Treatment processes and systems for additively formed components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020376786-A1
Application number	US-201916428177-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2019
Publication date	Dec 3, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems for treating an additively manufactured components are described. The methods include placing the additively manufactured component into a treatment chamber within a treatment vessel, performing a first treatment operation on the additively manufactured component within the treatment vessel, using a first treatment material, and performing a second treatment operation on the additively manufactured component within the treatment vessel, using a second treatment material, wherein the first treatment material is a gaseous treatment material and the second treatment material is a liquid treatment material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for treating an additively manufactured component, the method comprising:
placing the additively manufactured component into a treatment chamber within a treatment vessel; performing a first treatment operation on the additively manufactured component within the treatment vessel, using a first treatment material; and performing a second treatment operation on the additively manufactured component within the treatment vessel, using a second treatment material, wherein the first treatment material is a gaseous treatment material and the second treatment material is a liquid treatment material.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second treatment material is at least one of a detergent, oil, acid, base, solvent, deionzed water, and alcohol.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment chamber comprises a first treatment subchamber and a second treatment subchamber, wherein the first treatment operation is performed in the first treatment subchamber and the second treatment operation is performed in the second treatment subchamber.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising conveying the additively manufactured component on a conveyor through each of the first treatment subchamber and the second treatment subchamber.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a drying operation within the treatment vessel, the drying operation performed after the second treatment operation.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the drying operation comprises operation of a cryogenic moisture trap.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the second treatment operation, submerging the additively manufactured component in the second treatment material.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein during at least one of the first treatment operation and the second treatment operation, at least one of ultrasonic energy and pneumatic vibrations are applied to the additively manufactured component.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second treatment operation comprises:
submerging the additively manufactured component in the second treatment material; applying ultrasonic energy to the additively manufactured component in the second treatment material; actively reorienting the additively manufactured component in the second treatment material within the second treatment material; and removing the additively manufactured component from the second treatment material.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, after removing the additively manufactured component from the second treatment material, operating a cryogenic moisture trap within the treatment vessel.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the additively manufactured component is lowered into the second treatment material to submerge the additively manufactured component.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a level of the second treatment material is raised to submerge the additively manufactured component.

13 . A component treatment system for an additively manufactured component, the system comprising:
a treatment vessel defining a treatment chamber therein; a first treatment material source configured to supply a first treatment material into the treatment chamber for performing a first treatment operation on the additively manufactured component located within the treatment vessel; a second treatment material source configured to supply a second treatment material into the treatment chamber for performing a second treatment operation on an additively manufactured component located within the treatment vessel; and a cryogenic moisture trap configured within the treatment vessel, the cryogenic moisture trap configured to perform a drying operation on the additively manufactured component.

14 . The component treatment system of claim 13 , wherein the second treatment material is at least one of detergent, oil, acid, base, solvent, deionzed water, and alcohol.

15 . The component treatment system of claim 13 , wherein the treatment chamber comprises a first treatment subchamber and a second treatment subchamber, wherein the first treatment operation is performed in the first treatment subchamber and the second treatment operation is performed in the second treatment subchamber.

16 . The component treatment system of claim 15 , wherein the cryogenic moisture trap is located in a third treatment subchamber located adjacent the second treatment subchamber.

17 . The component treatment system of claim 15 , further comprising a conveyor arranged to move the additively manufactured component through the first treatment subchamber and the second treatment subchamber.

18 . The component treatment system of claim 13 , further comprising a control arm configured to engage with and releasably retain, support, and hold the additively manufactured component within the treatment chamber.

19 . The component treatment system of claim 18 , wherein the control arm is configured to orient and reorient the additively manufactured component within the treatment chamber.

20 . The component treatment system of claim 18 , wherein the control arm is configured to apply vibration to the additively manufactured component when the additively manufactured component is engaged by the control arm.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Morganson David W
• Gustafson Brendan T
• Purdy Jason

Classifications

• B08B7/04 Primary

  by a combination of operations · CPC title

• B33Y40/20 Primary

  Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing · CPC title

• B29C71/0009 Primary

  using liquids, e.g. solvents, swelling agents (spectacle cases, e.g. for cleaning contact lenses A45C11/04; disinfecting or sterilising contact lenses A61L12/00, using liquid substances A61L2/20; cleaning involving the use of liquid in general B08B3/00; for hydrating contact lenses B29D11/00067) · CPC title

• B22F12/88

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

• B22F10/68

  Cleaning or washing · CPC title