Temperature controlled additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016375491-A1
Application number	US-201615195298-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2016
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system includes a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of precursor material over the platen, a plurality of lamps disposed below the top surface of the platen to heat the platen, and an energy source to fuse at least some of the outermost layer of precursor material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured; a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of precursor material over the platen; a plurality of lamps disposed below the top surface of the platen to heat the platen; and an energy source to fuse at least some of the outermost layer of precursor material.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy source is configured to direct energy to the outermost layer of powder from a side of the outermost layer farther from the platen.

3 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a power source to power the plurality of lamps, and wherein power to at least some of the plurality of lamps is independently controllable.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of lamps are arranged in a plurality of radial zones and wherein power to each radial zone is independently controllable.

5 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a Faraday cage enclosing the plurality of lamps.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the Faraday cage includes a conductive mesh through which light from the plurality lamps pass to radiatively heat the platen.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of lamps are arranged in a plurality of radial zones and the Faraday cage isolates each radial zone.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the platen comprises a conductive plate and the system comprises a radio frequency (RF) power source to apply RF power to the conductive plate.

9 . The system of claim 8 , comprising a Faraday cage surrounding the plurality of lamps, the Faraday cage including a conductive mesh through which light from the plurality lamps pass to radiatively heat the plate.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the platen is vertically movable and is supported by a piston rod, and the system comprises a linear actuator to move the platen vertically.

11 . The system of claim 8 , comprising an RF pin extending through the piston rod to carry power from the RF power source to the conductive plate.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the platen comprises a dielectric layer plate positioned between the plurality of lamps and the conductive plate.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the platen comprises a dielectric coating covering a top surface of the conductive plate.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the platen comprises a dielectric ring laterally surrounding the conductive plate.

15 . A method of additive manufacturing, comprising:
dispensing a plurality of successive layers of precursor material over a support; heating the support using a plurality of lamps disposed below the support; and applying energy to an outermost layer from an energy source positioned above the support to fuse at least a portion of the outermost layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , comprising independently controlling power applied to at least some of the plurality of lamps.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of lamps are arranged in a plurality of radial zones, and comprising independently controlling power applied to each radial zone.

18 . The method of claim 15 , comprising isolating the plurality of lamps from a region above the support with a Faraday cage.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein heating the support comprises directing light through a conductive mesh of the Faraday cage.

20 . The method of claim 15 , comprising generating a plasma in a region above the support.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Swaminathan Bharath
• Ng Eric
• Patibandla Nag B
• Ng Hou T
• Kumar Ashavani
• Joshi Ajey M
• Frey Bernard
• Krishnan Kasiraman

Classifications

• B29C64/245 Primary

  Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) · CPC title

• B22F10/36

  of energy beam parameters · CPC title

• B22F12/57

  Metering means · CPC title

• B22F12/17

  to heat the build chamber or platform · CPC title

• B22F12/30

  Platforms or substrates · CPC title