Apparatus and methods for removable support structures in additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12296539-B2
Application number	US-201715725136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods of support structures in powder-bed fusion (PBF) are provided. Support structures can be formed of bound powder, which can be, for example, compacted powder, compacted and sintered powder, powder with a binding agent applied, etc. Support structures can be formed of non-powder support material, such as a foam. Support structures can be formed to include inductive components that can be used to facilitate removal of the support structures in the presence of an external magnetic field. Additionally, support structures can be formed to break when a fluid, such as air or water, creates a force and/or pressure at a connection point interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A support structure for supporting a surface of a build piece of a powder-bed fusion system, the support structure comprising:
a first leg having a length, the first leg attached to the surface at a connection point interface, wherein a first portion of the length is proximate the connection point interface,
a second portion of the length is further from the connection point interface than the first portion of the length; and
an orifice formed in the second portion of the first leg and configured to provide a fluid entry therein such that the fluid applies a force to the first portion of the length of the first leg in order to detach the first portion from the surface.

2. The support structure of claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness of the first portion of the length is less than a wall thickness of the second portion of the length, such that the first portion is configured to break in response to the applied force.

3. The support structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second leg, wherein the second leg is attached to the surface at a second connection point interface.

4. The support structure of claim 3 , wherein the orifice is formed from the first leg and the second leg.

5. The support structure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the force is created by a phase change of the fluid.

6. The support structure of claim 5 , wherein the phase change is from a liquid to a solid.

7. The support structure of claim 6 , wherein the fluid is water.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Zafar Muhammad Faizan
• Tenhouten Broc William
• Martinez Antonio Bernerd
• Fleming Keith Allen
• Bucknell John Russell

Classifications

• B22F10/66

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• B22F10/60

  Treatment of workpieces or articles after build-up · CPC title

• B22F10/47

  characterised by structural features · CPC title

• B22F10/43

  characterised by material · CPC title

• B22F12/60

  Planarisation devices; Compression devices · CPC title