Apparatuses and Methods for Additive Manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016136759-A1
Application number	US-201414540057-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2014
Priority date	Nov 13, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing apparatus is disclosed. The additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a linear rail having a length. The linear rail is one of rotatable or revolvable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis. The additive manufacturing apparatus further comprises an electromagnetic energy source movably coupled to the linear rail and movable in a polar coordinate system having a radius R.

First claim

1 . An additive manufacturing apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:
a linear rail ( 122 ) having a length L 1 , wherein the linear rail ( 122 ) is one of rotatable or revolvable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis A; and an electromagnetic energy source ( 110 ) movably coupled to the linear rail ( 122 ) and movable in a polar coordinate system ( 250 ) having a radius R.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein:
the electromagnetic energy source ( 110 ) is configured to translate along the linear rail ( 122 ) in a linear travel path ( 254 ), and the linear travel path ( 254 ) along the linear rail ( 122 ) has a maximum length L 2 equal to or greater than the radius R of the polar coordinate system ( 250 ).

4 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein:
the electromagnetic energy source ( 110 ) is configured to translate along the linear rail ( 122 ) in a linear travel path ( 254 ), and the linear travel path ( 254 ) along the linear rail ( 122 ) has a maximum length L 2 equal to or less than the radius R of the polar coordinate system ( 250 ).

5 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the length L 1 of the linear rail ( 122 ) is equal to or greater than the radius R of the polar coordinate system ( 250 ).

6 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the length L 1 of the linear rail ( 122 ) is equal to or less than the radius R of the polar coordinate system ( 250 ).

7 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising:
a ring ( 104 ); and a peripheral drive ( 148 ) operatively coupled to the ring ( 104 ), movable along the ring ( 104 ), and configured to one of rotate or revolve the linear rail ( 122 ) about the vertical axis A.

8 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 7 , further comprising a passive hub ( 222 ) rotatable about the vertical axis A, wherein the linear rail ( 122 ) is attached to the passive hub ( 222 ).

9 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a central drive ( 216 ) configured to one of rotate or revolve the linear rail ( 122 ) about the vertical axis A.

10 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising:
a ring ( 104 ); and a peripheral passive support ( 226 ), fixed to the linear rail ( 122 ) and movably coupled to the ring ( 104 ).

11 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 10 , further comprising a central drive ( 216 ) configured to one of rotate or revolve the linear rail ( 122 ) about the vertical axis A.

12 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a build platform ( 106 ) vertically movable relative to the electromagnetic energy source ( 110 ).

13 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 12 , further comprising a base ( 102 ), wherein the build platform ( 106 ) is vertically movable relative to the base ( 102 ).

14 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 13 , further comprising a surface-conditioning apparatus ( 116 ), wherein the build platform ( 106 ) is rotatably movable relative to the surface-conditioning apparatus ( 116 ).

15 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 12 , further comprising a powder-containment compartment ( 138 ) configured to contain a metal powder ( 302 ) and having a powder-bed volume ( 108 ), wherein the build platform ( 106 ) at least partially delimits the powder-bed volume ( 108 ).

27 - 29 . (canceled)

30 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 26 , wherein:
the build platform ( 106 ) is vertically movable within the powder-containment compartment ( 138 ), and the powder-bed volume ( 108 ) is variable.

31 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 26 , further comprising a powder-removal apparatus ( 126 ) configured to remove the metal powder ( 302 ) from the powder-containment compartment ( 138 ).

32 - 49 . (canceled)

50 . An additive manufacturing apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:
linear rails ( 122 ) each having a length L 1 , wherein the linear rails ( 122 ) are one of rotatable or revolvable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis A; and electromagnetic energy sources ( 110 ) movably coupled to the linear rails ( 122 ) and movable in a polar coordinate system ( 250 ) having a radius R.

51 - 53 . (canceled)

54 . A method ( 500 ) for additively manufacturing an object ( 300 ) from a metal powder ( 302 ), the method ( 500 ) comprising:
distributing a first stratum ( 230 ) of the metal powder ( 302 ) in a powder-bed volume ( 108 ) at least partially delimited by a build platform ( 106 ); and melting a first selected portion of the first stratum ( 230 ) of the metal powder ( 302 ) in the powder-bed volume ( 108 ) by exposing the first selected portion of the first stratum ( 230 ) of the metal powder ( 302 ) to electromagnetic energy ( 306 ) from an electromagnetic energy source ( 110 ) while moving the electromagnetic radiation source ( 110 ) along a first predetermined path in a polar coordinate system ( 250 ) to form at least a portion of a first layer ( 304 ) of the object ( 300 ), wherein the electromagnetic radiation source ( 110 ) is movable in a linear travel path ( 254 ) along a linear rail ( 122 ) and the linear rail ( 122 ) is one of rotatable or revolvable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis A.

55 . The method ( 500 ) of claim 54 , further comprising:
vertically moving the build platform ( 106 ) a predetermined distance away from the electromagnetic energy source ( 110 ) after forming the first layer ( 304 ) of the object ( 300 ); and distributing a second stratum ( 232 ) of the metal powder ( 302 ) in the powder-bed volume ( 108 ) over the first layer ( 304 ) of the object ( 300 ).

56 . The method ( 500 ) of claim 55 , further comprising melting a second selected portion of the second stratum ( 232 ) of the metal powder ( 302 ) in the powder-bed volume ( 108 ) by exposing the second selected portion of the second stratum ( 232 ) of the metal powder ( 302 ) to the electromagnetic energy ( 306 ) from the electromagnetic energy source ( 110 ) while moving the electromagnetic radiation source ( 110 ) along a second predetermined path in the polar coordinate system ( 250 ) to form at least a portion of a second layer ( 305 ) of the object ( 300 ).

57 - 71 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Broda Adam R

Classifications

• B22F3/24 Primary

  After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B22F12/52

  Hoppers · CPC title

• B22F10/66

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• B22F10/62

  by chemical means · CPC title

• B22F12/41

  characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam · CPC title