3D-printed tooling shells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247367-B2
Application number	US-202016884808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2020
Priority date	Feb 10, 2017
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

Techniques for producing panels such as for use in a vehicle, boat, aircraft or other transport structure or mechanical structure using a 3-D-printed tooling shell are disclosed. A 3-D printer may be used to produce a tooling shell containing Invar and/or some other material for use in molding the panels. A channel may be formed in a 3-D printed tooling shell for enabling resin infusion, vacuum generation or heat transfer. Alternatively, or in addition to, one or more hollow sections may be formed within the 3-D printed tooling shell for reducing a weight of the shell. The panel may be molded using the 3-D printed tooling shell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for producing a composite part for a transport or other mechanical structure, the apparatus comprising:
a three-dimensional (3-D) printed tooling shell comprising a metal alloy, the 3-D printed tooling shell including:
a first surface configured to accept a composite material; and
an integrated channel configured to transport a fluid through the first surface of the 3-D printed tooling shell, wherein
a volume of the metal alloy of the 3-D printed tooling shell defines a hollow section of the 3-D printed tooling shell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy includes a nickel alloy.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the nickel alloy includes Invar.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid includes a resin.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the integrated channel is further configured to infuse the composite material with the resin.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the composite part comprises a composite body panel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the composite material includes a carbon fiber composite material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the composite material includes pre-impregnated carbon fiber plies.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a gas.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the integrated channel is further configured to allow the fluid to transfer heat within the 3-D printed tooling shell.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the integrated channel is further configured to allow a vacuum to be created within the integrated channel.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Gunner Jon Paul
• Lakshman Narender Shankar

Classifications

• B22F12/55

  Two or more means for feeding material · CPC title

• B22F10/18

  by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF] · CPC title

• B22F10/28

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

• B22F2999/00

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

• B29K2307/04

  Carbon · CPC title