Systems and methods for creating feedstock lines for additive manufacturing of an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10603890-B2
Application number	US-201715706492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A feedstock line comprises elongate filaments, a resin, and a full-length optical waveguide, comprising a full-length optical core. The full-length optical waveguide is configured such that when electromagnetic radiation enters the full-length optical core via at least one of a first full-length-optical-core end face, a second full-length-optical-core end face, or a full-length peripheral surface that extends between the first full-length-optical-core end face and the second full-length-optical-core end face, at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the full-length optical core via the full-length peripheral surface to irradiate, in an interior volume of the feedstock line, the resin that, due at least in part to the elongate filaments, is not directly accessible to the electromagnetic radiation, incident on the exterior surface of the feedstock line.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for creating a feedstock line for additive manufacturing of an object, the feedstock line having a feedstock-line length, the system comprising:
a filament supply, configured to dispense a precursor tow, comprising elongate filaments;
a filament separator, configured to separate the precursor tow, dispensed from the filament supply, into individual ones of the elongate filaments or into subsets of the elongate filaments, wherein each of the subsets comprises a plurality of the elongate filaments;
a full-length-optical-waveguide supply, configured to dispense at least one full-length optical waveguide;
an optical-direction-modifier supply, configured to dispense optical direction modifiers to be applied to the individual ones of the elongate filaments or the subsets of the elongate filaments, originating from the filament separator, and wherein each of the optical direction modifiers has an outer surface and is configured such that when electromagnetic radiation strikes the outer surface from a first direction, at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation departs the outer surface in a second direction that is at an angle to the first direction;
a combiner, configured to combine the individual ones of the elongate filaments with the optical direction modifiers and at least the one full-length optical waveguide, dispensed by the full-length-optical-waveguide supply, or the subsets of the elongate filaments, originating from the filament separator, and at least the one full-length optical waveguide, dispensed by the full-length-optical-waveguide supply, into a derivative tow so that each of the elongate filaments and at least the one full-length optical waveguide extend along all of the feedstock-line length and at least the one full-length optical waveguide and the optical direction modifiers are interspersed among the elongate filaments; and
a resin supply, configured to provide a resin to be applied to at least one of the precursor tow, dispensed from the filament supply, the individual ones of the elongate filaments or the subsets of the elongate filaments, originating from the filament separator, at least the one full-length optical waveguide, dispensed from the full-length-optical-waveguide supply, or the derivative tow, originating from the combiner, such that the elongate filaments, the optical direction modifiers, and at least the one full-length optical waveguide in the derivative tow are covered with the resin.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate filaments are opaque to the electromagnetic radiation.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least the one full-length optical waveguide comprises a full-length optical core;
the full-length optical core comprises a first full-length-optical-core end face, a second full-length-optical-core end face, opposite the first full-length-optical-core end face, and a full-length peripheral surface, extending between the first full-length-optical-core end face and the second full-length-optical-core end face; and
at least the one full-length optical waveguide is configured such that when the electromagnetic radiation enters the full-length optical core via at least one of the first full-length-optical-core end face, the second full-length-optical-core end face, or the full-length peripheral surface, at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the full-length optical core via the full-length peripheral surface.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein at least the one full-length optical waveguide is configured such that when the electromagnetic radiation enters the first full-length-optical-core end face of the full-length optical core, an initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the full-length optical core via the full-length peripheral surface and a final portion of the electromagnetic radiation, remaining in the full-length optical core after the initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the full-length optical core, exits the full-length optical core via the second full-length-optical-core end face.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the full-length optical core has a full-length-optical-core refractive index;
at least the one full-length optical waveguide further comprises a full-length-optical-core cladding, at least partially covering the full-length optical core;
the full-length-optical-core cladding comprises at least a first full-length-optical-core cladding resin, having a full-length-optical-core first-cladding-resin refractive index;
the full-length-optical-core cladding is non-uniform along at least the one full-length optical waveguide; and
the full-length-optical-core refractive index is greater than the full-length-optical-core first-cladding-resin refractive index.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein:
the full-length peripheral surface has full-length-peripheral-surface regions devoid of the first full-length-optical-core cladding resin;
the full-length-optical-core cladding further comprises a second full-length-optical-core cladding resin, having a full-length-optical-core second-cladding-resin refractive index;
the second full-length-optical-core cladding resin covers the full-length-peripheral-surface regions of the full-length peripheral surface; and
the full-length-optical-core second-cladding-resin refractive index is greater than the full-length-optical-core first-cladding-resin refractive index.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the second full-length-optical-core cladding resin also covers the first full-length-optical-core cladding resin.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein:
the resin has a resin refractive index; and
the resin refractive index is greater than the full-length-optical-core second-cladding-resin refractive index.

9. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the full-length peripheral surface has a surface roughness that is selected such that when electromagnetic radiation enters the full-length optical core via at least one of the first full-length-optical-core end face, the second full-length-optical-core end face, or the full-length peripheral surface, at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the full-length optical core via the full-length peripheral surface.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein at least the one full-length optical waveguide is devoid of any cladding that covers the full-length optical core.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the filament separator is configured to impart a first electrical charge to the elongate filaments as the precursor tow is separated into the individual ones of the elongate filaments or into the subsets of the elongate filaments;
the resin supply is configured to impart a second electrical charge to the resin when the resin is applied to at least one of the individual ones of the elongate filaments or the subsets of the elongate filaments and originating from the filament separator, or the derivative tow, originating from the combiner, such that the elongate filaments and at least the one full-length optical waveguide in the derivative tow are covered with the resin; and
the second electrical charge and the first electrical charge have opposite signs.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the combiner is configured to at least one of twist, weave, or braid the individual ones of the elongate filaments and at least the one full-length optical waveguide, dispensed by the full-length-optical-waveguide supply, or the subsets of the elongate filaments, originating from the filament separator, and at least the one full-length optic

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wilenski Mark Stewart
• Kozar Michael Patrick
• Harrison Samuel F
• Evans Nick Shadbeh
• Torres Faraón

Classifications

• B33Y40/00

  Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling · CPC title

• B29C70/88

  characterised primarily by possessing specific properties, e.g. electrically conductive or locally reinforced · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/314 Primary

  Preparation · CPC title