Method of controlling warping in 3d printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018333924-A1
Application number	US-201715597645-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2017
Priority date	May 17, 2017
Publication date	Nov 22, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling warping and/or curling in a 3D-printed component are disclosed. One method may include fabricating a component having one or more anchors attached thereto layer-by-layer via additive manufacturing. The component and anchor(s) may be formed of a first material. The method may also include fabricating a support structure to support portions of the component as it is fabricated. The support structure may at least partially enclose the anchor(s). The anchor(s) and the support structure may be removed from the component after it is fabricated. Each anchor may be the same size and shape, which may reduce design time and allow the same anchor design to be used across multiple components. The support structure enclosing the anchors may lock them into place and prevent the component from warping or curling, for example, due to expansion or contraction during cooling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
fabricating a component having one or more anchors attached thereto layer-by-layer via additive manufacturing, the component and anchor(s) being formed of a first material; fabricating a support structure to support portions of the component as it is fabricated, the support structure at least partially enclosing the anchor(s); and removing the anchor(s) and the support structure from the component after it is fabricated.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the support structure is formed of a second material that is different than the first material.

3 . The method of claim 2 , where in the second material is a dissolving material and the removing step includes dissolving the support structure.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of anchors are attached to the component.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of anchors has a same shape.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of anchors has a same size.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of anchors is spaced around a perimeter of the component.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of anchors spaced around the perimeter are partially, but not completely, enclosed by the support structure.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of anchors is positioned at a corner of the component.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more anchors is completely enclosed by the support structure.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anchor includes a base and an attachment portion extending from the base, the attachment portion including an attachment surface where the anchor is attached to the component.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the attachment surface comprises less than 25% of a surface area of the attachment portion.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that are executed by a processor at a computer to:
control an additive manufacturing computer system to:
fabricate a component having one or more anchors attached thereto layer-by-layer using a first material; and
fabricate a support structure to support portions of the component as it is fabricated, the support structure at least partially enclosing the anchor(s).

14 . The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the additive manufacturing computer system is controlled to form the support structure of a second material that is different than the first material.

15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the additive manufacturing computer system is controlled to fabricate a plurality of anchors attached to the component, each anchor having a same size and shape.

16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the additive manufacturing computer system is controlled to fabricate a plurality of components each having one or more anchors attached thereto, each of the one or more anchors having a same size and shape.

17 . A 3D-printed component, comprising:
a component body; a plurality of anchors attached to the component body, the anchor and the component formed of a first material; and a support structure, formed of a second material, attached to the component body and at least partially enclosing each anchor.

18 . The component of claim 17 , wherein each of the anchors has a same size and shape.

19 . The component of claim 17 , wherein each of the anchors includes a base and an attachment portion extending from the base, the attachment portion including an attachment surface where the anchor is attached to the component.

20 . The component of claim 19 , wherein the attachment surface comprises less than 25% of a surface area of the attachment portion.

Assignees

• Ford Motor Co

Inventors

• Modzel John

Classifications

• B29C64/386 Primary

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F10/73

  of powder · CPC title

• B29C64/40

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• B22F10/66

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• B22F10/25

  Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] · CPC title