Article comprising additively manufactured metal portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12048969-B2
Application number	US-202117450959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2021
Priority date	Apr 10, 2020
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

An article comprising additively manufactured metal portions is described. The article comprises a first additively manufactured metal portion, and a second additively manufactured metal portion coupled to the first additively manufactured metal portion at a welded joint. The article further comprises a resistive heating material disposed within an interior of the welded joint, the resistive heating material comprising a different material than the first additively manufactured metal portion and the second additively manufactured metal portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article, comprising
a first additively manufactured metal portion;
a second additively manufactured metal portion coupled to the first additively manufactured metal portion at a welded joint; and
a resistive heating material disposed within an interior of the welded joint, the resistive heating material comprising a different material than the first additively manufactured metal portion and the second additively manufactured metal portion.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first additively manufactured metal portion comprises a channel, and wherein the resistive heating material is disposed along at least a portion of the channel.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the first additively manufactured portion comprises threads, and wherein the channel is arranged between threads.

4. The article of claim 2 , further comprising a filler material disposed along at least the portion of the channel.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first additively manufactured metal portion comprises a male connector and the second additively manufactured metal portion comprises a female connector coupled to the male connector.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first additively manufactured metal portion comprises a first flange and the second additively manufactured metal portion comprises a second flange.

7. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resistive heating material comprises one or more of a wire or a film.

8. The article of claim 1 , wherein the article comprises a duct, a fairing, or a panel.

9. The article of claim 1 , wherein the welded joint comprises an irregular profile.

10. A vehicle, comprising:
a metal component, the metal component comprising
a first additively manufactured metal portion;
a second additively manufactured metal portion coupled to the first additively manufactured metal portion at a welded joint; and
a resistive heating material disposed within an interior of the welded joint, the resistive heating material comprising a different material than the first additively manufactured metal portion and the second additively manufactured metal portion.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first additively manufactured metal portion and the second additively manufactured metal portion comprise one or more of threads, connectors, or flanges.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the metal component comprises a fairing, a panel, or a duct.

14. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle comprises a spacecraft.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the metal component comprises at least a portion of one or more of a skin, an airframe, a fuselage, or a wing.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first additively manufactured metal portion comprises a channel, and wherein the resistive heating material is disposed along at least a portion of the channel.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the first additively manufactured portion comprises threads, and wherein the channel is arranged between threads.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising a filler material disposed along at least the portion of the channel.

19. An article, comprising
a plurality of additively manufactured metal portions, each additively manufactured metal portion of the plurality of additively manufactured metal portions being coupled to another additively manufactured metal portion at a welded joint;
a resistive heating material disposed within an interior of the welded joint, the resistive heating material comprising a different material than the plurality of additively manufactured metal portions; and
a flux material disposed within the interior of the welded joint.

20. The article of claim 19 , wherein each additively manufactured metal portion of the plurality of additively manufactured metal portions comprises a channel, and wherein the resistive heating material is disposed along at least a portion of the channel.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Braley Daniel J
• Wegge Brandon Heath
• Macdonald Elaine

Classifications

• Y02P10/25

  Process efficiency · CPC title

• B64C1/00 Primary

  Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like · CPC title

• B23K2101/006

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B23K2101/04

  Tubular or hollow articles · CPC title

• B33Y40/20

  Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing · CPC title