Selective depositing of powder in additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10384265-B2
Application number	US-201615186277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

A method of additive manufacturing include delivering at least one layer by either depositing a uniform layer of powder on a support and then removing a portion of the layer with a roller with a surface having spatially controlled electrostatic charge, or by depositing powder onto the surface of the roller and moving the roller relative to a support such that the spatially controllable electrostatic charge on the surface of the roller causes transfer of a corresponding portion of the powder from the roller onto the support or an underlying layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of powder over a support, the plurality of successive layers including a bottom layer deposited on the support and remaining layers each deposited on an underlying layer of fused powder;
an electron source to impart a spatially controllable electrostatic charge to a surface;
an actuator configured to move the surface relative to the support such that the spatially controllable electrostatic charge on the surface causes removal of a corresponding portion of an outermost layer of powder on the support; and
an energy source to fuse at least some of the outermost layer of powder.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising a rotatable roller having the surface, the roller movable parallel to a top surface of the support.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the roller comprises a photoconductive layer, and the electron source comprises a coronal discharge unit to impart a uniform charge on the roller and a light source to illuminate the roller to generate the spatially controllable electrostatic charge on the surface of the roller.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electron source comprises an electron gun.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises a lamp array configured to fuse substantially all of the outermost layer of powder.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser comprises a nozzle configured to eject the powder and movable parallel to a top surface of the support.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises an electrostatically chargeable chuck.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises a laser configured to scan the outermost layer of powder.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a photoconductive layer, and the electron source is configured to impart a uniform charge on the surface and to illuminate the surface to discharge the surface to generate the spatially controllable electrostatic charge on the surface.

10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the roller.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the roller is configured such that friction between the powder and the roller causes the roller to translate across the support.

12. The system of claim 2 , wherein the actuator is configured to translate the roller linearly across the support.

13. The system of claim 2 , wherein the roller extends across a width of the support.

14. The system of claim 2 , wherein a circumference of the roller is substantially equal to a length of the support.

15. The system of claim 2 , comprising a blade to remove powder from the surface of the roller.

16. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a support having an electrostatically chargeable chuck that is segmented into portions, each portion having a controllable electrostatic charge;
a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of powder over a support, the plurality of successive layers including a bottom layer deposited on the support and remaining layers each deposited on an underlying layer of fused powder;
an electron source to impart an electrostatic charge to a surface;
an actuator configured to move the surface relative to the support such that a spatially controllable electrostatic charge on the chuck causes removal of a corresponding portion of an outermost layer of powder on the support; and
an energy source to fuse at least some of the outermost layer of powder.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electron source comprises a coronal discharge unit to impart a uniform charge on the surface.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Swaminathan Bharath
• Joshi Ajey M
• Patibandla Nag B
• Ng Hou T
• Kumar Ashavani
• Ng Eric
• Frey Bernard
• Krishnan Kasiraman

Classifications

• B29C64/153 Primary

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B22F10/80

  Data acquisition or data processing · CPC title

• B22F12/63

  Rollers · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F12/38

  Housings, e.g. machine housings · CPC title