Additively manufactured non-contact support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10668532-B2
Application number	US-201514620566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2015
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

An additively manufactured assembly including an additively manufactured component with an edge oriented with respect to a recoater blade direction and an non-contact support that does not form a part of the additively manufactured component, the additively manufactured support located adjacent the edge. A method of additively manufacturing a component includes additively manufacturing an component with an edge oriented with respect to a recoater blade direction simultaneous with additively manufacturing an non-contact support that does not form a part of the component, the additively manufactured support located adjacent the edge.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of additively manufacturing on a reception plate, comprising:
simultaneous additively manufacturing a component on a reception plate that defines an X-Y plane and a non-contact support that does not form a part of the component,
the component comprises a component edge oriented toward and at an acute angle with respect to a recoater blade linear recoat direction that moves parallel to the reception plate, the contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the component edge is a windward side of the additively manufactured component with respect to the recoater blade direction,
the non-contact support comprising a non-contact support contoured surface that is on a leeward side of the component edge with respect to the linear recoat direction, the non-contact support contoured surface spaced from the additively manufactured component edge by a space distance, the space distance arranged to follow a contour of the component edge until the contour becomes at least perpendicular to the X-Y plane with respect to the linear recoat direction, and which prevents connection of the non-contact support contoured surface and the component via the additive manufacturing process;
the non-contact support contoured surface extends from the reception plate until the contour of the component edge is perpendicular to the X-Y plane; and
removing the component and the non-contact support from the reception plate such that the non-contact support separates from the component,
the contoured surface of the non-contact support forming an obtuse angle with respect to the X-Y plane once the contour becomes at least perpendicular to the X-Y plane with respect to the linear recoat direction.

2. A method of additively manufacturing an assembly on a reception plate, comprising:
additively manufacturing a component on a reception plate that defines an X-Y plane, the component comprises a component edge formed by a lip oriented toward and at an acute angle with respect to a recoater blade linear recoat direction that is parallel to the reception plate simultaneous with a non-contact support that does not form a part of the component, the non-contact support located adjacent the component edge and comprising a non-contact support contoured surface that is on a leeward side of the non-contact support with respect to the linear recoat direction, the non-contact support contoured surface spaced from the additively manufactured component by a space distance, the space distance arranged to follow a contour opposing the non-contact support contoured surface of the component edge with respect to the recoater blade linear recoat direction until the contour opposing the non-contact support contoured surface becomes obtuse with respect to the linear recoat direction.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising spacing the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance between about 0.003-0.015 inches (0.076-0.381 mm) parallel to the X-Y plane.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising spacing the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance between about 0.005-0.01 inches (0.127-0.254 mm) parallel to the X-Y plane.

5. A method of additively manufacturing an assembly on a reception plate, comprising:
simultaneous additively manufacturing a component on a reception plate that defines an X-Y plane, the component comprises a component edge oriented toward and at an acute angle with respect to a recoater blade linear recoat direction that is parallel to the reception plate and a non-contact support that does not form a part of the component, the contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the component edge thereof is a windward side of the additively manufactured component with respect to the recoater blade direction,
the non-contact support located adjacent the component edge and comprising a non-contact support contoured surface that is on a leeward side of the non-contact support with respect to the linear recoat direction, the non-contact support contoured surface spaced from the additively manufactured component by a space distance, the space distance arranged to follow a contour opposing the non-contact support contoured surface of the component edge with respect to the recoater blade linear recoat direction until the contour becomes at least perpendicular to the X-Y plane with respect to the linear recoat direction, the contoured surface of the non-contact support forming an obtuse angle with respect to the linear recoat direction once the contour becomes at least perpendicular to the X-Y plane with respect to the linear recoat direction, the non-contact support contoured surface ended commensurate with a location of the component at which the contour of the component is perpendicular to the X-Y plane, the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance which prevents connection of the non-contact support contoured surface and the component via the additive manufacturing process; and
removing the component and the non-contact support from the reception plate such that the non-contact support separates from the component.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , further comprising spacing the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance between about 0.003-0.015 inches (0.076-0.381 mm) parallel to the X-Y plane.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 , further comprising spacing the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance between about 0.005-0.01 inches (0.127-0.254 mm) parallel to the X-Y plane.

8. The method as recited in claim 5 , further comprising orienting a windward side of the non-contact support to form a surface that permits passage of a recoater blade along the recoater blade direction.

9. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the contoured surface of the non-contact support extends perpendicular to the X-Y plane with respect to the linear recoat direction to form a surface that permits the additively manufacturing process that allows the recoater blade to pass to an angled surface on the additively manufactured component without damage thereto.

10. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the contoured surface of the non-contact support extends to the obtuse angle with respect to the linear recoat direction to form a surface that permits the additively manufacturing process allowing the recoater blade to pass to an angled surface on the additively manufactured component without damage thereto.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Doherty Adam Z
• O'Neill Christopher F
• Rizzo Jr John P

Classifications

• B29C64/40

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

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

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F3/1055 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C64/153 Primary

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