System and method for additively manufacturing an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11766832-B2
Application number	US-202015930572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2020
Priority date	May 13, 2020
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A method of additively manufacturing an object includes steps of: (1) selectively depositing build powder inside of a build contour of the object to form a build-powder section of a powder layer; and (2) selectively depositing support powder outside of the build contour to form a support-powder section of the powder layer. According to the method, the build powder includes a build-powder composition, the support powder includes a support-powder composition, and the build-powder composition and the support-powder composition are different.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of additively manufacturing an object, the method comprising:
selectively depositing build powder only inside of a first build contour of the object to form a first build-powder section of a first powder layer;
selectively depositing support powder only outside of the first build contour to form a first support-powder section of the first powder layer;
joining the build powder of the first powder layer to form a first object layer;
joining the support powder of a portion of the first powder layer that is outside of the first build contour and that is inside of a second build contour of the object to form a support layer;
selectively depositing the support powder inside of the second build contour to form an intermediate support-powder layer on the support layer;
selectively depositing the build powder only inside of the second build contour of the object to form a second build-powder section of a second powder layer;
selectively depositing the support powder only outside of the second build contour to form a second support-powder section of the second powder layer; and
joining the build powder of the second powder layer to form a second object layer such that a portion of the second object layer is joined to the first object layer and another portion of the second object layer is supported on but not joined to the intermediate support-powder layer;
wherein:
the build powder comprises a build-powder composition;
the support powder comprises a support-powder composition; and
the build-powder composition and the support-powder composition are different.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selectively depositing the support powder of the first powder layer precedes selectively depositing the build powder of the first powder layer such that:
a support-powder boundary of the first support-powder section of the first powder layer forms the first build contour; and
a build-powder boundary of the first build-powder section of the first powder layer abuts the support-powder boundary of the first support-powder section of the first powder layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selectively depositing the build powder of the first powder layer precedes selectively depositing the support powder of the first powder layer such that:
a build-powder boundary of the first build-powder section of the first powder layer forms the first build contour; and
a support-powder boundary of the first support-powder section of the first powder layer abuts the build-powder boundary of the first build-powder section of the first powder layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively controlling the build-powder composition of the build powder.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the build powder comprises a mixture of a build-powder first constituent and a build-powder second constituent; and
selectively controlling the build-powder composition of the build powder comprises selectively controlling a compositional ratio of the build-powder first constituent and the build-powder second constituent.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein selectively controlling the compositional ratio of the build-powder first constituent and the build-powder second constituent comprises:
measuring a first mass of the build-powder first constituent;
measuring a second mass of the build-powder second constituent; and
measuring a mass of the build powder, comprising the mixture of the build-powder first constituent and the build-powder second constituent.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein selectively controlling the compositional ratio of the build-powder first constituent and the build-powder second constituent further comprises measuring a mass flow rate of the build powder, comprising the mixture of the build-powder first constituent and the build-powder second constituent.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a barrier that has a closed cross-section, wherein at least a portion of each of the first powder layer and the second powder layer are bound by the barrier.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the barrier is formed by depositing wire outside of the first build contour and the second build contour.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the barrier is formed by delivering binder to the support powder of a portion of the first powder layer outside of the first build contour and delivering binder to the support powder of a portion of the second powder layer outside of the second build contour.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support powder is selectively deposited using at least one of a powder sprayer and a powder roller to form the first support-powder section of the first powder layer.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the build powder is deposited using a sprayer to form the first build-powder section of the first powder layer.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively varying the build-powder composition of the build powder to achieve at least one of:
a first powder gradient within the first build-powder section of the first powder layer; and
a second powder gradient within the first build-powder section of the first powder layer and the second build-powder section of the second powder layer.

14. A method of additively manufacturing an object, the method comprising:
selectively depositing build powder only inside of a first build contour of the object to form a first build-powder section of a first powder layer;
selectively depositing support powder only outside of the first build contour to form a first support-powder section of the first powder layer,
joining the build powder of the first powder layer to form a first object layer;
joining the support powder of a portion of the first powder layer that is outside of the first build contour and that is inside of a second build contour of the object to form a support layer;
selectively depositing the support powder inside of the second build contour to form an intermediate support-powder layer on the support layer;
selectively depositing the build powder only inside of the second build contour of the object to form a second build-powder section of a second powder layer;
selectively depositing the support powder only outside of the second build contour to form a second support-powder section of the second powder layer; and
joining the build powder of the second powder layer to form a second object layer such that a portion of the second object layer is joined to the first object layer and another portion of the second object layer is supported on but not joined to the intermediate support-powder layer.

15. An additive-manufacturing system comprising:
a powder-deposition apparatus;
a powder-joining apparatus; and
a controller programmed to command the powder-deposition apparatus and the powder-joining apparatus to:
selectively deposit build powder only inside of a first build contour to form a first build-powder section of a first powder layer;
selectively deposit support powder only outside of the first build contour to form a first support-powder section of the first powder layer;
join the build powder of the first powder layer to form a first object layer;
join the support powder of a portion of the first powder layer that is outside of the first build contour and that is inside of a second build contour of the object to form a support layer;
selectively deposit the support powder inside of the second build contour to form an intermediate support-powder layer on the support layer;
selectively deposit the build powder only inside of the second build contour of the object

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Macdonald Elaine
• Braley Daniel J

Classifications

• B29C64/40 Primary

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

• B22F10/34

  of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability · CPC title

• B22F12/58

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

• B29C64/153 Primary

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

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title