Additive manufacturing system having laser and dispenser on common support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018222114-A1
Application number	US-201815942116-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2018
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	Aug 9, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system includes a platen to support an object being manufactured, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of a powder over the platen, and energy source configured to fuse at least a portion of the powder. The dispenser is configured to deliver the powder in a linear region that extends along a first axis. The dispenser and actuator are supported by a support structure, and the actuator is coupled to the support structure to move the support structure along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis such that the dispenser and energy source move as a single unit with the support structure and the linear region sweeps along the second axis to deposit the powder along a swath over the platen to form a layer of powder.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured; a support structure; a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of a powder over the platen, the dispenser configured to deliver the powder over the platen in a linear region that extends along a first axis; an actuator coupled to the support structure to move the support structure along a second axis parallel to the top surface and perpendicular to the first axis; and an energy source configured to fuse at least a portion of the powder; wherein the dispenser and energy source are secured to the support structure over the platen such that the dispenser and energy source move as a single unit with the support structure over the platen along the second axis and such that the linear region sweeps along the second axis to deposit the powder along a swath over the platen to form a layer of powder.

22 . The system of claim 21 , comprising a vertical actuator to move the support structure along a vertical axis perpendicular to the top surface, and a controller coupled to the vertical actuator, dispenser and energy source configured to cause the vertical actuator to move the support to lift the dispenser and energy source away from the top surface after each of the plurality of successive layers is delivered.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the platen is configured to be vertically immobile.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the actuator to move the support by distance approximately equal to a thickness of a fused portion of a layer.

25 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the energy source is configured to generate a beam that is scanned across the platen and is modulated to control which voxels are fused.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the energy source comprises a laser and the beam is a laser beam.

27 . The system of claim 26 , comprising a mirror to scan the laser beam across the platen.

28 . The system of claim 27 , wherein mirror is configured to deflect the laser beam to control a position of the laser beam on the layer of powder along the first axis.

29 . The system of claim 27 , wherein the mirror comprises a mirror galvometer.

30 . The system of claim 21 , comprising a powder spreader to spread powder already delivered to the layer of powder by the dispenser, the spreader extending along the first axis.

31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the spreader is secured to the support structure such that the dispenser, energy source and spreader move as a single unit with the support structure over the platen along the second axis.

32 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the spreader comprises a roller to compact the layer of powder.

33 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the spreader comprises a blade to level the layer of powder.

34 . The system of claim 21 , comprising a housing enclosing a vacuum chamber, and wherein the platen and dispenser assembly are positioned in the vacuum chamber.

35 . A method of additive manufacturing, comprising:
flowing a powder from a dispenser in a linear region on a platen, the linear region extending along a first axis, the dispenser supported by a support structure; selectively heating, by an energy source supported by the support structure, the powder to a temperature sufficient to cause the powder to fuse; moving the support structure along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to a top surface of the platen such that the dispenser and energy source move as a single unit with the support structure over the platen along the second axis and such that the linear region sweeps along the second axis to deposit the powder along a swath over the platen to form a layer of powder.

36 . The method of claim 35 , comprising moving the support structure continuously while flowing the powder.

37 . The method of claim 35 , wherein selectively heating the layer of powder comprises generating a beam, scanning the beam across the platen, and modulating the beam to control which voxels are fused.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the beam is a laser beam.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein scanning comprises scanning the laser beam with a mirror.

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein scanning comprises scanning the laser beam along the first axis.

41 . The method of claim 35 , comprising spreading the layer of powder with a spreader that is attached to the support structure and moves with the dispenser and energy source.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein spreading the layer of powder comprises leveling the layer of powder with a blade that is attached to the support structure and moves with the dispenser and energy source.

43 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the powder is metallic particles.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the metallic particles comprise titanium or stainless steel, or combinations thereof.

45 . The method of claim 35 , comprising flowing the powder and selectively heating the layer of powder in a vacuum environment.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Ng Hou T
• Zehavi Raanan
• Patibandla Nag B

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B22F12/48

  in height, e.g. perpendicular to the deposition plane · CPC title

• B22F12/13

  to preheat the material · CPC title

• B22F12/45

  Two or more · CPC title

• B22F12/88

  Handling of additively manufactured products, e.g. by robots · CPC title