Additively manufactured non-contact support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016236277-A1
Application number	US-201514620566-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2015
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additively manufactured assembly including an additively manufactured component with an edge oriented with respect to a recoater blade direction and an non-contact support that does not form a part of the additively manufactured component, the additively manufactured support located adjacent the edge. A method of additively manufacturing a component includes additively manufacturing an component with an edge oriented with respect to a recoater blade direction simultaneous with additively manufacturing an non-contact support that does not form a part of the component, the additively manufactured support located adjacent the edge.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . An additively manufactured assembly, comprising:
an additively manufactured component with an edge oriented with respect to a recoater blade direction; and an additively manufactured non-contact support that does not form a part of the additively manufactured component, the additively manufactured support located adjacent the edge.

2 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the additively manufactured non-contact support includes a non-contact support contoured surface adjacent to a contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the edge thereof.

3 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the edge thereof is a windward side of the additively manufactured component with respect to the recoater blade direction.

4 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the non-contact support contoured surface is a leeward side of the additively manufactured non-contact support with respect to the recoater blade direction.

5 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the non-contact support contoured surface is a leeward side of the additively manufactured non-contact support with respect to the recoater blade direction.

6 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the additively manufactured non-contact support includes a windward side that forms a surface amenable to passage of a recoater blade along the recoater blade direction.

7 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the additively manufactured non-contact support includes a non-contact support contoured surface adjacent to a contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the edge thereof, a space distance between the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the additively manufactured component is between about 0.003-0.015 inches (0.076-0.381 mm).

8 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the additively manufactured non-contact support includes a non-contact support contoured surface adjacent to a contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the edge thereof, a space distance between the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the additively manufactured component is between about 0.005-0.01 inches (0.127-0.254 mm).

9 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the additively manufactured non-contact support includes a non-contact support contoured surface adjacent to a contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the edge thereof, the non-contact support contoured surface ends about commensurate with a vertical location at which the contour of the additively manufactured component is vertical.

10 . The additively manufactured assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the contour of the additively manufactured component that forms the edge thereof form an acute angle with respect to the recoater blade direction.

11 . A method of additively manufacturing an assembly, comprising:
simultaneous additively manufacturing a component with an edge oriented with respect to a recoater blade direction and a non-contact support that does not form a part of the component, the support located adjacent the edge.

12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising simultaneously additively manufacturing the component and the non-contact support to a reception plate.

13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising removing the component and the non-contact support from the reception plate such that the non-contact support separates from the component.

14 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the edge of the component is oriented with respect to a recoater blade direction at an acute angle.

15 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising spacing the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance between about 0.003-0.015 inches (0.076-0.381 mm).

16 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising spacing the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance between about 0.005-0.01 inches (0.127-0.254 mm).

17 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising ending the non-contact support contoured surface about commensurate with a vertical location at which the contour of the component is vertical.

18 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising ending the non-contact support contoured surface vertically beyond a vertical location at which the contour of the component is vertical.

19 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising orienting a windward side of the non-contact support to form a surface amenable to passage of a recoater blade along the recoater blade direction.

20 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising spacing the non-contact support contoured surface and the contour of the component at a space distance which prevents connection of the non-contact support contoured surface and the component via the additive manufacturing process.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Doherty Adam Z
• O'Neill Christopher F
• Rizzo Jr John P

Classifications

• B22F12/70

  Gas flow means · CPC title

• B22F12/67

  Blades · CPC title

• B22F10/32

  of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B29C64/153 Primary

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