Method and system for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016144567-A1
Application number	US-201514947753-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Nov 21, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method, system and dispensing head for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing. The three-dimensional object includes a three-dimensional component. The method provides a substrate and forming layers there-on, each layer formed in a pattern corresponding to a three-dimensional component being manufactured and each layer formed by dispensing a curable material from a nozzle of a dispensing head and subsequently curing the curable material. The three-dimensional object comprises the combination of the substrate and the three-dimensional component, wherein the substrate has a non-planar surface portion and the three-dimensional component is formed on the non-planar surface portion such that it is fixedly secured to the substrate. During forming of the layers and/or between forming of two adjacent layers a relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head is effected such that in a substrate coordinate system the dispensing head moves along a non-linear path over the non-planar surface portion.

First claim

1 . A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing, wherein the three-dimensional object comprises a three-dimensional component and the method comprises:
providing a substrate; and successively forming on the substrate a plurality of layers, wherein each layer is formed in a pattern corresponding to a three-dimensional component being manufactured and wherein each layer is formed by dispensing a curable material from a nozzle of a dispensing head and subsequently curing the curable material;
wherein
the three-dimensional object comprises a combination of the substrate and the three-dimensional component, wherein the substrate has a non-planar surface portion and the three-dimensional component is formed at least in part on the non-planar surface portion such that it is fixedly secured to the substrate; and
during forming of at least one of the layers and/or between forming of at least two adjacent ones of the layers a relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head is effected such that in a substrate coordinate system the dispensing head moves along a non-linear path over the non-planar surface portion.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein during the relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head the dispensing head is moved relative to a machine coordinate system of a machine in which the method is carried out.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein during the relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head the substrate is rotated or pivoted relative to a machine coordinate system of a machine, in which the method is carried out, about an axis.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein during the relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head the dispensing head is rotated about a rotation axis to adapt a dispensing direction of the nozzle to the nonplanar surface portion.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein during the relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head an orientation of the nozzle with respect to a tangent plane of the substrate at the center of the region in which the nozzle applies the material is maintained within a predetermined range.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein during the relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head the distance between the nozzle and the non-planar surface portion is maintained within a predetermined range.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a cable, a harness, a duct, a stiffening profile, or a stringer.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional component comprises a bracket, an attachment profile, a cleat, a stabilizer, a connecting element, or an envelope seal.

9 . A dispensing head for an additive manufacturing system adapted for carrying out a method according to claim 1 , comprising a nozzle provided in a surface portion of the dispensing head and adapted for dispensing a curable material, wherein the nozzle is arranged offset with respect to a center of the surface portion of the dispensing head.

10 . The dispensing head according to claim 9 , wherein the nozzle is arranged at a lateral edge of the dispensing head.

11 . A system for carrying out a method according to claim 1 , comprising:
a substrate mounting arrangement adapted for mounting a substrate; a dispensing head comprising a nozzle adapted for dispensing a curable material onto a substrate mounted in the substrate mounting arrangement; a dispensing head mounting arrangement in which the dispensing head is mounted; and a movement mechanism adapted for effecting the relative movement between the substrate and the dispensing head.

12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the dispensing head is a dispensing head according to claim 9 .

13 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the dispensing head mounting arrangement comprises a guide component defining a non-linear guide path around at least a portion of a substrate mounted in the substrate mounting arrangement, and a retaining component retaining the dispensing head and mounted to the guide component to be movable in a guided manner along the non-linear guide path, wherein the retaining component comprises a first element and a second element which are movable with respect to each other to provide for movement of the dispensing head in two directions perpendicular to the non-linear guide path; and the movement mechanism is operable to effect movement of the retaining component along the non-linear guide path and/or of the relative movement between the first element and the second element.

14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein:
the guide component is rotatable about a rotation axis and the retaining component is fixedly mounted to the guide component, and the movement mechanism is operable to effect rotation of the guide component;
or
guide component comprises a rail component to which the retaining component is mounted such that it is movable along the rail component, and the movement mechanism is operable to effect movement of the retaining component along the rail component.

15 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the movement mechanism and the substrate mounting arrangement are operable to effect rotation of a substrate mounted in the substrate mounting arrangement about a rotation axis.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Müller Markus
• Klinger Heike

Classifications

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C70/70 Primary

  Completely encapsulating inserts {(B29C70/86 takes precedence)} · CPC title