High temperature additive manufacturing print head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017144328-A1
Application number	US-201514948921-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 23, 2015
Priority date	Nov 23, 2015
Publication date	May 25, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system of 3D printing using a high temperature 3D print head that functions as a “modified ink jet” printer. The print head has the ability to print high temperature material such as metal, silicon carbide, and other high temperature material as opposed to inks or plastics. The print head is fabricated from a high temperature material to maintain structural integrity while operation at temperatures above the melting temperature for the material that is being printed.

First claim

1 . An additive manufacturing apparatus for producing a product, comprising:
an additive manufacturing print head made of a high temperature tolerant material; a high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head; a nozzle made of a high temperature tolerant material in said additive manufacturing print head, said nozzle extruding said high temperature material; and a system for moving said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle to form the product.

2 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said system for moving said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle to form the product is a computer controller containing instructions for producing the product.

3 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head is metal.

4 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head is liquid metal.

5 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head is silicon carbide.

6 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle are made of tungsten.

7 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle are made of a high temperature refractory alloy.

8 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle are made of high temperature ceramic.

9 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 1 wherein said additive manufacturing print head includes a heating coil.

10 . An additive manufacturing apparatus for producing a product, comprising:
additive manufacturing print head means made of a high temperature tolerant material; high temperature material means in said additive manufacturing print head means; nozzle means in said additive manufacturing print head means wherein said nozzle means extrudes said high temperature material means; and means for moving said additive manufacturing print head means in a predetermined pattern for producing the product.

11 . The additive manufacturing apparatus for producing a product of claim 10 wherein said additive manufacturing print head means and said nozzle means are made of tungsten.

12 . The additive manufacturing apparatus for producing a product of claim 10 wherein said additive manufacturing print head means and said nozzle means are made of a high temperature refractory alloy.

13 . The additive manufacturing apparatus for producing a product of claim 10 wherein said additive manufacturing print head means and said nozzle means are made of high temperature ceramic.

14 . A method of additive manufacturing a product, comprising the steps of:
providing an additive manufacturing print head made of a high temperature tolerant material; providing a high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head; providing a nozzle in said additive manufacturing print head wherein said nozzle extrudes said high temperature material; and moving said additive manufacturing print head in a predetermined pattern for producing the product.

15 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 wherein said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle are made of tungsten.

16 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 wherein said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle are made of a high temperature refractory alloy.

17 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 wherein said additive manufacturing print head and said nozzle are made of high temperature ceramic.

18 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 wherein said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head is metal.

19 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 wherein said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head is liquid metal.

20 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 wherein said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head is silicon carbide.

21 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 wherein said step of moving said additive manufacturing print head in a predetermined pattern for producing the product comprises using a computer controller containing instructions for producing the product for moving said additive manufacturing print head in a predetermined pattern for producing the product.

22 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 14 further comprising the step of heating said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head.

23 . The additive manufacturing system for producing a product of claim 22 wherein said step of heating said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head comprising using a heating coil to heat said high temperature material in said additive manufacturing print head.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Kramer Kevin J
• Bayramian Andrew
• Demuth James A
• El-Dasher Bassem S

Classifications

• B22F12/10

  Auxiliary heating means · CPC title

• B22F10/18

  by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF] · CPC title

• B22F10/22

  Direct deposition of molten metal · CPC title

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B33Y30/00 Primary

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