Spray forming structural joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11269311-B2
Application number	US-201816046462-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Jul 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and method for manufacturing a structure are disclosed. The structure includes a first portion, a second portion, and a structural joint. The apparatus is configured to receive instructions for printing the structural joint. The instructions are based on a data model of the structural joint. The apparatus is also configured to receive the first portion and the second portion, the first portion having a first conical tip and the second portion having a second conical tip. The apparatus is further configured to receive material. Additionally, the apparatus is configured to print the structural joint based on the instructions. The printing may include spray forming the material to produce the structural joint. The structural joint connects the first portion to the second portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a structure, the structure including a first portion, a second portion, and a structural joint, the method comprising:
receiving instructions for printing the structural joint, the instructions based on a data model of the structural joint;
receiving the first portion and the second portion, the first portion having a first conical tip and the second portion having a second conical tip;
receiving material; and
printing the structural joint based on the instructions, the printing comprising spray forming the material to produce the structural joint, the structural joint connecting the first portion to the second portion, including joining the first conical tip to the second conical tip.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural joint fills an area of the first conical tip and the second conical tip.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first portion or the second portion comprise a commercial off-the-shelf part.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a 3-D printed part.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second portion comprises a second 3-D printed part.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second portion comprises a 3-D cold-spray printed part.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a 3-D cold-spray printed part.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second portion comprises a second 3-D cold-spray printed part.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least the first portion is held by a bracket during the printing of the structural joint.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least the first portion is held by a robotic arm during the printing of the structural joint.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are physical contact during the printing of the structural joint.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a vertical assembly cell.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least the first portion has been built up using cold spray metal deposit.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a first material, the second portion comprises a second material, and the structural joint comprises a third material.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the third material is configured to withstand stresses on the connection of the first material to the third material.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the third material is configured to withstand stresses on the connection of the second material to the third material.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising preparing at least one of the first portion or the second portion, the preparing comprising a metallization of the at least one of the first portion or the second portion.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first material and the second material comprise the same material.

19. An apparatus for forming a structure, the structure including a first portion, a second portion, and a structural joint, the apparatus, comprising:
a first receiver configured to receive the first portion, the first portion having a first conical tip;
a second receiver configured to receive the second portion, the second portion having a second conical tip;
a material receiver configured to receive material;
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
receive instructions for printing the structural joint, the instructions based on a data model of the structural joint; and
control printing of the structural joint based on the instructions, the printing comprising spray forming the material to produce the structural joint, the structural joint connecting the first portion to the second portion, including joining the first conical tip to the second conical tip.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the structural joint fills an area of the first conical tip and the second conical tip.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first portion or the second portion comprise a commercial off-the-shelf part.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first portion comprises a 3-D printed part.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the second portion comprises a second 3-D printed part.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the second portion comprises a 3-D cold-spray printed part.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first portion comprises a 3-D cold-spray printed part.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the second portion comprises a second 3-D cold-spray printed part.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein at least the first portion is held by a bracket during the printing of the structural joint.

28. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein at least the first portion is held by a robotic arm during the printing of the structural joint.

29. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are touching during the printing of the structural joint.

30. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising using a vertical assembly cell.

31. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein at least the first portion has been built up using cold spray metal deposit.

32. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first portion comprises a first material, the second portion comprises a second material, and the structural joint comprises a third material.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the first material and the second material comprise the same material.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the third material is configured to withstand stresses on the connection of the first material to the third material.

35. The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the third material is configured to withstand stresses on the connection of the second material to the third material.

36. The apparatus of claim 32 , the at least one processor further configured to control the apparatus to cause the apparatus to prepare at least one of the first portion or the second portion, the preparing comprising a metallization of the at least one of the first portion or the second portion.

37. An apparatus for forming a structure, the structure including a first portion, a second portion, and a structural joint, the apparatus comprising:
means for receiving instructions for printing the structural joint, the instructions based on a data model of the structural joint;
means for receiving the first portion and the second portion, the first portion having a first conical tip and the second portion having a second conical tip;
means for receiving material; and
means for printing the structural joint based on the instructions, the printing comprising spray forming the material to produce the structural joint, the structural joint connecting the first portion to the second portion, including joining the first conical tip to the second conical tip.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code, comprising code to:
receive instructions for printing a structural joint, the instructions based on a data model of the structural joint;
receive a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first conical tip and the second portion having a s

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Teng Alexander Pai-Chung
• El Naga Eahab Nagi
• Massey Jr Steven Blair

Classifications

• C23C24/04 Primary

  Impact or kinetic deposition of particles · CPC title

• B22F12/55

  Two or more means for feeding material · CPC title

• B22F10/25

  Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] · CPC title

• B22F10/18

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

• G05B19/4099 Primary

  Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing · CPC title