuous flexible line within the delivery guide while pushing the non-resin component into the delivery guide and pushing the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide, wherein the continuous flexible line comprises the non-resin component and a thermosetting resin component that comprises at least some of the first part of the thermosetting resin and at least some of the second part of the thermosetting resin that was injected into the delivery guide; and
depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path; and
wherein:
the delivery guide comprises:
a first inlet that receives the non-resin component;
a second inlet that receives the first part of the thermosetting resin ;
a third inlet that receives the second part of the thermosetting resin;
an outlet, through which the continuous flexible line is dispensed from the delivery guide;
a line passage that extends from the first inlet to the outlet; and
an internal mixing structure, configured to operatively combine the first part and the second part of the thermosetting resin within the delivery guide; and

the internal mixing structure comprises at least one mixing guide, positioned within the delivery guide and configured to intermix the first part and the second part of the thermosetting resin.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising metering a flow of the first part of the thermosetting resin and metering a flow of the second part of the thermosetting resin.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein:
metering the flow of the first part of the thermosetting resin and metering the flow of the second part of the thermosetting resin comprises detecting a saturation level of the non-resin component with the thermosetting resin, and selectively reducing or selectively increasing the flow of the first part of the thermosetting resin to the delivery guide and selectively reducing or selectively increasing the flow of the second part of the thermosetting resin responsive to the saturation level of the non-resin component with the thermosetting resin.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising delivering a predetermined or actively determined amount of curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line at a controlled rate while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path and after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path to at least partially cure at least the portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein delivering the predetermined or actively determined amount of the curing energy at least to the portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line at the controlled rate comprises partially curing a first layer of the segment of the continuous flexible line as the first layer is being deposited and further curing the first layer as a second layer is being deposited against the first layer.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein delivering the predetermined or actively determined amount of the curing energy at least to the portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line at the controlled rate comprises selectively varying at least one of a delivery rate, a delivery duration, or a temperature of the curing energy to impart varying physical characteristics to the composite part.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, simultaneously with depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path, compacting at least a section of the segment of the continuous flexible line after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein compacting at least the section of the segment of the continuous flexible line after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path comprises heating the section of the segment of the continuous flexible line to at least partially cure at least the section of the segment of the continuous flexible line.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, simultaneously with depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path, roughening at least a section of the segment of the continuous flexible line after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein roughening at least the section of the segment of the continuous flexible line after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path comprises heating the section of the segment of the continuous flexible line to at least partially cure at least the section of the segment of the continuous flexible line.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selectively cutting the continuous flexible line, wherein the continuous flexible line is selectively cut simultaneously with depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path.

12. The method according claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining the thermosetting resin component below a threshold temperature prior to depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path is performed within a chamber that is one of positively pressurized or negatively pressurized relative to atmospheric pressure.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path comprises initially depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line against a surface; and
the method further comprises heating the surface.

15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising texturing the continuous flexible line as the continuous flexible fine is being deposited.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the one mixing guide is at least partially discontinuous along the line passage.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein only a portion of at least the one mixing guide defines the line passage.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of at least the one mixing guide is angled toward the outlet.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein at least the portion of at least the one mixing guide is angled toward the outlet at a pitch that varies along the line passage.

20. The method according to claim 3 , wherein metering the flow of the first part of the thermosetting resin and metering the flow of the second part of the thermosetting resin comprises selectively reducing or selectively increasing the flow of the first part of the thermosetting resin to the delivery guide and selectively reducing or selectively increasing the flow of the second part of the thermosetting resin

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Evans Nick S
• Torres Faraón
• Ziegler Ryan G
• Harrison Samuel F
• Grijalva Iii Ciro J
• Osborn Hayden S

Classifications

• B29C2035/0827

  using UV radiation · CPC title

• B29K2995/005

  Oriented · CPC title

• B29C64/314

  Preparation · CPC title

• B29K2105/10

  Cords, strands or rovings, e.g.} oriented {cords, strands or rovings · CPC title

• B05D1/265

  Extrusion coatings · CPC title