Selective powder processing during powder bed additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018370213-A1
Application number	US-201715631965-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Jun 23, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for secondary material deposition and insert deposition during additive manufacturing (AM) processes. Such methods and apparatuses can be used to embed chemical signatures into manufactured objects, and such embedded chemical signatures may find use in anti-counterfeiting operations and in manufacture of objects with multiple materials.

First claim

1 . A method of fabricating an object, comprising:
(a) fusing at least a portion of a given layer of a first build material to form at least one fused region; (b) providing a subsequent layer of the first build material; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the object is formed; and (d) at least one step of removing a portion of the subsequent layer of the first build material to expose a portion of the fused region through the subsequent layer of build material, during or after forming of the object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing is done by vacuum.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one step of depositing a second build material or insert consisting of a pre-fused portion of the second build material and moving a recoater arm after depositing the second build material or insert.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the second build material or insert is deposited over at least a portion of the exposed portion of the fused region.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fusing comprises irradiating with a laser beam or with an electron beam.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fusing comprises binder jetting.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the second build material or insert has different electromagnetic absorption or reflection characteristics from the first build material.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the absorption or reflection characteristics are measured using x-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, or computed tomography methods.

9 . A method of fabricating an object, comprising:
(a) fusing at least a portion of a given layer of a first build material, to form a fused region; (b) providing a subsequent layer of the first build material; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the object is formed; and (d) at least one step of selectively depositing a second build material or insert consisting of a pre-fused portion of the second build material over at least a portion of the subsequent layer of the first build material, to form a bilayer of the first build material and the second build material, and fusing the bilayer of the first build material and the second build material, to form a fused region of the fused first build material and the fused second build material, during or after forming of the object.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second build material or insert is deposited over at least a portion of the exposed portion of the fused region.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second build material or insert has different electromagnetic absorption or reflection characteristics from the first build material.

12 . The method of claim 11 , where the absorption or reflection characteristics are measured using x-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, or computed tomography methods.

13 . An apparatus for forming an object by additive manufacturing, comprising:
a mechanism for providing a layer of powder; a mechanism for selectively fusing at least a portion of the layer of powder, to provide a fused region; and a powder removal unit for removing a portion of the layer of powder to expose a portion of the fused region through the layer of powder during or after forming of the object, the powder removal unit movable in at least two dimensions.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the mechanism for providing a layer of powder comprises a recoater arm.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a second powder dispenser or an insert dispenser.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second powder dispenser or insert dispenser is on the recoater arm.

17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the mechanism for selectively fusing at least a portion of the layer of powder comprises an energy source.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the energy source is a laser source.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the energy source is an electron beam source.

20 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the recoater arm comprises a recoater blade.

21 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the powder removal unit is on the recoater arm.

22 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the powder removal unit is on a positioning unit.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Gold Scott Alan
• Stevenson Christian

Classifications

• B29C64/153

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/20

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

• G01N21/33

  using ultraviolet light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29L2009/005

  coated · CPC title