Additive manufactured conglomerated powder removal from internal passages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220444-B2
Application number	US-201514946884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Nov 20, 2015
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A tool includes a flexible section; a head that extends form the flexible section; and an exciter within the head. A method of additively manufacturing a component including burrowing a tool into a conglomerated powder within an internal passage of an additively manufactured component, the tool vibrating in a manner to facilitate removal of the conglomerated powder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
additively manufacturing a component;
burrowing a tool into conglomerated powder within an internal passage of the additively manufactured component, the tool vibrating in a manner to facilitate removal of the conglomerated powder;
rotating the tool within the internal passage; and
transporting the conglomerated powder out of the internal passage along spiral grooves in the tool.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising cleaning the internal passage of the conglomerated powder with the tool subsequent to completion of the additively manufactured component.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising abrading the local surface of the internal passage to provide a desired uniform surface finish.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising abrading a local surface of the internal passage with an abrasive on the tool to provide a desired uniform surface finish.

5. A method, comprising:
additively manufacturing a component;
burrowing a tool into conglomerated powder within an internal passage of the additively manufactured component, the tool vibrating in a manner to facilitate removal of the conglomerated powder; and
transporting the conglomerated powder out of the internal passage along grooves in the tool.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising discharging a lubricant from the tool.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising adjusting an amplitude and frequency of the exciter to vibrate the tool in a manner to provide relatively uniform radial contact within the internal passage.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the internal passage defines an aspect ratio with a diameter to length of less that 1:4.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the internal passage is a non-line of sight passage.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Ott Joe
• Twelves Jr Wendell V
• Butcher Evan
• Kironn Lexia

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F3/24

  After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• C04B2235/6026

  Computer aided shaping, e.g. rapid prototyping · CPC title