Additive manufacturing lift and pull tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288208-A1
Application number	US-201415037028-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 3, 2014
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of making a tool includes creating a computer rile defining the tool in layers and building the tool using an additive manufacturing process that builds the tool on a layer-by-layer basis. The tool includes at least one of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point at or near one end of the body.

First claim

1 . A method of making a tool, the method comprising:
creating a computer file defining the tool in layers, the tool comprising:
a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end; and
a plurality of dogleg slots at the second end of the tool;
wherein the tool includes at least one of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body; and
building the tool using an additive manufacturing process that builds the tool on a layer-by-layer basis from the first end to the second end.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tool includes at least two of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tool includes at least three of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tool includes all of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of dogleg slots includes a substantially square inner end corner and a curved inlet end corner.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer file defines a first layer height at a first location of the tool that includes the plurality of doglegs and a second layer height at a second location of the tool that is distal from the plurality of doglegs, wherein the first layer height is shorter than the second layer height.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the integral mounting point is located at the first end.

8 . A tool comprising a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, a plurality of dogleg slots at the second end of the body, and at least one of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body; the tool being made by the steps of:
selectively sintering a first layer of pulverant material within a frame to make a partially built tool; lowering the partially built tool; adding a second layer of pulverant material on top of the partially built tool; and selectively sintering the second layer of pulverant material to the partially built tool.

9 . The tool of claim 8 , wherein the tool includes at least two of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

10 . The tool of claim 8 , wherein the tool includes at least three of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

11 . The tool of claim 8 , wherein the tool includes all of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

12 . The tool of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of dogleg slots is located on an inside of the cylindrical body.

13 . The tool of claim 8 , and further comprising:
lowering the partially built tool after selectively sintering the second layer; adding a third layer of pulverant material on top of the partially built tool; and selectively sintering the second layer of pulverant material to the partially built tool; wherein the third layer of pulverant material is substantially larger than the second layer of pulverant material.

14 . The tool of claim 8 , wherein the tool includes the integral mounting point and further comprises:
an end cap at the first end of the body, the integral mounting point extending axially from the end cap.

15 . A tool comprising:
a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end; and a plurality of dogleg slots at the second end of the body; wherein the tool includes at least one of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

16 . The tool of claim 15 , wherein the tool includes at least two of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

17 . The tool of claim 15 , wherein the tool includes at least three of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

18 . The tool of claim 15 , wherein the tool includes all of the following features: a substantially square dogleg inner end corner, a substantially completely cylindrical dogleg surface, an angled dogleg inlet, and an integral mounting point on or proximate to the first end of the body.

19 . The tool of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of dogleg slots is located on an inside of the cylindrical body.

20 . The tool of claim 15 , wherein the tool includes the integral mounting point and further comprises:
an end cap at the first end of the body, the integral mounting point extending axially from the end cap.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Petty Dale William

Classifications

• F01D5/025

  Fixing blade carrying members on shafts (attachment of a member on a shaft in general F16D1/06; for non-positive displacement pumps F04D29/00) · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• G05B19/4099

  Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing · CPC title