Additive manufacturing apparatus and system with vacuum assembly, and method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117219-B2
Application number	US-201816200510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2018
Priority date	Nov 26, 2018
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

There is provided an AM apparatus for an AM process. The AM apparatus has an AM assembly with a build chamber to support part(s) built with a powder, in a build operation. Unused powder accumulates in the build chamber during the build operation. The AM apparatus has a vacuum assembly with duct line(s) in flow communication with the build chamber, and a powder receptacle in flow communication with the duct line(s). The powder receptacle has coupling member(s) allowing the powder receptacle to be reversibly attached to the duct line(s). The vacuum assembly includes a vacuum apparatus coupled to, and in flow communication with, the powder receptacle, via vacuum duct line(s). The vacuum assembly pulls the unused powder from the build chamber to the powder receptacle, and provides an automated removal of the unused powder from the build chamber into the powder receptacle, to avoid manual removal of the unused powder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additive manufacturing apparatus for an additive manufacturing process, the additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:
an additive manufacturing assembly comprising:
a build assembly having a build chamber to support one or more parts built with a powder, in a build operation of the additive manufacturing process, wherein unused powder accumulates in the build chamber during the build operation;
a powder delivery assembly to supply the powder to the build assembly; and
a housing structure that houses the build assembly and the powder delivery assembly;

a vacuum assembly coupled to the build chamber of the additive manufacturing assembly, the vacuum assembly comprising:
one or more duct lines in flow communication with the build chamber, each of the one or more duct lines having a check valve assembly comprising a check valve and an actuator, to control a flow of the unused powder from the build chamber;
a powder receptacle located outside the housing structure and separate from the powder delivery assembly, and in flow communication with the one or more duct lines, the powder receptacle comprising one or more quick disconnect coupling members each positioned in an opening formed through the powder receptacle, the one or more quick disconnect coupling members allowing the powder receptacle to be attached to and detachable from the one or more duct lines, and wherein the powder receptacle comprises one or more of the quick disconnect coupling members each fitted in a vacuum duct line opening formed through the powder receptacle, the one or more of the quick disconnect coupling members allowing the powder receptacle to be attached to and detachable from one or more vacuum duct lines; and
a vacuum apparatus located outside the housing structure and coupled to, and in flow communication with, the powder receptacle, via the one or more vacuum duct lines,

wherein the vacuum assembly pulls the unused powder from the build chamber to the powder receptacle, via the one or more duct lines, and further wherein the vacuum assembly operates to provide an automated removal of the unused powder from the build chamber into the powder receptacle, to avoid a manual removal of the unused powder from the build chamber.

2. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more duct lines has a first end coupled to a build chamber opening formed in a wall of the build chamber, and each of the one or more duct lines has a second end coupled to one of the one or more quick disconnect coupling members.

3. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more duct lines comprises a flexible duct line, and further wherein each of the one or more vacuum duct lines comprises a flexible vacuum duct line.

4. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the check valve assembly comprises a pneumatic flapper check valve, and wherein the actuator comprises a pneumatic actuator for actuating the pneumatic flapper check valve.

5. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the powder receptacle has an output nozzle for attachment to an input nozzle of a powder sieve apparatus, the output nozzle facilitating transfer of the unused powder in the powder receptacle to the powder sieve apparatus.

6. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the powder receptacle has a plurality of base attachment portions attached to and extending from a base of the powder receptacle, the plurality of base attachment portions for attachment to a mobile transporting apparatus, the mobile transporting apparatus configured to transport the powder receptacle, including configured to transport the powder receptacle to the powder sieve apparatus for sieving of the unused powder.

7. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the build assembly further comprises a build platform, and a build piston configured to lower the build platform to a ground floor position aligned with a bottom portion of each build chamber opening, after the one or more parts are built with the powder.

8. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more vacuum duct lines has a filter element coupled at a first end of each of the one or more vacuum duct lines, and further wherein the one or more of the quick disconnect coupling members allow the powder receptacle to be attached to and detachable from the one or more vacuum duct lines, via the filter element.

9. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum apparatus comprises a vacuum pump.

10. An additive manufacturing system for an additive manufacturing process, the additive manufacturing system comprising:
an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:
an additive manufacturing assembly comprising:
a build assembly having a build chamber to support one or more parts built with a powder, in a build operation of the additive manufacturing process, wherein unused powder accumulates in the build chamber during the build operation;
a powder delivery assembly to supply the powder to the build assembly;
an energy delivery assembly to melt the powder in the build chamber used to build the one or more parts, during the build operation;
a powder overflow chamber; and
a housing structure that houses the build assembly, the powder delivery assembly, the energy delivery assembly, and the powder overflow chamber; and

a vacuum assembly coupled to the build chamber of the additive manufacturing apparatus, via one or more housing openings, the vacuum assembly comprising:
one or more duct lines in flow communication with the build chamber, each of the one or more duct lines having a check valve assembly comprising a check valve and an actuator, to control a flow of the unused powder from the build chamber;
a powder receptacle located outside the housing structure and separate from the powder delivery assembly, the powder receptacle in flow communication with the one or more duct lines, the powder receptacle comprising one or more quick disconnect coupling members each positioned in an opening formed through the powder receptacle, the one or more quick disconnect coupling members allowing the powder receptacle to be attached to and detachable from the one or more duct lines, and wherein the powder receptacle comprises one or more of the quick disconnect coupling members each fitted in a vacuum duct line opening formed through the powder receptacle, the one or more of the quick disconnect coupling members allowing the powder receptacle to be attached to and detachable from one or more vacuum duct lines; and
a vacuum apparatus located outside the housing structure and coupled to, and in flow communication with, the powder receptacle, via the one or more vacuum duct lines, each of the one or more vacuum duct lines coupled to a filter element;

a power source coupled to the additive manufacturing assembly and coupled to the vacuum assembly, to power the additive manufacturing assembly and to power the vacuum assembly; and
a control system coupled to the additive manufacturing assembly and coupled to the vacuum assembly, to control the additive manufacturing assembly and to control the vacuum assembly,

wherein the vacuum assembly pulls the unused powder from the build chamber to the powder receptacle, via the one or more duct lines, and further wherein the vacuum assembly operates to provide an automated removal of the unused powder from the build chamber into the powder receptacle, to avoid a manual removal of the unused powder from the build chamber.

11. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , further comprising an overflow duct line co

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Sievers Daniel E
• Bocchini Peter J

Classifications

• B23K26/703

  Cooling arrangements (by using a fluid stream B23K26/14) · CPC title

• B29C64/35 Primary

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B23K26/1464

  Supply to, or discharge from, nozzles of media, e.g. gas, powder, wire · CPC title

• B29C64/153

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