Device and a method for fabricating a three-dimensional part by selectively melting a powder bed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11141793-B2
Application number	US-201616062548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A device for fabricating a three-dimensional part by selectively melting a powder bed, the device including a first tank for containing a first powder and provided with a first powder dispenser valve, a second tank for containing a second different powder and provided with a second powder dispenser valve, a first and a second monitoring device for monitoring the quantity of first powder delivered by the first valve and the quantity of second powder delivered by the second valve, a mixer chamber in communication with the first and second valves and including a third powder dispenser valve, and a mixer for mixing the powder particles in the chamber, a support for receiving the powder delivered by the third valve and on which the parts is to be fabricated, a powder spreader for spreading powder on the support, and a heater member for locally melting the powder spread on the support.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for fabricating a three-dimensional part by selectively melting a powder bed, the device comprising:
a first tank containing a first powder, said first tank being provided with a first powder dispenser valve;
at least one second tank containing a second powder different from the first powder, said second tank being provided with a second powder dispenser valve;
a first monitoring device for monitoring the quantity of first powder delivered by the first valve;
a second monitoring device for monitoring the quantity of second powder delivered by the second valve;
a mixer chamber in communication with the first and second valves, said mixer chamber including a third powder dispenser valve, and a mixing device for mixing the powder particles contained in said mixer chamber;
a support for receiving the powder delivered by the third valve and on which the part is to be fabricated;
a powder spreader for spreading powder on the support; and
a heater member for locally melting the powder spread on the support;
wherein the first powder presents a first grain size and the second powder presents a second grain size, the first grain size being different from the second grain size,
wherein the mixing device for mixing the powder particles contained in the mixer chamber comprises an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for a gas stream inside the mixer chamber, said gas stream inlet and outlet orifices being configured to cause a gas to flow in the mixer chamber so as to mix the powder contained in said mixer chamber, and
wherein the outlet orifice has a protection cover configured to prevent powder from escaping from the mixer chamber via said outlet orifice.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second powders are made of the same material.

3. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second powders are made of materials that are different.

4. A device according to claim 3 , wherein the first powder is constituted by a first material and the second powder is constituted by a second material, the first and second materials being chemically compatible.

5. A device according to claim 3 , wherein the first powder is constituted by a metal alloy and the second powder is constituted by a pure metal.

6. A device according to claim 1 , further comprising a third monitoring device for monitoring the quantity of powder or powder mixture delivered by the third valve.

7. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second monitoring devices for monitoring the quantity of powder comprise scales for weighing the powder.

8. A device according to claim 1 , further comprising a servo-control system for controlling at least one valve for dispensing powder or a powder mixture as a function of the quantity of powder or powder mixture delivered by said at least one valve.

9. A device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first powder dispenser valve, the second powder dispenser valve or the third powder dispenser valve is driven by a piezoelectric actuator or a hydraulic actuator.

10. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater member comprises a laser or an electron beam generator.

11. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second powder tanks are situated above the mixer chamber.

12. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the first tank, the second tank, and the mixer chamber are stationary.

13. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the mixer chamber is movable and configured to recover powder in succession from one of the first and second tanks, and then from the other of the first and second tanks.

Assignees

• Safran Aircraft Engines

Inventors

• Mottin Jean-Baptiste
• Fribourg Guillaume

Classifications

• B22F12/58

  for changing the material composition, e.g. by mixing · CPC title

• B22F12/57

  Metering means · CPC title

• B22F12/63

  Rollers · CPC title

• B22F10/73

  of powder · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title