Multimaterial powder bed patterning for additive manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020147874-A1
Application number	US-201916657601-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2019
Priority date	Nov 8, 2018
Publication date	May 14, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an additive manufacturing system. In one embodiment the system makes use of a reservoir for holding a granular material feedstock. A nozzle is in communication with the reservoir for releasing the granular material feedstock in a controlled fashion from the reservoir to form at least one layer of a part. An excitation source is included for applying a signal which induces a controlled release of the granular material feedstock from the nozzle as needed, to pattern the granular material feedstock as necessary to form a layer of the part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a reservoir for holding a granular material feedstock; a nozzle in communication with the reservoir for releasing the granular material feedstock in a controlled fashion from the reservoir to form at least one layer of a part; and an excitation source for applying a signal which induces a controlled release of the granular material feedstock from the nozzle as needed to pattern the granular material feedstock as necessary to form a layer of the part.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a setting subsystem configured to act on the patterned granular material feedstock to set the patterned granular material layer before proceeding to form a new subsequent layer of the part.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation source comprises a source configured to generate at least one of an acoustic signal or a mechanical signal.

4 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising an element disposed within the nozzle for providing a controlled, vibratory mechanical signal to the granular material feedstock to assist in controlling release of the granular material feedstock from the nozzle in response to the signal generated from the excitation source.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the element comprises an elongated rod.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising a syringe located within the nozzle, the syringe receiving the granular material feedstock and controllably releasing the granular material feedstock; and
wherein the elongated rod is disposed inside the syringe.

7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the excitation source comprises a transducer operably associated with the nozzle, the transducer configured to provide the signal which causes the controlled, vibratory mechanical signal produced by the element.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the transducer comprises a speaker located within the nozzle for generating the signal applied to the element.

9 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the excitation signal comprises an acoustic signal, and at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, or a direction of propagation of the acoustic signal is controlled to accomplish setting of the patterned granular material feedstock.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation source comprises a source configured to generate an optical signal.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation source comprises a laser.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation source comprises a source that generates at least one of an electrostatic or electromagnetic signal.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation source comprises a source that generates a thermal signal.

14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic controller for controlling the excitation source to release the granular material feedstock in a manner to pattern the granular material feedstock as needed to form the layer of the part.

15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an excitation motion control subsystem for controlling movement of the excitation source.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation motion control subsystem controls motion of the excitation source in at least one of:
along a single axis of movement; along two axes of movement perpendicular to one another; along three axes of movement perpendicular to one another; along four axes of movement; along five axes of movement; or along six axes of movement.

17 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the setting subsystem comprises a subsystem configured to emit at least one of:
a binder which is applied to the patterned granular material feedstock; and an optical signal which is used to heat the patterned granular material feedstock before a new layer of granular material feedstock is deposited.

18 . The system of claim 1 , further including a nozzle motion control subsystem for controlling movement of the nozzle while the granular material feedstock is being released from the nozzle.

19 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a motion control subsystem for controlling motion of a table onto which the granular material feedstock is released from the nozzle, while the granular material feedstock is flowing out from the nozzle.

20 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a reservoir for holding a granular material feedstock; a nozzle in communication with the reservoir for depositing granular material feedstock from the reservoir through the nozzle in a controlled fashion to form at least one layer of a part; and an excitation source disposed adjacent the nozzle for applying a signal which induces a controlled release of the granular material feedstock from the nozzle as needed to pattern the granular material feedstock as necessary to form a patterned granular material feedstock layer of the part; and a setting subsystem configured to act on the patterned granular material feedstock to set the patterned granular material feedstock layer before proceeding to form a new subsequent layer of the part.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the excitation source comprises at least one of:
an acoustic signal source for generating an acoustic signal; an optical signal source for generating an optical signal; an electrostatic signal source for generating an electrostatic signal; an electromagnetic signal source for generating an electromagnetic signal; or a mechanical signal source for generating a mechanical signal.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the signal generated by the excitation signal source is controlled in at least one of:
frequency; amplitude; and directional orientation; rotational speed; and on and off operation.

23 . The system of claim 20 , further comprising at least one of:
a motion control subsystem for controlling movement of the excitation source; or a motion control subsystem for controlling motion of the nozzle.

24 . The system of claim 20 , further comprising an element disposed in the nozzle and responsive to the signal from the excitation source to cause a vibratory motion to be imparted to the granular material feedstock within the nozzle, to thus assist in the controlled release of the granular material feedstock from the nozzle.

25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the excitation source comprises a speaker disposed adjacent to the element, and wherein the element comprises an elongated rod.

26 . A method for additively manufacturing a part, the method comprising:
using a reservoir to hold a granular material feedstock; using a nozzle in communication with the reservoir to release the granular material feedstock in a controlled fashion from the reservoir to form at least one layer of a part; and using an excitation source for applying a signal to the nozzle which induces a controlled release of the granular material feedstock from the nozzle as needed to pattern the granular material feedstock as necessary to form a layer of the part.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Dudukovic Nikola
• Aines Roger
• Baker Sarah
• Deotte Joshua R
• Duoss Eric B
• Feaster Jeremy Taylor
• Golobic Alexandra
• Mancini Julie
• Spadaccini Christopher M
• Watts Seth Evan
• Troksa Michael John

Classifications

• B29C64/209 Primary

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B29C64/227

  Driving means · CPC title

• B29C64/321

  Feeding · CPC title

• B29C64/255

  Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title