Sediment controlling in pneumatic jetting of metal for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017252810-A1
Application number	US-201715449596-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Mar 3, 2016
Publication date	Sep 7, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are directed to separating sediment from liquid metal ejected, through pneumatic force, from a nozzle moving along a controlled three-dimensional pattern to fabricate a three-dimensional object. The separation of the sediment from the liquid metal can reduce the likelihood that the nozzle will become clogged or otherwise degraded during fabrication of the three-dimensional object or over the course of fabrication of multiple objects. Accordingly, the separation of the sediment from the liquid metal can facilitate, for example, the use of pneumatic ejection of liquid metal for high volume production of parts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An additive manufacturing system, the system comprising:
a nozzle defining a volume, a first port, a second port, and a discharge orifice in fluid communication with one another; a source of a pressurized gas in selective fluid communication with the volume of the nozzle through the first port; a media supply in fluid communication with the volume of the nozzle through the second port; and one or more baffles disposed in the volume of the nozzle such that an axis defined by the discharge orifice and the second port intersects the one or more baffles, the one or more baffles oriented to direct sediment of a liquid form of a metal in the volume to a reservoir portion of the volume, the reservoir portion away from the discharge orifice.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more baffles define a non-linear path between the discharge orifice and the reservoir portion of the volume.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the non-linear path between the discharge orifice and the reservoir portion of the volume includes an increase in height, along an axis perpendicular to the discharge orifice, along the non-linear path from the reservoir portion to the discharge orifice.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more baffles span a dimension of the volume.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more baffles include a plurality of baffles substantially parallel to one another.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more baffles are angled with respect to an axis perpendicular to the discharge orifice.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the media supply is configured to move a solid form of metal into the volume through the second port.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the second port is vented to atmosphere such that pressurized gas exits the volume through the second port.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a flow of pressurized gas through the first port is substantially unimpeded by the one or more baffles.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heater arranged to heat at least portions of the nozzle defining the discharge orifice and along which the one or more baffles are disposed.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the heater includes one or more of a resistance heater, an induction heater, a convection heater, and a radiation heater.

12 . A method of additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
directing a metal into a volume defined by a nozzle; moving a discharge orifice and a build plate relative to one another along a controlled three-dimensional pattern, the discharge orifice defined by the nozzle and in fluid communication with the volume; separating, in the volume, a liquid form of the metal from a sediment; and based at least in part on a position of the discharge orifice along the controlled three-dimensional pattern, delivering pressurized gas into the volume to eject the liquid form of the metal from the discharge orifice to form a three-dimensional object on the build plate.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein separating the liquid form of the metal from the sediment includes moving the liquid form of the metal along a non-linear path from a sediment reservoir in the volume to the discharge orifice.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein separating the liquid form of the metal from the sediment further includes increasing, in the volume, a height of the liquid form of the metal relative to the discharge orifice.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the non-linear path is at least partially defined by one or more baffles disposed in the volume.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the liquid form of the metal is separated from the sediment as the pressurized gas is delivered into the volume.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Myerberg Jonah Samuel
• Natchurivalapil Rappai James Toshana Krishna
• Sachs Emanuel Michael
• Hoisington Paul A
• Li Kevin Michael

Classifications

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B22F12/10

  Auxiliary heating means · CPC title

• B22F10/32

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

• B22F12/53

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B22F10/22 Primary

  Direct deposition of molten metal · CPC title