Methods for additively manufacturing composite parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10183479-B2
Application number	US-201615063443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises applying a first quantity of a first part of a thermosetting resin to a first element of a non-resin component by pulling the first element through a first resin-part applicator and applying a second quantity of a second part of the thermosetting resin to a second element of the non-resin component by pulling the second element through a second resin-part applicator. The method also comprises combining the first element with the first quantity of first part and the second element with the second quantity of second part, to create a continuous flexible line. The method additionally comprises routing the continuous flexible line into a delivery guide and depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of additively manufacturing a composite part, the method comprising:
applying a first quantity of a first part of a thermosetting resin to a first element of a non-resin component by pulling the first element of the non-resin component through a first resin-part applicator;
applying a second quantity of a second part of the thermosetting resin to a second element of the non-resin component by pulling the second element of the non-resin component through a second resin-part applicator;
combining:
the first element of the non-resin component with the first quantity of the first part of the thermosetting resin, applied to the first element of the non-resin component; and
the second element of the non-resin component with the second quantity of the second part of the thermosetting resin, applied to the second element of the non-resin component, to create a continuous flexible line comprising the non-resin component and a thermosetting-resin component that comprises at least some of the first quantity of the first part of the thermosetting resin and at least some of the second quantity of the second part of the thermosetting resin;

routing the continuous flexible line into a delivery guide using a feed mechanism, wherein the feed mechanism comprises opposing rollers and a scraper in contact with at least one of the opposing rollers; and
depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path;
removing, using the scraper, residue of the thermosetting-resin component, produced by the engagement between the opposing rollers and the continuous flexible line as the opposing rollers rotate to translate the continuous flexible line to push the continuous flexible line through the delivery guide; and
collecting, into a collection reservoir, the residue of the thermosetting-resin component, removed by the scraper.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the delivery guide comprises a guide line passage through which the continuous flexible line is delivered to the print path;
the guide line passage of the delivery guide has an inlet;
the feed mechanism is configured to push the continuous flexible line through the guide line passage;
the opposing rollers have respective rotational axes;
the delivery guide further comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a junction between the first end portion and the second end portion;
the first end portion is shaped to be complementary to one of the opposing rollers and the second end portion is shaped to be complementary to another of the opposing rollers; and
a shortest distance (D) between the junction and a plane, containing the respective rotational axes of the opposing rollers, is less than a radius of a smallest one of the opposing rollers.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the junction comprises an edge.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein pulling the first element of the non-resin component through the first resin-part applicator comprises pulling the first element of the non-resin component through a first volume of the first part of the thermosetting resin to apply the first quantity of the first part of the thermosetting resin to the first element of the non-resin component.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein pulling the second element of the non-resin component through the second resin-part applicator comprises pulling the second element of the non-resin component through a second volume of the second part of the thermosetting resin to apply the second quantity of the second part of the thermosetting resin to the second element of the non-resin component.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein applying the first quantity of the first part of the thermosetting resin to the first element of the non-resin component comprises dripping or spraying, by the first resin-part applicator, the first quantity of the first part of the thermosetting resin onto the first element of the non-resin component.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein applying the second quantity of the second part of the thermosetting resin to the second element of the non-resin component comprises dripping or spraying, by the second resin-part applicator, the second quantity of the second part of the thermosetting resin onto the second element of the non-resin component.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising separating a tow into the first element of the non-resin component and the second element of the non-resin component upstream of the first resin-part applicator and the second resin-part applicator.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path, 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 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;
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.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path, 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 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;
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 curing less than an entirety of the composite part.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path, 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 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;
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 or a delivery duration of the curing energy to impart varying physical characteristics to the composite part.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the thermosetting resin below a threshold temperature at least prior to applying the thermosetting resin to the non-resin component.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the threshold temperature is no greater than 20° C.

14. The method according to 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.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein depositing the segment of the co

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B29K2105/253

  Preform · CPC title

• B29C2035/0827

  using UV radiation · CPC title

• B29K2105/101

  Oriented · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C2035/0844

  using X-ray · CPC title